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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Sauces

Cucumber Raita

Updated: Mar 10, 2022 · Published: Aug 21, 2019 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 15 Comments

357 shares
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Diet: Low Carb / Vegetarian
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Cucumber Raita with a text title overlay.

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.

A bowl of raita next to a naan bread and some mint leaves.

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.

Made up of yogurt, cucumber, mint and spices, it's really quick and simple to make. If you are looking for some other ways to use cucumber, then why not try our Cucumber and Radish Salad, Cucumber Dill Salad, Cucumber Tomato Salad or Sparkling Cucumber Water.

Jump to:
  • Why you will love it
  • Ingredients needed
  • Step by step
  • Health benefits
  • What to serve with cucumber raita
  • Storage
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Extra tips
  • More dip recipes
  • Recipe
  • Feedback

Why you will love it

  • Cooling dip - This is the perfect way to cool a curry down if you have made it a bit too spicy, and it's delicious too.
  • Quick and easy - It takes less than 5 minutes to make, and it's so easy.
  • Adaptable - Feel free to adjust the flavours. We LOVE mint, so we always put a little bit extra in it.

Ingredients needed

All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.
  • Yogurt - As the yogurt 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. If you only have Greek yoghurt, then thin it out with a bit of water.
  • Cucumber - We used an english cucumber and kept the peel on, as that is where the fibre and vitamin A is and adds some colour too.
  • Mint - This is the perfect herb to go with cucumber. Always use fresh. 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?
  • Garlic - Although this is not traditionally added to raita, we love the flavour it adds. Freshly crushed is best. Make sure to crush it finely, almost in to a paste, so there is even distribution in the raita.
  • Ginger - This adds a lovely kick of flavour.
  • Garam masala - 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.
  • Seasoning - Season to taste with salt and pepper.

A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Step by step

One: Coarsely grate all of the cucumber and put in a cheese cloth and squeeze out all the liquid.

Grated cucumber on a muslin cloth.

Two: Chop the mint, crush the garlic and crate the ginger.

A chopping board with chopped mint, crushed garlic and grated ginger.

Three: Put the yogurt in a large bowl with the cucumber, mint, garlic, ginger and garam masala.

Yogurt, chopped mint, garlic ginger and spices in a mixing bowl.

Four: Mix well.

A mixing bowl full of raita.

Health benefits

Did you also know that cucumber is a good source of vitamins A, B6, C and K, as well as potassium, calcium and magnesium. The peel has fibre in it too, so don't peel it!

Raita topped with mint leaves and a sprinkling of garam masala.

What to serve with cucumber raita

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 into or you could make Easy Naan Bread or Peshwari Naan.

Storage

Store: This is best made fresh, however if you do have leftovers then you can stir them in an air tight container in the fridge until the next day.

Freeze: We wouldn't recommend freezing it, as when it defrosts it the cucumber gets watery.

Raita topped with mint leaves and a sprinkling of garam masala.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between tzatziki and 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 spices to give it lots of hearty flavour.

How do you cut cucumber for raita?

We grated it rather than cut it, as we like the cucumber to be fine in the raita. However, you can dice it up in to small pieces if you prefer.

How many calories are in cucumber raita?

There are 74 calories per portion.

Is cucumber raita gluten free?

As long as you make sure there is no cross contamination, then this can be gluten free.

Is cucumber raita vegan?

You can use vegan yogurt to make this vegan.

Can I make cucumber raita in advance?

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. This is such a quick and easy dip to make, it's best to just make it before you are going to serve it.

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Extra tips

• 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 yogurt to make this dip.
• If you don't want to grate your cucumber, you can chop it into small pieces instead. You don't need to squeeze any liquid out if it is diced.

More dip recipes

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    Roasted Carrot Hummus
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  • The best guacamole surrounded by sliced vegetables and tortilla chips.
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If you’ve tried this cucumber raita recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

Cucumber Raita in a pink bowl with two mint leaves on top.

Cucumber Raita

By: Dannii Martin
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 words low carb in a white circle.
Low Carb
An illustration of a v-shaped plant.
Vegetarian
5 from 16 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Sauce/Spread, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Prep: 2 minutes mins
Total: 2 minutes mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 79kcal
Allergens:
An illustration of a carton of milk.
Dairy

Ingredients

  • 400 g (1.66 cups) Plain yogurt
  • 0.75 Cucumber
  • 15 g (1 tablespoon) Fresh mint
  • 1 tablespoon Garam masala
  • 2 Garlic clove - crushed
  • 15 g (0.5 oz) Fresh ginger - grated
  • 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Coarsely grate all 0.75 Cucumber and put in a cheese cloth and squeeze out all the liquid.
  • Chop 15 g Fresh mint, crush 2 Garlic clove and grate 15 g Fresh ginger.
  • Put 400 g Plain yogurt in a large bowl with the cucumber, mint, garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon Garam masala and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper.
  • Mix well.

Recipe Tips

  • 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.
  • If you don't want to grate your cucumber, you can chop it in to small pieces instead. You don't need to squeeze any liquid out if it is diced.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 0.4mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

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Comments

  1. Grace says

    April 06, 2020 at 12:49 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
  2. Sara Welch says

    August 29, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    5 stars
    What a fun and unique recipe! The perfect amount of kick! Yum!

    Reply
  3. Michelle says

    August 29, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    5 stars
    This looks so fresh and zingy! We love raita, it's such a great accompaniment.

    Reply
  4. Tonje says

    August 29, 2019 at 6:17 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! We make this regularly, and it goes so well with our curries! Absolutely love it!

    Reply
  5. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

    August 29, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    5 stars
    This raita looks so refreshing!! I'm in love.

    Reply
  6. Cookilicious says

    August 22, 2019 at 3:35 am

    cucumber raita is an absolute favorite! We make it often at home

    Reply
  7. Chichi says

    August 21, 2019 at 10:47 pm

    5 stars
    I love any recipe with cucumbers in it. This isn’t an exception it’s delicious.

    Reply
  8. Neha says

    August 21, 2019 at 5:35 pm

    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.

    Reply
  9. Jessica Formicola says

    August 21, 2019 at 5:19 pm

    5 stars
    I love cucumbers, and this looks amazing! I cannot wait to try this delicious recipe!

    Reply
  10. Heidy L. McCallum says

    August 21, 2019 at 4:21 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
  11. Jacqueline Meldrum says

    August 21, 2019 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    I've made it before but never added the spices, so that is interesting. I must try it this way. Thanks Dannii.

    Shared!

    Reply
  12. Paula Montenegro says

    August 21, 2019 at 1:15 pm

    5 stars
    Wonderfully fresh, I love using mint with cucumbers! Can't wait to try it out next time I make a curry. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  13. Tatiana says

    August 21, 2019 at 1:03 pm

    5 stars
    Mmm… That looks soooo good! I seriously have to put this on my meal plan, I’m thinking Saturday dinner. Thank you!!!

    Reply
  14. Adrianne says

    August 21, 2019 at 12:21 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
  15. Alina | Cooking Journey Blog says

    August 21, 2019 at 11:43 am

    5 stars
    It has such a dreamy color! I love making Greek yogurt dips, I'll try your recipe next time. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
5 from 16 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.

Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

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