Greek Yogurt Dill Dip (Plus Sauce and Marinade)
This Greek yogurt dill dip is creamy, fresh, and versatile enough to serve as a dip, use it as a chicken marinade, or spoon it over salmon as a sauce. It comes together in minutes and can be made ahead, giving the dill, garlic, and shallot time to blend.
This recipe has been kitchen-tested to ensure consistent, reliable results.
Good To Know
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Inactive Time: 20 minutes | Serves: 6
Quick Tip: Chill the dip for at least 20 minutes before serving to allow the dill, garlic, and shallot flavors to blend.
Texture/Flavor Profile: Thick, creamy, fresh, and herbaceous.
What Is Greek Yogurt Dill Dip?
Greek yogurt dill dip is a thick, creamy dip made with plain Greek yogurt, fresh dill, lemon juice, garlic, and shallot. Unlike tzatziki, it does not contain cucumber.
Many dill dips rely on mayonnaise or sour cream for richness, but this version uses Greek yogurt and a small amount of olive oil. The result is thick enough for dipping vegetables while remaining versatile enough to use as a chicken marinade or a fresh dill sauce for fish or meat.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Yogurt Dill Dip
- One recipe, three uses: Serve it as a creamy dip with wings, potatoes, or vegetables, use it as a marinade for juicy chicken, or spoon it over grilled salmon as a fresh dill sauce.
- Make-ahead friendly: Serve it right away or refrigerate until needed. The dill, garlic and shallot flavors deepen after just 20 minutes of chilling.
- Quick and simple: It takes less than 10 minutes of hands-on preparation.
- No mayonnaise or sour cream: Greek yogurt creates a naturally thick, creamy texture without relying on either.
- Fresh, bold flavor: Fresh dill, shallot, garlic, lemon, and cayenne give this dip more dimension than versions made primarily with dried seasonings.
Ingredients
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
- Plain Greek yogurt: Full-fat Greek yogurt produces the best texture, but 2% also works well.
- Fresh dill: Gives the dill dip its defining, herbaceous flavor. When substituting dried dill, begin with 1 1/2 teaspoons and add more to taste.
- Shallot: Adds a mild onion flavor and a little texture without overpowering the dip.
- Fresh garlic: Mashing it with salt creates a flavorful paste and helps distribute the garlic evenly throughout the yogurt.
- Fresh lemon juice: Brightens the dip. Try to use fresh lemon juice and avoid the bottled kind.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Rounds out the yogurt’s tanginess and creates a smoother texture.
- Cayenne pepper: I like to use cayenne pepper to keep the color of the dip bright, but you can use 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper if you prefer.
How To Make Greek Yogurt Dill Dip
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
1. Mash the minced garlic and kosher salt in a medium bowl until a rough paste forms.
2. Whisk in the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, and cayenne pepper until combined.
3. Stir in the Greek yogurt and fresh dill.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.
Substitutions & Variations
- Black pepper: You can replace the cayenne with 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper instead.
- Add other fresh herbs: Replace up to 1 tablespoon of the dill with finely chopped chives, flat-leaf parsley, mint, or basil. Keep at least 1 tablespoon of dill so it remains the dominant flavor.
- Add more lemon flavor: Stir in a small amount of finely grated lemon zest rather than adding too much extra juice, which can thin the dip.
Join my newsletter!
Subscribe and get a new recipe each week + my bonus guide: ‘5 Easy Baking Tips That Will Change the Way You Bake. Forever’……. Because Delicious Starts Here.
Greek Yogurt Dill Dip: Three Ways to Use It
As a Dip:
This is the perfect Greek yogurt veggie dip because of its texture. It will also hold up well to pita chips, crackers, grilled potato slices, or Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings.
As a Sauce:
Spoon it over grilled or baked salmon, or drizzle it over Turkey Feta Meatballs tucked into a wrap or served in a bowl for a fresh, creamy finish.
As a Marinade:
For juicy, flavorful chicken breasts, reserve any dip needed for serving, then use the remaining mixture to coat up to 2 pounds of chicken. Refrigerate overnight, remove excess marinade, and grill or bake. Discard any marinade that has touched raw chicken.
Expert Tips
- Chill before adjusting the seasoning: The garlic, dill, and shallot become more pronounced as the dip rests. So wait to add any more salt, garlic or lemon.
- Use only Greek yogurt: Regular yogurt is too thin and will make the dip runny. Choose full-fat or 2% Greek yogurt for the best consistency.
- Adjusting lemon flavor: Too much juice can thin the dip. For a more pronounced lemon flavor, add finely grated lemon zest instead, which brightens the dip without changing the consistency.
Make Ahead and Storage Info
Make ahead: Prepare the dip several hours or up to one day before serving. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and stir before serving.
Refrigerator: Store leftover Greek yogurt dill dip in an airtight container for up to four days. A little whey may separate as it sits; simply stir it back into the dip.
Freezer: Freezing is not recommended because the dip will lose its texture upon thawing.
Greek Yogurt Dill Dip FAQs
No. Greek yogurt is already cultured and acidic, so the small amount of lemon juice in this recipe will not curdle it the way lemon juice can curdle fresh milk. The lemon may loosen the yogurt slightly, but the dip should remain smooth and creamy.
For the best texture, use full-fat or 2% Greek yogurt and whisk the lemon juice with the olive oil and seasonings before adding the yogurt.
Avoid adding substantially more lemon juice than the recipe calls for, as too much can make the dip thin or cause a little whey separation during storage. Simply stir it again before serving.
Yes. Prepare it several hours or up to one day ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator. The dill, garlic, and shallot flavors become more pronounced as the dip rests.
Yes. Start with 1½ teaspoons of dried dill, let the dip rest for 20 minutes, and then add more to taste. Fresh dill will provide the brightest flavor.
No. Both are yogurt-based sauces that contain garlic, and lemon, but tzatziki traditionally contains cucumber. This recipe does not.
Delicious Starts Here
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a rating and a comment below; your feedback helps other home cooks decide if this recipe is right for them. And if you share it on Instagram, tag me @aspicedlifeblog so I can see your beautiful creations.🧡
Greek Yogurt Dill Dip (Plus Sauce and Marinade)
Ingredients
- 1 small garlic clove finely minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1½ cups (340g) plain Greek yogurt preferably full-fat
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Add the minced garlic and kosher salt to a medium bowl. Mash them together with the back of a spoon until the garlic forms a rough paste.
- Add the olive oil, shallot, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Whisk until combined.
- Stir in the Greek yogurt and dill.
- Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
- Stir, taste, and adjust the salt if needed.
- Serve as a dip, use as a marinade, or spoon it over grilled fish or meats.
Notes:
Nutrition
Serve this healthy dill dip with grilled potato slices at summer cookouts, drizzle it over Turkey Feta Meatballs tucked into a wrap or served in a bowl, or pair it with my Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings. Made with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise or sour cream, it’s also a fresh, lighter addition to game-day snack spreads.
