This mint yogurt sauce with garlic and lemon is a refreshing side or dip. It comes together in under 10 minutes and with 5 ingredients. The perfect accompaniment for heavy dishes like pulled lamb, beef kebabs, chicken shish tawook, and Musakhan rolls.
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This refreshing and cool sauce is similar to other yogurt-based sauces and dips like Tzatziki, Mast-o-Khiar (Persian Yogurt Dip), Cacik (Turkish yogurt dip) and Levantine cucumber yogurt dip. It can be used as a delicious dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Minimal ingredients make this sauce a quick and easy addition to your dinner table!
- Yogurt. My go-to for any yogurt sauce or dip is tangy Greek yogurt. It is thick and will help the finished sauce keep a nice thick consistency. Choose the fat percentage that suits you.
- Fresh herbs. For this recipe, it’s mint all the way! Fresh mint gives the dip an herby, sweet flavor. If you don’t have mint, you can use parsley or fresh cilantro. It’ll be a different sauce altogether but still delicious.
- Dried herbs. The addition of dried mint amps up the minty flavor of this sauce. If you don’t have dried mint, you can use a little dried oregano. Try my Mast-o Khiar (Persian Cucumber Dip) recipe which also featured dried mint.
- Acid. Lemon juice pairs perfectly with mint and yogurt. It brings a classic Mediterranean touch.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Mint Yogurt Sauce Recipe
This recipe couldn’t be easier!
Step 1. Combine. To a small bowl, combine the yogurt, fresh mint, dried mint, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Step 2. Rest and Adjust Seasoning. Let the yogurt and mint sauce rest in the fridge for 15 minutes, taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Serving Suggestions and Pairings
Yogurt has always been an accompaniment to Middle Eastern and Levantine recipes. It helps cut through the fat and adds a refreshing touch to spicy or heavy meals. Mint is also a classic Levantine herb so this sauce will pair nicely with a range of Levantine recipes on my blog.
This recipe is featured in my what to serve with shish kabobs post.
I love using this mint yogurt sauce with lemon and garlic with:
- Pulled Lamb
- Pistachio-crusted rack of lamb
- Greek lamb chops
- Chicken shish tawook
- Musakhan (Palestinian sumac chicken)
- Musakhan rolls
- Beef kafta kebabs
- Qidreh (Palestinian spiced lamb and rice)
- Kabob Koobideh (Persian Beef Skewers)
You also serve it as a mint yogurt dip with fresh vegetables (crudité). Serve it alongside some Lebanese pita bread. It can even be used as a simple salad dressing.
Expert Tips
- Make it Vegan. Use a vegan yogurt substitute like coconut yogurt.
- Make it in a food processor. If you’re short on time, just put all the ingredients in a small food processor and pulse.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make this sauce a few hours before you serve it. I don’t recommend you make it too far in advance though, as it could get watery and separate the longer it sits.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. Use within 2-3 days. It will keep longer. If it separates, just give it a good stir.
It is similar, but not quite the same. Raita is an Indian yogurt, onion and cucumber that is used as a side with dishes like biryani and pulao.
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Recipe Card
Mint Yogurt Sauce (with Garlic and Lemon)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon Fresh mint - Finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon Dried mint
- 1-2 Garlic cloves - Minced
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, chopped fresh mint leaves, dried mint, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Rest and Adjust Seasoning. Let the sauce rest in the fridge for 15 minutes, taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Notes
- My go-to for any yogurt sauce or dip is tangy whole milk Greek yogurt. It is thick and will help the finished sauce keep a nice thick consistency. Choose the fat percentage that suits you.
- Fresh herbs. Fresh mint gives the dip an herby, sweet flavor. If you don’t have mint, you can use parsley or fresh coriander leaves. It’ll be a different sauce altogether but still delicious.
- Dried herbs. The addition of dried mint amps up the minty flavor of this sauce. If you don’t have dried mint, you can use a little dried oregano.
- Lemon juice pairs perfectly with mint and yogurt. It brings a classic Mediterranean touch. But you can use lime juice if that’s what you have.
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