This is hands down the best vegan tzatziki recipe ever! With glowing 5 star reviews it's an authentic recipe you can't miss!
This recipe was originally published on 2/23/2014
Growing up in a fully Greek household, my mom's tzatziki was a staple. We used it as a dip, a sauce for our meals, and most of all, it's the cherry on top of a delicious vegan gyro.
You can also scoop this plant based sauce up with pita chips, drizzle over vegan shawarma, or use as a dip for grilled veggie kabobs.
I knew I needed a dairy free tzatziki on my website, a vegan version of course, to remind me of the good old days of family, Greece and eating...lots and lots of eating. I nailed this one, it's creamy, full of flavor, and tastes as good as I remember!
How to Make Vegan Tzatziki
It's a good thing this recipe is so easy to make, becuase you are going to want to have it on hand at all times! The recipe uses simple whole food ingredients and comes together in just 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- Cucumber
- Raw cashews
- Fresh lemon juice
- Distilled white vinegar
- Garlic
- Dill
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
Step by Step Instructions
- Grate and drain the cucumber.
- Blend everything except the cucumber and dill.
- Pulse in the cucumber and dill.
- Refrigerate to thicken.
What to Serve with Vegan Tzatziki Sauce
Use this recipe for dipping or drizzling along with all your favorite foods! Here are some of our favorite ways to use it:
- Vegan Greek Gyros
- Vegan Shawarma
- Falafel Burger
- Falafel Sandwich
- Lentil Moussaka
- Grilled Veggie Kabobs
- Greek Farro Salad
- Roasted Greek Lemon Potatoes
- Broccoli Cauliflower Tots
- Oven Fries
- Eggplant Fries
- Pita bread or chips
- Fresh veggies like celery, carrots, and cucumber spears
Preparation Tips
- If you do not have a high speed blender you need to prepare the cashews. You can either soak them overnight, boil for 30 minutes, or grind into a fine powder using a coffee grinder.
- Use a cheese grater or a food processor with a grating attachment to cut the cucumber.
- To avoid a watery sauce remove as much of the liquid from the cucumber as possible using a paper towel or dish towel.
- The easiest way to chop the dill is to remove the thick stem, roll it up in a ball, and finely chop with a sharp knife.
- Seal the tzatziki in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- The longer the dip rests in the refrigerator, the thicker it gets. To thin it out mix in a little more water.
Tofu Variation
Originally this recipe was developed using tofu. I've found that the cashew version is better, but if you can't have nuts this is a great alternative.
- Substitute the cashews for 1 ½ cups silken tofu.
- Omit the lemon juice if preferred.
Common Questions
There are some plant based store bought options, but it's so easy to make your own! Some recipes use vegan yogurt as a base, but I've found using cashews with fresh ingredients works even better to create a thick and creamy sauce.
Many of the same ingredients including cucumbers, dill, and garlic. However, instead of yogurt, this recipe uses cashews, water, and lemon juice to create the creamy base.
The options for vegan yogurt have greatly improved over the years. There are many store bought and homemade recipes that taste delicious.
More Vegan Sauce Recipes
Having so many options for plant based sauces and toppings allows you to add extra flavor to your food! Here are some of the most popular sauce recipes:
- Ranch Dressing
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Syrup
- Cheese Sauce
- Passion Fruit Syrup
- BBQ Sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Buffalo Sauce
The Best Authentic Vegan Tzatziki Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup cucumber , peeled and grated
- 1 cup raw cashews (see note)
- ¾ cup water (add up to ¼ more to thin out as desired)
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 ½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic , medium size
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- pinch ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh dill
Instructions
- Put the grated cucumber in a paper towel or dish towel, squeeze out the excess water until mostly dry. Set aside.
- Blend all ingredients, except the cucumber and dill, in a high-speed blender and puree until smooth.
- Add cucumber and pulse until well incorporated.
- Add dill, pulse until finely chopped.
- Refrigerate to thicken. The longer you leave it, the thicker it gets.
Notes
- Recipe makes about 2 ½ cups sauce.
- If you are not using a high speed blender you can either soak the cashews overnight or grind them into a fine powder using a coffee grinder. You can also boil them for 30 minutes.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Leigh
I chanced upon this recipe after tasting a vegan yogurt I settled for, because they didn't have my go to, for use in Tzatziki. I didn't like the taste of the yogurt and went on my search. I found this one and was very intrigued by the use of cashews .....are you kidding???? This is great! I mean fantastic! The only thing I did different was use 2 TBS of lemon instead of 1 1/2....This is the only one I make from now on! Who needs yogurt! Thank you!!
Sophia DeSantis
I am so happy you liked it Leigh! Thanks for the awesome review and rating!
Eric L
Delicious, thank you!
I substituted sunflower seeds for the cashews (soaking and draining them after measuring), otherwise made no big changes.
Everyone loved it on our vegan gyros.
Sophia DeSantis
Thanks so much for letting me know how you made this nut free! And that it worked out. Super helpful for those that can't do nuts!
Erin
Absolutely delicious. This is the best tzatziki i've had vegan or not.
How long does this last in the refrigerator? I'd love to make large batches but don't won't it to go to waste if it doesn't hold up for long.
Sophia DeSantis
I am so happy you love it as much as we do!! I'd say it lasts about a week. I have had it a little over a week and it was still good but it starts to break down after that since there are no preservatives.
Ash
Soo tasty. I ended up using silken tofu because we had that on-hand and it made an incredible sauce! After using it on some gyros, we spread it on toast, dipped veggies and chips in it, and used it as a sandwich spread and they were all delicious 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Sophia DeSantis
So happy you liked it!!
Roxie
Excellent recipe and so easy to make. This is a great sauce to have in my cooking repetoire! Do you know if its good for freezing?
Sophia DeSantis
I am so happy you like it Roxie!
andrea
so Yum!!!
Sophia DeSantis
So happy you liked it Andrea!!
Sarah
So perfect, and so easy to make!
Kenny
Very similar tasting as the tzatziki with the Greek yogurt, which i cannot eat anymore.
Thank you
veggiesdontbite
I am so happy you like it!! Thank you!!
Loni Bowers
Delicious! Easy. Thank you!
veggiesdontbite
So happy you like it Loni!
Dayne Conn
Tried this, so goooood and so healthy!!!!! Thank you for the recipe!
Goni Naidoo
This is simply the best recipe!! Easy to follow and make WOW!! Thank you so much.
veggiesdontbite
So happy you like it Goni!!! Thank you so much!
KM
Fantastic recipe! I’m a mostly vegan vegetarian who is having a bit of a struggle with the idea of dairy. We eat mostly Mediterranean in the summer, but without tzatziki, which I can’t handle eating, it’s lacking. And we are used to excellent tzatziki, made in small batches by a local Greek immigrant. This rivals his, and I can eat it without qualm.
I wasn’t sure about the dill - used to mint - but I split the batch and did half with each. To my surprise, I love both equally.
Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe.
veggiesdontbite
I am so thrilled you love it!!
Shelley
Could you define "raw". Like do they have to be bought raw in the shell or can you just buy a bag of cashews at the store that are "ready to eat" so to speak?
veggiesdontbite
Hi Shelley! The cashews you buy will saw raw on them. It simply means they are not roasted. Many cashews you eat are roasted with salt, the raw ones provide the creamy flavor. The raw ones also look lighter in color. Hope that helps!
Shelley Wales
Thank you so much!
Robyn Pooldaily
Wow!!! It was a great recipe. Keep sharing these types of recipes on your platform because it helps me to time pass in this covid time
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Robyn! Glad you liked it!
Abby
How long can this keep in the fridge??
veggiesdontbite
Hi Abbey! I'd say about a week. But check to make sure it still tastes good!