Last Updated on April 13, 2022
When I was a kid, it was a real treat to get Greek gyros from a local restaurant. I couldn’t resist that soft bread stuffed with seasoned meat, fresh veggies, and a creamy tangy sauce.
Nowadays, Aldi helps me satisfy that craving for gyros when the grocer occasionally sells frozen gryos kits that taste as close to authentic as any grocery store gryos kit I’ve tried. Aldi also stocks tzatziki sauce in its refrigerated section if you want to ala carte it, because tzatziki sauce is not limited to being drizzled over a gryos sandwich. This sauce with Middle Eastern and Southeastern European origins is also great as a dip or served in other types of sandwiches or wraps.
Aldi’s cousin, Trader Joe’s, also sells tzatziki sauce. I had to try some after seeing members of a TJ’s social media fan page recommend the store’s Shawarma Chicken Thighs served on Indian Style Flatbread with the tatziki sauce and fresh veggies such as cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes.
Trader Joe’s Tzatziki Creamy Garlic Cucumber Dip cost $3.69 for a 12-ounce container at the time of publication. It’s found in the refrigerated section at Trader Joe’s, among other types of dips and sauces. It is perishable and should be kept refrigerated.
Trader Joe’s Tzatziki Creamy Garlic Cucumber Dip ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
Ingredients include cucumbers, kefir cheese, nonfat sour cream, water, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, spearmint, dill, white pepper, locust bean gum, and carrageenan.
If you’re watching out for allergens, this contains milk.
Trader Joe’s Tzatziki Creamy Garlic Cucumber Dip nutrition information, part one. (Click to enlarge.)
Trader Joe’s Tzatziki Creamy Garlic Cucumber Dip nutrition information, part two. (Click to enlarge.)
There are about 11 servings per container, and a 2-tablespoon serving will net you 30 calories, 2 grams of total fat (3% DV), 1 gram of saturated fat (5% DV), 10 mg of cholesterol (3% DV), 65 mg of sodium (3% DV), 2 grams of total carbohydrates (1% DV), no dietary fiber, 1 gram of total sugars, no added sugars, and less than 1 gram of protein.
The container offers several serving suggestions:
- as a dip with veggies, chips, or crackers
- as a cooling complement to spicy curries
- stuffed into a pita
- as a salad dressing
- as a crunchy sandwich spread.
Shawarma sandwich.
I opted to serve this with Trader Joe’s Shawarma Chicken, Trader Joe’s Indian Style Flatbread, and diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions. It was excellent. The sauce has a thin consistency similar to some other tzatziki sauces I’ve had. This TJ’s version stands out because it actually contains a generous amount of thinly sliced cucumbers. The cucumbers, cream, garlic, lemon, spearmint, and dill all nicely complement each other, making this sauce a solid choice if you’re in the mood for Greek or Mediterranean food.
The Verdict:
Trader Joe’s Tzatziki Creamy Garlic Cucumber Dip features thinly sliced pieces of cucumber smothered in a creamy sauce that contains dill, garlic, lemon, and spearmint. It’s a classic component of gyros, but it’s also great in other sandwiches, as a salad dressing, or as a dip. We like it served with TJ’s Shawarma Chicken Thighs on flatbread with fresh diced veggies.
