This cucumber yoghurt salad recipe makes a cooling Middle Eastern side dish called khyar bi laban that is typically served with grilled meats such as kebabs and kofta, alongside Middle Eastern dips such as hummus and baba ghanoush, and salads such as fattoush. It’s also referred to as a cucumber yoghurt sauce as it has a thinner consistency than a dip.
There are few ingredients more compatible and more cooling than cucumber and yoghurt, which is why you find that combination used in so many cuisines to make dips and sauces served as appetisers, sides and salads, from Indian raita and Greek tzatziki to this cucumber yoghurt salad called khyar bi laban, one of our favourite Middle Eastern recipes.
Our cucumber yoghurt salad recipe will make you the cooling side dish we used to eat when we lived in the Middle East, which was often served as a mezze alongside hummus and baba ghanoush and salads such as fattoush and tabbouleh. It’s often called a cucumber yoghurt sauce, when made with a thinner consistency to be served with mixed grilled meats, kebabs and kofta.
Before I share our cucumber yoghurt salad recipe, I have a favour to ask. Grantourismo is reader-supported. If you’ve cooked our recipes, please consider supporting Grantourismo by buying a handcrafted KROK, the best mortar and pestle ever; buying something on Amazon, such as these cookbooks for culinary travellers or classic cookbooks for serious cooks; or booking a cooking class or meal with locals on EatWith next time you take a trip. Now let me tell you all about our cucumber yoghurt salad recipe.
Cucumber Yoghurt Salad Recipe for a Cooling Middle Eastern Side Dish
Unlike baba ghanoush, muttabal and hummus, in all its many iterations, you wouldn’t make this cucumber yoghurt salad recipe to tuck into as a dip and scoop up with Arabic flatbreads or crispy homemade pita chips. With its loose consistency it wouldn’t be satisfying enough.
This cucumber yoghurt salad recipe makes a dish that’s more of a side or even a condiment that’s delicious drizzled onto barbecued meats or poured over Middle Eastern style meatballs or kebabs, which is why it’s often called a cucumber yoghurt sauce.
It’s super easy to make, so just a few tips to preparing this cucumber yoghurt sauce recipe.
Tips to Making this Cucumber Yoghurt Salad Recipe
I only have a few tips to making this cucumber yoghurt salad recipe, as it couldn’t be easier. It’s actually a fantastic side to make if you’re preparing a Middle Eastern feast, and don’t have time to make hummus or baba ghanoush, although they’re also super easy to make.
You will need a mortar and pestle to pound the salted garlic cloves – we adore this handcrafted granite mortar and pestle made in Thailand. Once the garlic cloves are flattened, scrape them out onto a cutting board and chop the garlic until finely minced.
Or, if you’re used to using a mortar and pestle, or happy to keep pounding (not everyone is!), you can pound the garlic into a paste in the mortar and pestle, which is what I like to do, then scrape it into the bowl with the yoghurt.
When it comes to the yoghurt, you want plain natural yoghurt. We use a Greek yoghurt that isn’t as dense and creamy as they are in Greece. After a little whisk, sometimes with the addition of a teaspoon or two of water, it’s the perfect consistency for this cucumber yoghurt sauce.
A lot of cucumber yoghurt salad recipes call for dry mint and we certainly came across dry mint used in the Middle East, however, my most memorable experiences eating khyar bi laban was when it was made with fresh mint, both chopped finely and incorporated into the sauce, and sprinkled on top as a garnish.
Drizzling a little olive oil on top is a must as I’m concerned, just make sure to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
Cucumber Yoghurt Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups Greek style yoghurt
- ½ cup fresh mint - , finely chopped
- 2 large cucumbers - , diced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 mint sprig - , for garnishing
Instructions
- In a mortar and pestle, sprinkle the salt on the cloves of garlic, pound until flattened, remove, and chop finely until minced.
- To a medium sized bowl, add the yoghurt, garlic and fresh mint and whisk a little, adding a tablespoon or two of water if it’s too thick.
- Add the diced cucumbers, stir to combine well, and refrigerate until serving.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with a mint sprig.
Nutrition
Please do let us know in the Comments below if you make our cucumber yoghurt salad recipe as we’d love to know how it turns out for you.
Just started making falafel (tricky!!!) and bit obsessed by them. Worth the effort! Made this to go with them for lunch today. Perfect companion! Thank you, Lara
Hi Jessica, I bet they were worth it! And, yes, this cucumber yoghurt sauce is a great companion to falafel. Thank you for dropping by to let us know. Appreciate it :)
This was brilliant with your Indian style Burmese curry, guys – new to us, but we loved it – thanks for the recipes, Kaz
Hi Kaz, so sorry I overlooked this comment when you shared it – if you see this, THANK YOU for taking the time to drop by and let us know! Appreciated :)