Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (2024)

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$1.20 recipe / $0.20 serving

by Beth - Budget Bytes

published

5 from 1 vote

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I had an email from a reader (sorry, can’t find the email to fetch your name!) a while back requesting that I try to make a raita similar to the one she had at Trader Joe’s. Unfortunately, I’ve never had raita and there isn’t a Trader Joe’s near by where I could get some to try. I looked into the recipe anyway and was intrigued. Raita kind of looks like the Indian version of tzatziki… and I LOVE tzatziki.

So, if you’re unfamiliar, both are a yogurt based sauce used for dipping, putting on flat breads, or whatever else you’d like. They’re creamy, cooling, and tangy. I looked up some recipes for raita and found that there are a million different versions out there. Some with cucumber, some with ginger, some with green onions, some simply with yogurt and a couple of spices . I liked the idea of having both cucumber and ginger to make it extra “cool” on the palate, so I went with that. You can definitely experiment with this and make it your own.

Full fat, strained (or Greek) yogurt is best for this recipe because it makes a nice thick, rich sauce. I happened to have some non-fat regular (not Greek) yogurt in my fridge so I used it instead of buying more. It was still delicious, although much thinner. It was still flavorful and went great with my Tandoori Chicken Bites. I also like the idea of adding a pinch of cayenne to juxtapose the cool cucumber and ginger… I might go add some now :)

Cucumber Raita

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (2)

cucumber raita

5 from 1 vote

Cucumber raita is a quick, flavorful, and fresh sauce to cool spicy entrees or side dishes.

Author: Beth - Budget Bytes

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (3)

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (4) Servings 6

Prep 15 minutes mins

Total 15 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain yogurt ($0.54)
  • 1/2 medium cucumber ($0.30)
  • 1/2 inch fresh ginger ($0.09)
  • 1/4 tsp coriander ($0.02)
  • 1/4 tsp cumin ($0.02)
  • 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
  • handful fresh cilantro or mint ($0.21)

Instructions

  • Peel the cucmber and slice in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Grate the cucumber on a large cheese grater and place into a colander. Add a pinch of salt and allow it to sit while you prepare the rest of the sauce.

  • In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, salt, cumin, and coriander. Stir to combine. Roughly chop the cilantro and add to the bowl. Peel the ginger and grate it (using a fine cheese grater) into the bowl.

  • After the cucumber has been sitting for at least ten minutes, press it into the sides of the colander to extract as much moisture as possible. Add it to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve the sauce immediately or refrigerate to allow the flavors to combine. Adjust salt as needed.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

This sauce should keep in the refrigerator for approximately 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 29.23kcalCarbohydrates: 2.7gProtein: 1.58gFat: 1.4gSodium: 118.13mgFiber: 0.2g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

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Step By Step Photos

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (7)
Begin with the cucumber. Peel the half that you’ll be using, slice it in half lengthwise, and then scrape out the seeds with a spoon.

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (8)
Grate the cucumber into a colander using a cheese grater. Add a pinch of salt and allow it to sit. The salt will help draw out the juices so that they don’t make your sauce watery.

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (9)
Place the yogurt in a bowl and add the cumin, coriander, and salt. Peel the ginger and grate it into the bowl as well. Stir to combine

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (10)
Take a handful of cilantro (or mint) leaves and roughly chop them.

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (11)
After the cucumber has been sitting in the colander for about ten minutes, press it against the sides to extract as much water as possible. Add it to the yogurt sauce along with the chopped cilantro. Stir to combine.

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (12)
Taste the sauce and add more salt if desired. I didn’t want a lot of salt in this sauce because I liked it’s light, fresh flavor. You can eat the sauce as is or refrigerate it to allow the flavors to mingle. Isn’t it pretty?

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (13)
I served this as a dipping sauce for the tandoori chicken bites, but I also ended up making flatbread sandwiches with the naan, raita, tandoori chicken, leftover fresh cilantro, and a little chili garlic sauce. They were TO DIE FOR. Like little Indian tacos or shwarma wraps!

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between tzatziki and cucumber raita? ›

Raita is made on the base of regular yogurt while tzatziki is made using Greek yogurt. Raita is thinner in consistency, while tzatziki has a dip-like thick texture.

What is raita sauce made of? ›

Ingredients
  • 250g Greek yogurt.
  • 1 garlic clove.
  • thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated.
  • ½ small pack coriander, chopped.
  • 0.25 small pack mint, leaves chopped.
  • juice 0.5 lime.
  • ½ tsp garam masala, plus a little extra to serve.
  • ¼ cucumber, grated and lightly squeezed.

How long will raita last in the fridge? ›

Add chilled water, a little at a time while mixing gently until you get the consistency you desire. Your raita should be thick and creamy. Chill the raita in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before serving. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Is cucumber raita good for health? ›

And, curd that you mix with cucumber has properties that balance cortisol production. Adding cucumber raita to your diet is great because this is a light and healthy food option that not only helps in digestion but light for your stomach and good for your cardiovascular health.

Can I substitute tzatziki for raita? ›

Raita is a side dish from India while tzatziki is a Greek sauce. Both are eaten as dips or as an accompaniment to a main dish. Their consistencies are different. Raita is made with plain yogurt and tzatziki is made with thicker Greek yogurt.

What is the English name for raita? ›

'yogurt cucumber'), whereas in western regions of Nepal it is known as raito. Raita is also sometimes simply called dahi, or "sourmilk", after its main ingredient, particularly in South African Indian cuisine.

What do Indians eat raita with? ›

Raita is the savory yogurt condiment that's served alongside everything—from Pakistani lamb biryani to Bengali shami kebabs and South Indian okra stir-fry. The tangy yogurt side offers a refreshing contrast and cooling reprieve from all the heavily spiced dishes.

Can you eat raita on its own? ›

Raita can be served as a dip or a side dish. In the latter case, it is easiest to view it as a salad. In India, people snack on raita between courses to cool the mouth, or they mix it first with rice before eating it with a curry.

What kind of yogurt is used in Indian cooking? ›

What Type of Yogurt do We Use in Indian Cooking? Commonly, Indian people use yogurt in cooking. This type is called 'Dahi,' which uses Indian cuisine. It adds a creamy and light texture to the dishes without weighing them down.

What is the best yogurt for curry? ›

If your supermarket has a brand of dahi or Greek yogurt then use that in curries. Tangy creamy yogurt is the best in Indian cuisine.

Can I eat 1 week expired curd? ›

According to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service Foodkeeper app, yogurt should be consumed within 1 to 2 weeks of the purchase date. (This time frame assumes you've been refrigerating your yogurt, by the way.) After that, there's no guarantee that your yogurt is still safe to eat. It's best to throw it out.

What should not be eaten with curd? ›

  1. Dec 11, 2023, 11:11 AM IST. 5 Food Items You Should Avoid Eating With Curd For Better Health. ...
  2. Fish and curd. Combining curd with fish is advised against due to their high protein content, as it may lead to digestion issues and gastrointestinal discomfort.
  3. Mango and curd. ...
  4. Milk and Curd. ...
  5. Curd and Oily Foods. ...
  6. Onion and Curd.
Dec 11, 2023

Should we eat raita at night? ›

Several people consume curd in direct and indirect ways at night (raita, kadhi, dessert). So the question arises, should you stop consuming curd completely at night? Shilpa Arora, a renowned Health Practitioner, Nutritionist and certified Macrobiotic Health Coach, says, "It is absolutely fine to have curd at night.

Which raita is best for weight loss? ›

Ideal for summer weight loss, bottle gourd boasts low calories and high fibre content, facilitating rapid weight loss. Grate and boil the bottle gourd, drain excess water, and combine with curd, water, black salt, and roasted cumin powder for a refreshing raita.

Does raita taste like tzatziki? ›

Both generally involve some sort of herbaceous element: for tzatziki that means dill, mint, or parsley; cilantro often makes an appearance in raita recipes. Raita is more likely to include a spicy element. (Cumin, cayenne pepper, and ginger are common.)

What sauce is similar to tzatziki? ›

A great alternative would be this Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing. You can also try to up the flavor profile by making a Yogurt Tahini Sauce or Yogurt Dill Sauce to enhance those Mediterranean flavors.

What do Americans call tzatziki? ›

The word “tzatziki” is a loanword from modern Greek that has come to define a very specific sauce in Greek American cuisine. It's a yogurt-based sauce that is often served as a dip, dressing, or entire side dish. However, what we know of as the tzatziki today went through a lot of evolution in many different cultures.

How is Greek yogurt different from Indian curd? ›

Difference between Dahi and Greek Yogurt

Traditional Indian yogurts usually involve a long fermentation process that results in an intense tangy flavor. Greek yogurt is made with strained cow's milk, resulting in a thick and creamy texture. It is usually unflavored and less sour than Indian yogurt.

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