Tzatziki Pasta Recipe

Transform your leftover Tzatziki into a spectacular, creamy pasta sauce in just 15 minutes! This Mediterranean-inspired dish is packed with protein, zesty garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes, making it the ultimate "The Lazy Way" weeknight dinner. It’s Weight Watchers friendly, requires zero heavy cream, and is a delicious way to ensure zero food waste.

Course dinner, main

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword pasta, sauce, tzatziki

Special Diet weight watchers

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 343kcal

Ingredients

4 cups dry penne pasta ¾ bag of penne (about 8 cups cooked penne)
2-3 cups cooked chicken breast (I use fully cooked fire grilled frozen chicken strips )
200 ml -can of sliced black olives (about ¾ cup)
¼ cup sundried tomatoes *If you are using jarred (in oil) drain the oil before chopping
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup Tzatziki sauce -add up to ½ cup more to your taste
¼ cup red onion
2 tablespoon fresh basil

Garnish (optional)

lemon wedge
crushed red pepper

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

Cook the penne pasta in a pot of water according to package directions until al dente.
If you are using frozen chicken strips, cook the chicken in the microwave (as per package directions) while the pasta is cooking.
4 cups dry penne pasta, 2-3 cups cooked chicken breast
While the pasta is cooking, finely chop the red onion and fresh basil. Drain the pasta, reserving about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water.
¼ cup red onion, 2 tablespoon fresh basil
Return the pasta to the pot (turn off the heat). Add the minced garlic, cooked chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and black olives. Pour the leftover Tzatziki sauce over the mixture. Toss gently to combine.
*If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired creaminess. Stir in the red onion and fresh basil. Serve immediately while warm, or chill for a cold salad.
200 ml -can of sliced black olives, ¼ cup sundried tomatoes , 2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 cup Tzatziki sauce

Garnish

Garnish a wedge of lemon and crushed red pepper, if desired.
lemon wedge, crushed red pepper

Notes

Expert Recipe Tips:

The "No-Curdle" Rule: Never boil the sauce! Because Tzatziki is yogurt-based, high heat will cause it to separate and curdle. Always toss the sauce with the pasta off the heat. The residual heat from the noodles is plenty to warm the sauce through.
Pasta Water Magic: Don't skip reserving the pasta water. The starch in the water helps the yogurt sauce cling to the noodles for a velvety finish.
Freshness First: Add the fresh basil at the very last second to keep it from wilting and to ensure the flavor stays bright.
Freezing Yogurt-Based Pasta: While I’ve had great success freezing cooked yogurt sauces (like my Pork with Caper Sauce), raw Tzatziki is a bit different because of the fresh cucumbers. If you choose to freeze this, be aware that the sauce may thin out slightly upon thawing. Simply stir in a tablespoon of fresh Greek yogurt while reheating to restore that creamy texture.

Storage:

Fridge: This Easy Tzatziki Pasta will last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container.

However, because this recipe is specifically designed to use leftover Tzatziki and chicken, you need to keep two things in mind:

The "Oldest Ingredient" Rule: The 3-4 day clock starts from when the chicken was originally cooked or the Tzatziki was originally made/opened. If your chicken has already been in the fridge for two days before you make the pasta, you should aim to eat the pasta within the next 24-48 hours.
Texture Changes: Yogurt-based sauces are absorbed by pasta much faster than oil or tomato-based sauces. By day two or three, the pasta may feel a bit dry.
- The "Lazy Way" Fix: If it looks dry when you pull it out for lunch, simply stir in a tablespoon of fresh Greek yogurt or a tiny splash of water to bring back that creamy, restaurant-style finish!

Storage Tip: If you are making this as a cold pasta salad for meal prep, keep the fresh basil and red onion in a separate small container and add them right before eating to keep the flavors as bright as possible!

Freezer: If you are okay with the sauce being a little thinner and the texture being softer, go for it! It will still taste delicious because those flavors (garlic, lemon, dill) are freezer-stable. It will last up to 3 months in an airtight container in the freezer.

Reheating: Terri's "Lazy Way" Save:
If you thaw it and find it looks a bit messy or separated:

Reheat gently (don't let it boil!).
Drain any excess water that has pooled on top.
Stir in a fresh dollop of Greek yogurt right before serving. This "tempers" the sauce and brings back that velvety, spectacular look you want.

Nutrition