Homemade Pita with Creamy Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

This delicious pairing of warm, pillowy homemade pita bread with bright, creamy tzatziki is hard to beat. Serve this Pita Bread with Tzatziki Sauce as a simple snack, or use it as the foundation for gyros, falafel wraps, or a hearty Greek salad.

Pita Bread with Tzatziki Sauce by Baking The Goods.

How to make pita bread in a cast iron skillet – Pita Bread with Tzatziki Sauce recipe video

PitaBreadTzatzikiSauce-31 — Pita Bread with Tzatziki Sauce.

My first taste of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors was a small revelation. Growing up in Spokane, WA, our culinary adventures were limited, so discovering a local drive-in that served gyros and falafel felt like stepping into a new world. I remember the tang of tzatziki and the crisp, exotic crunch of falafel as distinctly exciting — flavors that sparked an appetite for more.

As a kid I had unusual preferences: I wasn’t drawn to typical fast-food items and disliked mayonnaise, but tzatziki captivated me with its bright tang. Over time I learned more about Greek cuisine: saganaki’s dramatic flame, the comfort of freshly baked pita, and the simple pleasure of tzatziki. One of the best lessons I received from a friend was how to make authentic baklava — and along the way I picked up a tzatziki method that I refined into the version shared here.

This tzatziki comes together in minutes. Grated cucumber is drained to remove excess moisture, then mixed with Greek yogurt, lemon, dill, garlic, salt, and pepper. Chill briefly for the flavors to meld. The pita dough is straightforward — flour, water, yeast, salt, and a touch of oil — and yields much better results than store-bought pitas. Warm, just-cooked pita with cool tzatziki is irresistible.

tzatziki sauce ingredients — This flavor story is my favorite book ever.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel the cucumber and then shred using a coarse cheese grater. — Use a vegetable peeler to peel the cucumber and then grate using a coarse cheese grater. A simple grater works perfectly.

grated cucumber — Use a cheesecloth or thin clean towel to strain the shredded cucumber and remove excess moisture.

tzatziki! sauce mix — Blend yogurt, lemon juice, cucumber, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper until smooth and flavorful.

Pita ingredients — Pita bread uses simple ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and a bit of oil. A dough hook speeds the process but is not required.

mixing dough — A splash of sesame oil mixed with olive oil adds a subtle nutty depth.

dough ball — Shape the dough into a smooth ball that feels slightly tacky but not sticky.

dough rising — Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled in size.

deflate dough — Gently deflate the dough after the first rise.

divide dough — Divide the dough into eight equal pieces for consistent pitas.

shape dough balls — Roll each portion into a round ball before flattening to help keep the shape when rolling.

rolling dough — Roll each disk to about 8″ in diameter and roughly 1/4″ thick.

cast iron skillet pita — Cook pitas on a very hot, lightly oiled cast iron skillet for best puffing and char.

pita puffing — When cooked on high heat, the pita should puff up like a balloon — that’s the magic.

That puff is like magic.

tzatziki drizzle — Finish tzatziki with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh dill for presentation.

pita and tzatziki — Warm pita and cool tzatziki are a perfect match.

serve pita — Serve by tearing the warm pita and spooning on tzatziki — messy, satisfying eating.

grill marks on pita — Grill marks add a lovely look and toasty flavor.

bite of pita and tzatziki — A bite of warm pita with tzatziki is pure comfort.

pita with salad and feta — Top pita with a Greek salad, feta, and pickles for a fuller meal.

Recipe

Pita Bread with Tzatziki Sauce

Author: Baking The Goods
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 8 pitas

Description

Warm, soft pita paired with tangy tzatziki is a timeless combination. This recipe is versatile: enjoy it on its own, or use the pitas for gyros, falafel, or to scoop a Greek salad.

Ingredients

Tzatziki Sauce

2 cups Greek yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
2 heaping tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
1–2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
½ medium lemon, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Pita Bread

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (100–110°F)
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Instructions

For the Tzatziki Sauce

Peel, deseed, and grate the cucumber.
Place the grated cucumber in a cheesecloth or thin towel, twist and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Reserve the cucumber if desired for another use.
In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, the drained cucumber, lemon juice, dill, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate so flavors meld.

For the Pita Bread

Warm the water to 100–110°F. Mix the water and yeast in a bowl and let sit 8–10 minutes until the yeast blooms.
Add 2 ½ cups of the flour, salt, olive oil, and sesame oil (if using). Reserve the remaining ¼ cup of flour for adjustments.
Knead with a stand mixer and dough hook on medium speed for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding reserved flour 1 tablespoon at a time only if dough is too sticky. Or knead by hand for 7–10 minutes.
Shape into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled (about 1–2 hours). The dough can be refrigerated at this stage for up to 5 days.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently deflate, and divide into eight equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, flatten to a thick disk, dust with a little flour, and cover while you work.
Roll each disk to about an 8″ circle, roughly ¼” thick. If the dough resists, let it rest briefly before continuing.
Stovetop pitas: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high until very hot. Lightly oil and wipe excess. Cook each pita about 30 seconds until bubbles form, flip and cook 1–2 minutes until charred spots appear, flip again and cook another 1–2 minutes. The pita should puff; press gently if needed. Keep cooked pitas covered with a towel.
Oven-baked pitas: Preheat oven to 450°F with a baking stone, steel, or heavy baking sheet on the middle rack. Bake rolled pitas directly on the hot surface for about 3 minutes; they should puff and balloon. Keep warm under a towel.
Serve warm pitas with chilled tzatziki.

Notes

Recipe adapted from The Kitchn’s method for homemade pita. Pitas are best eaten immediately after cooking. Store leftovers in an airtight bag for a few days and rewarm in the oven. Baked pitas freeze well with parchment between layers.

Storing the dough: Once risen, the dough keeps refrigerated for about 5 days.

Pitas that won’t puff: If pitas don’t puff, the cooking surface likely wasn’t hot enough. Ensure the skillet or oven and stone/steel/sheet are thoroughly heated. Even without a full puff, the pitas will still taste great.

Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes