Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (2024)

Home Recipes Courses Sauces, Dressings and Seasonings Vegan Tzatziki

by Lisa Bryan

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Updated Apr 28, 2023

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Vegan tzatziki is a cashew-based, dairy-free tzatziki that tastes amazingly similar to the traditional version.It’s light, creamy, fresh, and filled with cucumber and dill. And believe me when I say, it’s so good it will easily fool non-vegans as well.

Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (2)

Tzatziki has been a long time favorite of mine. It’s an ultra refreshing dip that’s a staple in Mediterranean cuisine. But if you’re vegan or looking for a dairy-free option, you’re in luck. With the help of raw cashews, this vegan tzatziki comes together in a snap.

What’s In Vegan Tzatziki?

If you’ve been following Downshiftology for a while, you’ve probably noticed my love for cashews. They’ve got this magical ability to transform into creamy, dairy-like recipes such as my vegan caramel cheesecake or vegan alfredo sauce.

In this recipe, we’re swapping greek yogurt for cashews. But don’t worry, it won’t taste like a puddle of blended cashews. In fact, I’d say it tastes just like traditional tzatziki but just a smidge lighter. Here’s what you’ll need to make it.

  • Cashews – Make sure to use raw cashews and not roasted and salted.
  • Water – To blend with the cashews for the ultimate creaminess.
  • Lemon Juice – For that bright pop fresh flavor.
  • Cucumber – The star ingredient in tzatziki.
  • Garlic – Just one garlic clove creates a lot of flavor when it’s blended.
  • Dill – Chopped dill adds herb-y goodness.
  • Salt – A small amount for seasoning.

Vegan Tzatziki Couldn’t Be Any Easier To Make

All you need for this recipe is a blender, sieve, and a little time to chill.

  1. Soak. Make sure to soak your cashews overnight. Then drain and rinse well the day of.
  2. Blend. Add the cashews, water, lemon juice, and garlic to a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes, until it’s nice and creamy.
  3. Squeeze. Place the shredded cucumber in a fine mesh sieve and press it down to remove the liquid. You can also use a nut milk bag.
  4. Stir. In a mixing bowl, add the cashew mixture, drained cucumber, dill and salt. Then give everything a stir.
  5. Chill. Let the mixture chill for about 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together beautifully.

Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (3)

Ways To Use This Dip

This dip is perfect as a fresh and easy snack. But you can use it for just about anything and any meal.

  • Appetizer: Spread it onto my falafel flatbread, or serve with tabbouleh.
  • Snack:Dip it with fresh veggies,seed crackers, plantain chips, or cassava flour tortilla chips.
  • Main Meal: Drizzle on falafels, Buddha bowls, or roasted vegetables, like broccoli.

Storing and Make Ahead Options

For the best texture and flavor, let this chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour before serving. This gives it time to cool after blending and lets the flavors meld together.

Have leftovers? Just store it in an airtight container for up to3-4 days in the fridge.

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More Healthy Vegan Snacks

Don’t look past a few of these tasty, plant-based snacks. They’re filling, have tons of flavor, and will please any crowd.

  • Baba Ganoush
  • Mango Salsa
  • Best Ever Guacamole
  • Classic Hummus Recipe
  • Baked Yucca Fries

Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (5)

Vegan Tzatziki Recipe

5 from 19 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

Vegan tzatziki is a cashew-based, dairy-free dip that tastes just like the real thing. It's light, creamy, and filled with fresh ingredients. Watch the video below to see how I make it!

Video

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 4-6 hours (or overnight)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and shredded
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • Soak your cashews overnight. Then drain and thoroughly rinse them.

  • Blend the cashews, water, lemon juice and garlic in a high-powered blender for 1-2 minutes, or until creamy.

  • Place the shredded cucumber in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and press down to remove excess liquid. Alternatively, you could use a nut milk bag to sqeeze out the liquid.

  • Pour the cashew mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the drained cucumber, dill and salt, then stir together to combine.

  • Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Lisa’s Tips

  • Note that the mixture will thicken a bit after it’s fully cooled.
  • These are the raw cashews I buy in bulk for all of my vegan sauce recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 28IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

Course: dressing, sauce

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Keyword: Dairy-Free Tzatziki Sauce, Vegan Tzatziki, Vegan Tzatziki Recipe, Vegan Tzatziki Sauce

©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

Read More About Me

Best Vegan Tzatziki Recipe - Downshiftology (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan tzatziki made of? ›

How to Make Vegan Tzatziki. It all starts with my 2-Ingredient Coconut Yogurt, which creates the perfect creamy base for this dip. Next comes a finely grated cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper! Last but not least is dill, which adds some much-needed herby flavor – serious swoon!

How many calories are in tzatziki sauce? ›

Nutritional Profile of Tzatziki

One tablespoon of tzatziki dip contains 13.8 calories and 0.593 grams of carbs. So, it offers fewer carbohydrates and calories, making it suitable for weight loss. Tzatziki has little fat from yoghurt, milk, or vegetable oil but does not contain many calories.

What is tzatziki sauce made of? ›

Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip (or sauce) made from simple ingredients including strained yogurt (or Greek yogurt), cucumbers, garlic, and sometimes fresh herbs such as dill or mint. Traditionally, it is made from strained sheep or goat's milk yogurt, but a full-fat Greek yogurt works just fine in this dip.

How long is tzatziki good for after opening? ›

Tzatziki sauce should be kept in a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator when you're not using it. As long as it's stored properly, you can expect homemade tzatziki to last about three to four days. This will depend on how fresh the yogurt was when you made the sauce.

Is tzatziki healthier than hummus? ›

Health-wise, tzatziki contains only 54 calories per a 45 gram serving; it also comes with only 8 grams of carbohydrates and a negligible amount of sodium. Which to Pick? If you make your determination based on health concerns, then hummus is clearly the less healthy dip, with high sodium being a particular concern.

Is tzatziki made from yogurt or sour cream? ›

Tzatziki sauce is a creamy cucumber sauce that is most often made with simple ingredients including, Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil and lemon juice. We've created the most delicious Easy Tzatziki Sauce made with sour cream instead of full-fat Greek yogurt.

Can you eat tzatziki everyday? ›

Its blend of yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and herbs delivers key nutrients, which are proposed to support heart health, gut health, and may even lower diabetes risk. If you add tzatziki to your meals, you can boost everyday dishes while savouring the many potential health benefits tzatziki brings.

Does hummus or tzatziki have more calories? ›

Tzatziki is a terrific lower-calorie alternative to higher-calorie dips, such as hummus and sour cream. It's readily available in grocery stores, but also straightforward enough to make at home.

How good is tzatziki for you? ›

Tzatziki is a real powerhouse in terms of health benefits. Probiotics, which can aid promote gut health, vitamins A and C, calcium, and phosphorus are all included in this classic Greek meal. Together, these nutrients strengthen your immune system and maintain the health of your bones.

Is tzatziki inflammatory? ›

Tzatziki sauce is perfect healthy snack, especially thanks to protein-packed greek yogurt, shredded cucumber and anti-inflammatory garlic. It's as simple as it sounds: yogurt cucumber sauce!

Why is tzatziki not vegetarian? ›

Traditionally speaking, no, tzatziki isn't vegan-friendly as it has historically been made with dairy yoghurt, however, it's just as simple to make a plant-based version with all the same flavours and textures.

What do Greeks call tzatziki? ›

Tzatziki (Greek: τζατζίκι, tzatzíki, [d͡zaˈd͡zici]), also known as cacık (Turkish pronunciation: [dʒaˈdʒɯk]) or tarator, is a class of dip, soup, or sauce found in the cuisines of Southeastern Europe and West Asia.

Is Trader Joe's tzatziki good? ›

VERDICT: Trader Joe's tzatziki had a lovely, refreshing taste and a mellow garlic flavor that I found simply irresistible.

Why is my tzatziki sauce watery? ›

You must Greek yogurt in tzatziki sauce. Greek yogurt is strained yogurt which makes it much thicker and higher in protein than regular yogurt. If you use traditional plain yogurt, your tzatziki sauce will be too runny.

Why is my tzatziki so sour? ›

Some Greek yogurt brands are very tangy so you may wish to use less lemon juice. Also, some lemons can be very tart. Start with 1/2 a lemon and add more if needed. If your sauce is too tart, you can fix this by adding a little sweetener.

Which Greek yogurt is vegan? ›

Alpro Greek Style Oat/Coconut/Soy

The oat Greek yogurt is fortified with pea protein, while the coconut doubles down on the fruit, using coconut milk (45%) and coconut water (20%). Unlike the soy-based version, these two yogurts have no added sugars, while the oat one is the only variant that is not gluten-free.

What is a good substitute for tzatziki sauce? ›

Raita is commonly used to tame the fiery heat of Indian food, and Turkish cacik is similar to tzatziki but more herbaceous and sometimes served as a soup.

References

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