Easy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce

Why We Love This Recipe

• Twist on a classic: This recipe has all of the classic elements of an authentic Greek tzatziki, but it substitutes regular yogurt for vegan yogurt, meaning you get all of the flavor, but none of the dairy.
• Great as a side dish/sauce or appetizer: This easy vegan tzatziki is wonderful served as a dip with crudités and pita, but it's also meant to be a sauce for so many delicious Mediterranean main dishes. We love it on shawarma, gyros, falafel, on sandwiches, with roasted vegetables, and so much more.
• Easy prep: Just two simple steps to make this vegan tzatziki from start to finish, plus a bit of chilling time in the fridge for maximum flavor. Doesn't get any easier than that!
• Vegan and naturally gluten free, so it's perfect for just about any dietary needs. It can also easily be nut free depending on the type of vegan yogurt used.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this vegan tzatziki:

Ingredient Notes

• Vegan yogurt: We personally like using this Greek-style, almond-based yogurt from Kite Hill in this vegan tzatziki sauce. It's super thick and creamy, making it the perfect base for tzatziki. We've also had success using cashew and oat based yogurt. We would recommend staying away from coconut yogurt – although it can be super thick and creamy, you may get a coconut aftertaste.
  • It's important to use plain, unsweetened yogurt in this recipe!
• Garlic: Fresh is best (versus granulated garlic). Make sure to finely mince so you don't get any big pieces of garlic. This is a great time to break out your garlic press!
• Cucumber: Really any variety of cucumber will do, as long as you don't forget to squeeze out the excess moisture before adding to your tzatziki. As a general rule of thumb, seedless cucumbers will have less moisture to begin with, so they're typically the best option in this recipe.
• Herbs: Fresh dill and parsley are essential for the freshest, most delicious tasting sauce. Dried herbs won't quite add the flavor you're going for here. If you don't have any parsley, you can sub with more dill. You can also add in other herbs, like mint, tarragon or basil.
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is always best!

How to Make Vegan Tzatziki Sauce

(1) Grate the cucumber using the large holes on a box grater (no need to peel the cucumber).

(2) Transfer the grated cucumber to a clean dish towel (or several layers of paper towel) and squeeze (over the sink) to remove as much excess liquid as possible.

(3) In a mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, dill, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. 

Cover and chill in the refrigerator for one hour before serving. (This is optional, but will add flavor.)

Expert Tips and FAQs

• Drain/squeeze excess liquid from the grated cucumber: For a super thick and creamy vegan tzatziki, it's important to remove as much water as possible from the grated cucumber. To do so, you can either place the cucumber in a strainer and gently press to drain excess liquid. Or for an easier method, wrap in several layers of paper towel and squeeze (over the sink) to remove excess moisture.
• Let it sit in the fridge before serving: For best results, let your finished sauce chill for at least an hour so it has time to soak up all of that delicious flavor. It still tastes great served right away, but the flavor won't be quite as developed.
• Try a seedless cucumber: Seedless cucumbers have less moisture to begin with, so you won't have to squeeze out as much excess liquid.
• Fresh dill is always best: Unfortunately, dried won't quite add the flavor you're going for in this recipe. Stick with fresh whenever possible!
• Serve with: We love to serve this vegan tzatziki sauce as an appetizer with fresh sliced vegetables, pita bread and/or chips. However, it's also delicious in/on top of the following recipes:
  • Mushroom Shawarma
  • Mediterranean Sheet Pan Dinner
  • Spicy Carrot and Lentil Soup
  • Falafel
  • Za'atar Roasted Parsnips
  • Vegan Shawarma Tacos
  • Mediterranean Grilled Tofu
  • Mezze Appetizer Platter
  • Chickpea Fattoush Salad
  • Homemade Pita Bread
  • ...and so much more! What's your favorite use for homemade tzatziki?
• Storage: Seal in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. (Be sure to check the yogurt expiration date before storing for more than a few days.)

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