Herb Yogurt Sauce for Grilled Meat, Fish and Veg
A handful of soft green herbs, lemon and garlic turn plain yogurt into a cool sauce for anything that comes off the grill. Here is a base recipe, a few twists from different kitchens, and how to serve it safely outdoors.
Grilled food loves something cool and sharp beside it. A spoonful of herb yogurt sauce cuts through the smoke and fat of grilled lamb, brightens a piece of fish and turns a tray of charred vegetables into a meal.
Unlike tzatziki, this sauce has no cucumber. It is all about the herbs: a big handful, chopped fine, so the sauce turns pale green. It takes ten minutes and keeps for a few days, which makes it perfect for summer cookouts and weeknight dinners alike.
Choosing your herbs
Soft, leafy herbs work best. Parsley gives body and a clean green flavor, mint adds coolness, dill brings a fresh, slightly anise note, chives add a gentle onion bite and coriander leaves give a bright, citrusy lift. Use two or three together, with parsley as the base.
Match the herbs to the food. Mint and parsley suit lamb and beef. Dill and chives are lovely with salmon and other fish. Coriander and mint go well with spiced chicken and roasted cauliflower. Avoid woody herbs such as rosemary in a raw sauce, as they stay tough and can taste bitter.
Green Herb Yogurt Sauce
You need
- thick plain yogurt (Greek-style)250 g (1 cup)
- mixed soft herb leaves, such as parsley, mint, dill, chives or coriander30 g (about 1 packed cup)
- small garlic clove, finely grated1
- lemon, zest finely grated, plus 1 tbsp of its juice1/2
- extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp
- fine salt, or to taste1/4 tsp
- cold water, to loosen if needed1 to 2 tbsp
Method
- Rinse the herbs under cold running water and dry them well in a clean towel or salad spinner. Pick the leaves from any thick stems.
- Chop the herbs very finely with a sharp knife. For a smooth, bright green sauce, blend them with the olive oil instead.
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt.
- Stir in the herbs and olive oil. Add a spoonful of cold water if you want a pourable sauce for drizzling.
- Taste and adjust the salt and lemon. Cover and chill for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve cold in its own bowl, set on ice if you are eating outdoors. Use a clean spoon for serving.
Tips
- If you want a yogurt marinade too, make a separate batch for the raw meat. Never put a spoon that touched raw meat back into the serving sauce.
- Making it ahead? Mix the base the day before and stir in the chopped herbs a few hours before serving for the freshest flavor.
- Leftover sauce makes a quick dressing for potato salad or a spread for wraps the next day.
Variations from around the world
Yogurt sauces with herbs appear in many cuisines. In Turkey, garlicky yogurt is spooned over kebabs. In India, cooks blend mint and coriander into yogurt to serve with grilled tandoori dishes. Persian kitchens add dried mint and sometimes dried rose petals, while in Lebanon a simple garlic and mint yogurt is served with grilled meat.
To try these, swap the lemon for a pinch of ground cumin and green chili for an Indian-style sauce, use 1 teaspoon of dried mint instead of fresh for a Persian-style one, or double the garlic for a Turkish-style kebab sauce.
What the evidence says
The most useful facts here are about cookout food safety. USDA advice is to keep cold dishes at or below 4 °C (40 °F), for example by setting the bowl on ice, and not to leave food out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it is above 32 °C (90 °F).
Keep the sauce well away from raw meat. USDA recommends serving cooked food on a clean platter, not the one that held raw meat, and boiling any marinade that touched raw meat before using it as a sauce. That is why this sauce is made in its own bowl and never used as a marinade and a dip at the same time.
Herbs go into the sauce raw, so wash them. The FDA advises rinsing all produce under running water, without soap, and drying it with a clean towel.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between herb yogurt sauce and tzatziki?
Tzatziki is built around grated cucumber and garlic, with herbs as an accent. Herb yogurt sauce skips the cucumber and uses a much larger amount of herbs, so it is greener and more herbal.
Can I use dried herbs?
Dried mint works well, about 1 teaspoon in place of 1 tablespoon fresh. Most other dried herbs taste dull in a raw sauce, so use fresh where you can.
Can I make it with plant-based yogurt?
Yes. Choose an unsweetened, thick plant-based yogurt. Check the label for allergens such as soy or tree nuts.
Sources
- Fireworks, Flavor, and a 250th Birthday: How to Keep Cookout Favorites Food Safe — U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Leftovers and Food Safety — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Selecting and Serving Produce Safely — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Food Allergies: What You Need to Know — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and health conditions. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before trying a herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, giving it to a child, or taking any medication.
