Cucumber Raita Recipe

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/4/23
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Cucumber raita

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 2 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
14 Calories
0g Fat
2g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 14
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 163mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 58mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Cucumber raita is a delicious cooling agent from Indian spices. Though cooling may be the intention of raita, it is also perfectly delicious served alone or with flatbread or chips.

Raita is often referred to as a condiment, but it is quite different than condiments such as ketchup or mustard. Raita is often served to cool or contrast the hot spices in curries and kebabs. In India, it is used mostly as a dip and often paired with chips or flatbread along with chutneys and pickles. It is also served alongside meals like Indian mutton curry.

A wide range of seasonings can go into raita depending on the recipe or the region from where it is derived. These include roasted cumin seeds, mint, chaat masala, or coriander.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    raita ingredients
    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm 

  2. Peel and grate the cucumber into a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and stir. Leave to stand for 10 minutes for the salt to draw out excess water from the cucumber

    cucumber peeled and grated in a bowl
    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm 

  3. While the cucumber is soaking, pull the leaves from the mint stalks then finely chop.

    mint chopped on a cutting board
    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm 

  4. Place the salt-soaked grated cucumber into a sieve over a small bowl. Press gently with the back of a tablespoon to squeeze out any remaining moisture. Be careful not to press too hard or you risk mashing the flesh of the cucumber into a pulp—it needs to remain firm.

    Grated cucumber in a sieve over a bowl
    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm 

  5. Add the chopped mint leaves, garam masala, and pepper to the thick Greek yogurt and stir.

    add-the-spices-mint
     Elaine Lemm

  6. Add the drained cucumber to the yogurt and spices mix and stir well. Add a little squeeze of lime juice to taste. Serve, or, if not using immediately, cover with plastic wrap and pop the raita into the fridge. The raita will keep well for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

    raita in a glass bowl
    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Recipe Variations

  • You can make raita with either Greek yogurt or regular yogurt. Greek yogurt will yield a thicker, creamier mixture.
  • You may want to try full fat, low fat, or nonfat yogurts depending on any dietary requirements. It is a great way to get more calcium into your diet along with the wonderful benefits of yogurt, which is packed with probiotics as well as vitamin D and calcium.
  • Try switching the mint (or adding to it) with finely chopped fresh cilantro for a slight variation of flavor.

Tip

  • Try using raita as a yogurt-based salad dressing, which incorporates a little creaminess into your salad along with more healthy veggies. It pairs especially well with leafy lettuces, bell pepper, cucumber, and tomato.

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