Best Vegan Tzatziki Sauce (without yogurt)

Best Vegan Tzatziki Sauce 🌱 We've transformed a classic Greek yogurt sauce into an easy & delicious vegan recipe made without yogurt. You'll love this creamy and refreshing fusion of cashews, cucumber, dill & tart lemon. Dairy free, GF & no added oil.

The first time I tasted tzatziki, I was hooked.

Years ago, I was working as an art consultant at a waterfront gallery in downtown San Diego. Nearby, was a popular family-owned Greek restaurant that offered a fantastic Greek salad served with warm pita bread, yummy hummus, and an amazing tzatziki sauce. Every work day, for 5-½ years (I'm not kidding), I ordered that fabulous salad combo. I loved their tzatziki so much, I would get two servings, saving one as my dessert. It was that good.

When I became vegan, I pretty much resigned myself to the idea that tzatziki and I were likely no longer going to be a thing. There just weren't any plain vegan yogurts available that had the right taste or texture to replicate what I loved so much about traditional tzatziki. It wasn't until I learned how ideal raw cashews are for making rich, creamy yogurt-like sauces and cheeses, that I found a way to make the best vegan tzatziki sauce (without yogurt) and it turned out exactly how I like it!

What is Tzatziki Sauce?

Traditional Greek tzatziki sauce, is made with yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill (sometimes mint) and olive oil. Tzatziki sauce has a refreshing, cool, tangy flavor. It is traditionally served chilled, as a dip with pita bread or a condiment for falafels or veggies. If you're wondering how to pronounce the word "tzatziki", phonetically it sounds something like this: "tsah-see-key." Imagine blending the t and z together. It's ok, just say it quickly and no one will know the difference.

🌱 Serving Suggestions

Enjoy this healthy & delicious vegan tzatziki sauce with:

• French fried, baked or roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes
• Salads - as a dressing
• Fresh, steamed, grilled, or roasted veggies or garden zucchini casserole
• Falafel or meatballs - perfect in a sandwich!
• Vegan spanakopita
• Vegan dolmades (stuffed grape leaves)
• Tofu
• Steamed artichokes - as a dipping sauce
• With crackers, toasted baguettes or pita bread

🌱 Ingredient Notes

🥕 See the printable recipe card below for quantities & details.

Cashews - raw, unsalted cashews (see instructions below).

Cucumber - peeled and grated

Garlic - fresh, finely minced

Dill - fresh, finely minced

Lemon juice - fresh or bottled

Vinegar - white vinegar preferred. Other varieties could alter the color & taste.

Water

Salt & pepper - to taste

🌱 Instructions

Step 1 - Soak cashews

🥕NOTE: Be sure to use raw (not roasted) cashews. First thing you'll need to do is pre-soak your cashews. You can either soak them in water overnight or, a quicker method is to cover them in boiling water and allow them to sit for 1-3 hours. Be sure to drain and rinse the soaked cashews before using.

Step 2 - Blend

Prep and measure the other ingredients.

Place pre-soaked cashews in blender or food processor. Add water, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, salt & pepper. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.

Add grated cucumber and dill. Pulse briefly in blender or transfer to a bowl and hand stir, just to combine. That's it, you're done!

🌱 More tasty serving ideas

This easy vegan tzatziki sauce is perfect as an appetizer or as a condiment. You won't believe how good it is served with Vegan Mediterranean Roasted Veggies or with our Vegan Meatless Meatballs. I like to enjoy it with slices of warm pita bread, cucumber slices, and olives.

This recipe yields almost two pints of amazing homemade vegan tzatziki sauce.

🌱 FAQ's