Cucumber Raita is a creamy, herby dip, with a little hint of spice, that goes perfect with curry and some naan bread to dip in to it. The coolness of this dip will really cut through a hot and spicy curry, so it's a great little side dish for a curry night for people that can handle different levels of heat.
Cucumber Raita
If you love tzatziki, then you are going to love this dip which is pretty similar. Both are creamy based dips that are bulked out with cucumber and some mint, but whereas tzatziki has some lemon juice to make it a light and fresh dip, raita has Indian spiced to give it lots of hearty flavour.
Anyone that has ever ordered a curry that is way more spicier than what they can handle knows that water does not help the situation, it just makes it worse. It is said that milk is the best solution, but drinking a glass of milk with a curry just seems a bit odd to me. Instead, have a spoonful of this raita between bites of a super spicy curry and it will really cool the situation down.
Raita is usually just seasoned with some toasted cumin seeds (and some more served on top), however we went with some garam masala instead, as it still has cumin, but lots of lovely other warming flavours too. Feel free to stick with tradition and just go with cumin though.
Raita with Yoghurt
This recipe really couldn't be any more simple. After you have shredded and squeezed all the liquid out of the cucumber, you just throw it in a bowl with the yoghurt and rest of the ingredients and mix well.
As the yoghurt is a big part of this cooling dip, you want to go with a really good quality one. We used full fat, because it just gives so much more flavour, but you could use reduced fat, or fat free if you wanted to. You want to go with a plain yoghurt, rather than a thick Greek yoghurt, as this isn't tzatziki.
Mint or Coriander?
We used mint in our raita, but if you are not a fan then you can swap it for coriander which goes really well with curry. Why not go all out and use half mint and half coriander to mix things up a bit?
Can You Make it in Advance? Can You Freeze This Dip?
You can make some of it in advance, but I wouldn't add the cucumber until the last minute because it would get too watery when left. The same goes for freezing it - when it defrosts it gets watery. This is such a quick and easy dip to make, it's best to just make it before you are going to serve it.
What To Serve Raita With
This is the perfect side dish to any curry. We always serve it with our Slow Cooker Lamb Rogan Josh, Slow Cooker Beef Curry, Chickpea and Spinach Curry and Tomato and Garlic Chicken Curry. Serve with our Easy Homemade Flatbreads to dip in it too.
How To Make Cucumber Raita - Step by Step:
One: Coarsely grate all of the cucumber and put in a cheese cloth and squeeze out all the liquid.
Two: Chop the mint, crush the garlic and crate the ginger
Three: Put the yoghurt in a large bowl with the cucumber, mint, garlic, ginger and garam masala.
Four: Mix well.
Other Dip Recipes To Try:
Roasted Carrot Dip
Avocado White Bean Dip
The Best Guacamole Recipe
Everything Bagel Dip
Healthy Ranch Dressing
Some extra tips for this Cucumber Raita:
- To keep it more traditional, swap the garam masala for toasted cumin seeds.
- Don't like mint? You can use fresh coriander instead.
- Give this dip a nutritional boost by swapping the cucumber for shredded courgette.
- If you are making this in advance, add the cucumber at the last minute.
- Use a full fat plain yoghurt to make this dip.
Do you want to be kept up to date on more delicious posts like this? Please subscribe to the blog mailing list (it takes 30 seconds). Click here to sign up. |
If you’ve tried this, or any other recipe on the blog, then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious recipe ideas, behind the scenes shots and also what we are getting up to.
DON’T FORGET TO RATE THE RECIPE ↓

Cucumber Raita


Ingredients
- 400 g plain yoghurt
- 0.75 cucumber
- 15 g fresh mint
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Coarsely grate all of the cucumber and put in a cheese cloth and squeeze out all the liquid.
- Chop the mint, crush the garlic and crate the ginger
- Put the yoghurt in a large bowl with the cucumber, mint, garlic, ginger and garam masala.
- Mix well.
Notes
- To keep it more traditional, swap the garam masala for toasted cumin seeds.
- Don't like mint? You can use fresh coriander instead.
- Give this dip a nutritional boost by swapping the cucumber for shredded courgette.
- If you are making this in advance, add the cucumber at the last minute.
- Use a full fat plain yoghurt to make this dip.
Grace
I'd never made Raita before but made this to go with your chicken tikka skewers recipe and it went down a treat! Again I made ours with goat yogurt as my husband can't tolerate cows milk and it worked perfectly. Thanks for another gorgeous recipe!
Sara Welch
What a fun and unique recipe! The perfect amount of kick! Yum!
Michelle
This looks so fresh and zingy! We love raita, it's such a great accompaniment.
Tonje
Yum! We make this regularly, and it goes so well with our curries! Absolutely love it!
SHANIKA
I've never tried this type of dish, but the cucumber sounds like a fresh wave of flavor to add as a dip. YUM!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
This raita looks so refreshing!! I'm in love.
Cookilicious
cucumber raita is an absolute favorite! We make it often at home
Chichi
I love any recipe with cucumbers in it. This isn’t an exception it’s delicious.
Neha
I love cucumber raita and yep its healthier version of tzatziki! I like mine with cumin and lots of mint and coriander! Loving your twist.
Jessica Formicola
I love cucumbers, and this looks amazing! I cannot wait to try this delicious recipe!
Heidy L. McCallum
I made this following your instructions and it turned out perfect. The entire family loved it and asked me to make another batch for the weekend!
Jacqueline Meldrum
I've made it before but never added the spices, so that is interesting. I must try it this way. Thanks Dannii.
Shared!
Paula Montenegro
Wonderfully fresh, I love using mint with cucumbers! Can't wait to try it out next time I make a curry. Thanks for sharing!
Tatiana
Mmm… That looks soooo good! I seriously have to put this on my meal plan, I’m thinking Saturday dinner. Thank you!!!
Adrianne
What a great idea to use this to mellow hot curries, I love it! I am going to try it the next time I make a palak paneer. Thanks for sharing!
Alina | Cooking Journey Blog
It has such a dreamy color! I love making Greek yogurt dips, I'll try your recipe next time. Thanks for sharing!