Refreshing Cucumber Yogurt Dip Recipe – Khiyar bi Laban

Appetizers, Dips, Gluten Free, Mezza, Vegetarian6

Last Updated on June 12, 2022

Cucumber Yogurt Dip Recipe

Cucumber Yogurt dip is a smooth, healthy, and very refreshing perfect for the spring and summer. Its main ingredients are yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, mint, and salt. We have this dish as a common appetizer on hot days, and during springtime in Lebanon, when in season, we prepare it using fresh local yogurt made from goat milk, which gives it a richer deeper taste. It’s such an amazing and super easy-to-make dish that is also common to find in different variations in Turkish and Persian restaurants (aka Masto Khiar). Our Greek cousins have an offshoot that they call Tzatziki Dip, and I also learned that they have a similar dish in Bulgaria which they call “Tarator”.

Cucumber Yogurt Dip Recipe FAQs

Yes, cucumber and yogurt are healthy for health. They are tasty and full of nutrients.

How to prepare cucumber and yogurt dips?

The preparation of the dish is mentioned in the below section.

Recipe: Refreshing Cucumber Yogurt Dip Recipe – Khiyar bi Laban

Summary: The Yogurt Cucumber dip/soup is a smooth, healthy and very refreshing dip perfect for the summer.

Khiyar bi Laban Ingredients

4 persian cucumbers (or equivalent), finely chopped
4 cups of plain yogurt
1/2 cup of water
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
a few leaves of green mint finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon of dried mint powder
a dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Preparation Method

In a bowl, whisk the yogurt, water, crushed garlic, salt and lemon juice well. If you’re preparing this in summer, you can add 2-3 ice cubes in the mix to cool the yogurt and make it even more refreshing
Finely Chop the cucumbers into cubes of ~ 1/3 inches, add to the mixing bowl
Add the finely chopped green mint or the dried mint powder and salt, mix well
Serve in small soup bowls as an appetizer or snack, enjoy and thank the Lord! 🙂

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Diet type: Vegetarian
Diet tags: High protein
Number of servings (yield): 4
Culinary tradition: Middle Eastern

6 Responses to Refreshing Cucumber Yogurt Dip Recipe – Khiyar bi Laban

Mary November 28, 2012
Being half Lebanese myself, and having many friends across the mediterranean spectrum, seems like are as many variations as there are cooks! All "good eats." ;-)
- Edgard November 28, 2012
  Absolutely Mary - I love the variations in our food this is what makes it rich!
Mary November 28, 2012
My Mom, who was Lebanese, made this dish to have with kibbe, but it was the consistency of creamed cheese or sour cream, it was not watery - the only liquid she used was lemon juice. We dipped the kibbe in it after the dip had chilled a few hours in the fridge. Most recipes using it that way call for draining any extra liquid from it, not adding water to make it soupy. The water and the ice cubes would seem to dilute its delicate flavors… ?
- Edgard November 28, 2012
  Hi Mary thanks for your comments. There are certainly many ways of doing this Khiyar bi Laban recipe and it's a matter of taste. The versions I've had at Persian and Lebanese restaurants were all semi-watery. Regarding adding ice cubes or water, if you are using whole yogurt it shouldn't have much impact on decreasing the flavor, however there is a special feel about having it a bit watery especially if it's salted. In Lebanon we used to do this "soup" with yogurt from goat milk and which was quite strong in flavor. So no matter how much we diluted it the taste would still be very strong. If you're using low-fat yogurt, you may not want to dilute it as much.
kankana July 7, 2011
This looks so refreshing .. and cucumber is my fav during summer. :)
samir July 2, 2011
have recently found good goats milk yogurt at the health food store or you can get good quality yogurt from a middle eastern market..also we always mash the garlic with salt..