Haydari (Turkish Yogurt Dipping Sauce)

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Haydari is a dish you must have already heard about if you love Turkish mezze. It is one of the most famous and traditional dipping sauces in Turkey made commonly with the main ingredients of yogurt, feta cheese, and fresh herbs.

Check also, Egyptian Tahini Sauce and Butter Bean Hummus.

Haydari can be whipped up in 10 minutes flat, and you can also double or triple the recipe if you are to serve it in a large number of crowds. This dish is delicious and savory with that tangy flavor all thanks to the full-fat cheese in the ingredients. The fresh herbs also make this dish possess a zingy and refreshing note of flavor that complements its thick and creamy texture.

Haydari, as a Turkish Yogurt Dipping Sauce, is most commonly served as part of the appetizers where pita bread is also served and dipped in the sauce. However, you can serve this at parties along with other chips that the people who have gathered around can share with you. Raw vegetables and cut-up cucumbers would go well with this dish as well, their mild taste would be enhanced by the zingy and tangy flavor of the dipping sauce.

What Is Haydari?

Haydari is a yogurt-based dip that uses strained yogurt as its main ingredient. A traditional mezze dish in the Mediterranean, it is paired with hummus and other mild or bland tasting bread or chips. But what are mezzes? Well, they are little dishes that are served together as appetizers, or they can be served as the entire meal if you have a sufficient number of courses. They are similar to the Spanish tapas, for example, in terms of presentation. Everyone would surely love this dipping sauce as both its flavor and texture serves well for other dishes to dip into. Either a part of your mezze or simply just for home use, making this yogurt sauce would never be a mistake.

Why Does This Recipe Work?

There are plenty of reasons why making this recipe is a must. Let's start with how delicious the dish is and how thick and creamy it is. This recipe though is so much more than just its taste and texture. Here are some of the most convincing reasons you should take note of in making this recipe at home:

You can adjust and double or triple this recipe if you are to serve it for a larger number of crowds since you can make it ahead of time. Just keep it in the refrigerator until it is already needed to be served.
This dish serves many purposes, you can serve it as a dipping sauce for appetizer, or even just for snacks.
Haydari can be used as a dipping sauce for many other dishes, not just for mild-tasting bread; it is also a good dipping sauce for fish, meat, and vegetables.
It is a simple recipe with a creamy, savory, thick, and delicious outcome that you will never get tired of having and serving.
This dish is a gluten-free and nut-free recipe that you can enjoy without fearing any allergic reactions.

What's in This Haydari Recipe?

Greek Yoghurt. If we are to follow the traditional way of making this recipe, people in Turkey use a very thick Turkish yogurt called süzme. However, greek yogurt will already do well in this recipe as it is more available, and would also give the dish its thick and creamy consistency.

Full-fat Feta Cheese. It will impart a tangy, salty, and rich flavor to your dipping sauce. As it is full-fat, it will also help in making this dish slightly buttery and so creamy.

Garlic. Use garlic to enhance the flavor of the dish since it is a strong flavoring agent.

Fresh Mint Leaves. A little bit of freshness to your dipping sauce is never a bad thing, don't forget to add fresh mint leaves to your dipping sauce mixture!

Dill. It will give your dipping sauce the uniquely fresh, citrusy flavor, with a mild and grassy undertone that will go well with the presence of garlic and fresh mint leaves.

Olive Oil. If you are to use fresh olive oil, your dipping sauce will have a fresher, peppery, and even slightly grassy flavor.

Salt. Balance all of the flavors in this recipe by adding a dash of salt, it is also a good seasoning to use in this recipe.

How To Make Haydari?

Place the cheese in a mixing bowl, then use a fork to mash it.
Stir in yoghurt, garlic, dill, mint and salt.
Transfer the mixture into a serving plate, pour olive oil on top and garnish with chopped dill and mint.

Top Tips!

Don't skip salt, since this alters the dip by bringing out the savory flavors from the Greek yogurt. The feta cheese provides a salty flavor to the dip, but it still needs to be salted more.
Use extra-virgin olive oil if you are considering trying a healthier path in making this recipe, plus it adds a certain creaminess to the dish too.
You may add a minimal amount of ground pepper for a little bit of spice that would go well with the raw garlic in the mixture.

Recipe Variations

If you do not want a salty yogurt sauce, you should consider using kosher salt. Kosher salt will only enhance the flavor of your dish and will not impart any salty taste.
If dill is unavailable from your pantry, you may want to substitute it with dried tarragon instead. Dried tarragon would provide the same touch of anise flavor to the dish that dill is known to impart.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this Haydari with flatbread for a simple snack. You can also serve this yogurt sauce alongside grilled salmon or other grilled meat and fish. A bowl of fresh green vegetables would be wonderful to serve with this dipping sauce as well.

Recipe FAQs

Can I substitute Greek yogurt with plain yogurt?

You can, but you will have to strain the plain yogurt overnight so that it can have the creamy and thick consistency this recipe is looking for. It would be too much work, and although it is possible to do so, it is much better to just stick with Greek yogurt.

How to store this yogurt sauce?

Refrigerate this dish for two days in an air-tight container. Freezing Haydari is not advisable since it will lose its desirable texture.