Cacık (Turkish cucumber and yogurt soup)

Turkey's chilled cucumber and yogurt soup: fragrant with dried mint, poured thin as a summer afternoon

Origin: Istanbul, Turkey

From the journey of Cucumber.

Cacık is Turkey's version of the ancient cucumber-yogurt tradition, and it differs from its Greek neighbour tzatziki in one decisive way: it is served as a chilled, pourable soup rather than a thick dip, thinned with iced water until it reaches the consistency of cold buttermilk. The defining aromatic is dried mint, not fresh, whose more concentrated, earthy fragrance transforms the character of the dish in a way no fresh herb can replicate. The word cacık likely derives from the Persian jājiq, marking the Persian origin of the broader yogurt-cucumber tradition. In Turkey, cacık is inseparable from meze culture; a summer table without it is unthinkable, and it functions as both a soup course and a cooling counterpoint to grilled meats and rich stews. The Ottoman empire created the culinary bridge between the Persian yogurt-cucumber tradition and the Levantine and Greek versions; cacık in this sense predates tzatziki by several centuries. Turkish cucumbers (salatalık) are short, thin-skinned, ridged, and intensely flavoured; fundamentally different in character from the long Dutch greenhouse cucumbers sold in Western supermarkets. In winter, cacık is served in its more concentrated form, closer to a dip, alongside pilaf and stews; in summer it is thinned to a soup and eaten with a spoon from a cold bowl.

Ingredients

Cucumber

2 Turkish or Persian cucumbers (or 1 English cucumber), very finely diced, do not grate
0.5 tsp fine sea salt, for the cucumber

Base

500 g full-fat plain yogurt (Turkish süzme yogurt or Greek yogurt)
200 ml ice-cold water, plus more to adjust consistency

Aromatics

2 cloves garlic, grated to a fine paste with a pinch of salt
2 tbsp dried mint, the essential aromatic; do not substitute fresh mint
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (optional, dill is more common in the Aegean coastal version)

Seasoning

0.5 tsp fine salt, to season the soup

To serve

4 ice cubes, to serve in each bowl

Method

Dice the cucumbers very finely; about 5mm cubes. Place in a colander, toss with the salt, and leave for 10 minutes to drain. Press gently but do not squeeze dry; you want them slightly salted and softened but not wrung out.
In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth. Add the ice-cold water gradually, whisking continuously, until the mixture reaches a pourable, soup-like consistency; thinner than a dip but not watery. It should coat the back of a spoon lightly.
Add the garlic paste, dried mint, and olive oil to the yogurt. Mix well. Fold in the drained cucumber pieces. Add the dill if using. Season with salt and taste; it should be tangy, garlicky, and fragrant with mint.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes; the chilling is not optional. The flavours meld and the soup becomes noticeably more cohesive and refreshing when cold.
Serve in chilled bowls or glasses. Drop an ice cube or two into each portion, drizzle with olive oil, and finish with an extra pinch of dried mint crumbled between the fingers over the surface.

Notes

For the concentrated meze version (to accompany bread, not as a soup), omit most of the water and serve with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Dried mint is non-negotiable for the classic Istanbul style; fresh mint gives a completely different, brighter character that is pleasant but not traditional. Some coastal Aegean versions add a splash of white wine vinegar for extra acidity. Leftovers keep for 1 day refrigerated; the cucumber continues to release water so stir before serving and adjust seasoning.

The Gastrographer

Name: Cacık (Turkish cucumber and yogurt soup)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Turkey
Ingredients: 2 Turkish or Persian cucumbers (or 1 English cucumber), very finely diced, do not grate; 0.5 tsp fine sea salt, for the cucumber; 500 g full-fat plain yogurt (Turkish süzme yogurt or Greek yogurt); 200 ml ice-cold water, plus more to adjust consistency; 2 cloves garlic, grated to a fine paste with a pinch of salt; 2 tbsp dried mint, the essential aromatic; do not substitute fresh mint; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle; 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (optional, dill is more common in the Aegean coastal version); 0.5 tsp fine salt, to season the soup; 4 ice cubes, to serve in each bowl

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Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control