Vegan Tzatziki (Easy Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)

Name: Vegan Tzatziki (Easy Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 cup dairy-free plain yogurt (unsweetened); 1 cup unpeeled cucumber (seeds removed and shredded); 2 tbsp fresh dill (stems removed and chopped ); 1 tbsp fresh mint (minced); 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1/2 tsp garlic (crushed); 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

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This Vegan Tzatziki sauce combines almond yogurt with zesty lemon juice, mint, dill, garlic and lots of fresh cucumber. It's so easy to prepare, done under 10 minutes and makes for a perfect simple dip for pita bread or raw vegetables.

Homemade Vegan Tzatziki is displayed in a white bowl. The bowl is on a plate and surrounded by sliced cucumber, red pepper and pita bread. On the side on the table, there are 2 lemon wedges and a hand towel.

There is no doubt that I love having a good sauce to generously pour over my food.

I am known to serve vegan mac and cheese with vegan buffalo sauce and to always have a creamy vegan pesto sauce ready to go to serve with any pasta or rice dishes.

And recently I made my popular chickpea dill salad that bursts with amazing fresh and crisp flavors, which made me crave even more white fresh sauces.

So here is my new favorite sauce: Vegan Tzatziki. All I think about is smothering my food with this creamy sauce. And you should try it too, you don't want to miss out!

It simply combines vegan plain yogurt with fresh cucumber, garlic, zesty lemon juice, salt and a lot of herbs. You can play around with what kind of herbs you choose, but I used a mix of fresh dill and mint and the result was absolutely stunning.

You can meal-prep this sauce ahead, the flavors intensify over time! And use over bowls, in sandwiches (like this vegan souvlaki sandwich or vegan falafel gyro), part of a mezze platter, as a dipping sauce for pita bread and much more.

Makes for such a versatile, ultra-flavorful and healthy sauce that everyone seems to fall in love after the first bite. Made completely dairy-free and vegan, but still is so creamy and rich in texture!

Let me know if you gave it a try! ❤️

Homemade Vegan Tzatziki is displayed in a white bowl. The bowl is on a plate and surrounded by sliced cucumber, red pepper and pita bread.

What is a Tzatziki sauce?

Tzatziki is a popular Greek sauce that's typically made with dairy yogurt that has been strained to remove the extra moisture, which makes it thicker. It is then combined with fresh herbs (dill, mint, parsley and thyme), garlic, olive oil, salt, lemon and chopped cucumber. The result is a delicious, savory and fresh thick sauce used as a dip or topping.

You will find this thick savory yogurt sauce in abundance in the Southeast and Middle East European regions. Not a specific recipe makes for the Tzatziki sauce as each country and region will have its own adaptations.

One of the most common ways to serve this classic dip in Europe is as a Mezze (small plates) where everyone can dip bread, zucchini or other vegetables.

What you will love about this vegan Tzatziki recipe

Dairy-free, but as creamy and rich as the classic recipe
Easy recipe and can be whipped up within 10 minutes!
Deliciously herby, garlicky, lemony and tangy fresh sauce
Uses simple ingredients that are wholesome
Healthy plant-based version
So versatile: dollop on just about everything!

This sauce adds so much freshness when combined to heavier meals and the contrast of its cold nature with warm dishes is simply irresistible.

Close up on a piece of cucumber being hold by a hand and dipping in a vegan tzatziki

How to make a quick and dairy-free version of a Greek-style Tzatziki sauce

Thick yogurt makes for the perfect creamy base of a traditional Tzatziki sauce. To reach this texture, the yogurt (usually made with goat or sheep milk) is first strained, allowing extra water to be discarded before mixing in the other ingredients.

But here, we are making a dairy-free and vegan version, which is just as easy and convenient.

Use non-dairy yogurt

The almond yogurt has a subtle tangy flavor similar to regular dairy yogurt, which is perfect when making this sauce. I love the almond yogurt from the brand 365, but use the one you can find as long as it is sugar-free and plain. You can even make your own vegan yogurt!

No need to strain the yogurt

Straining the yogurt first helps reach a thicker final texture, but it can take a little while for the water to drain and I don't think it works well to drain vegan yogurt compared to dairy Greek yogurt.

I simply do not strain the yogurt and compensate by adding more cucumber than a typical recipe. This recipe will give you a chunkier and thicker dip with a great consistency.

What you will have to drain though is the shredded cucumber, but this step takes about 20 seconds (see below).

Close up on a homemade vegan tzatziki in a white bowl. The sauce is topped with fresh dill.

What you will need to make it

Dairy-free yogurt: I used vegan plain almond milk yogurt. You can use any kind you like, such as coconut yogurt or soy yogurt, although be sure it is unsweetened and made without sweetener. Different brands of vegan yogurt will have different textures, so you can test different ones until you find one that you like. As a side note, this recipe also can be done with vegan sour cream. In that case, you might not need to add the lemon juice as it is usually already tangy.
Cucumber: crisp, hydrating and fresh cucumber makes for the star of this dish. It brings a cooling effect to the sauce and makes it taste super crisp and delicious. I used mini Lebanese cucumber for this sauce, although I also often use English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers.
Fresh dill: you can tweak the fresh herbs, although I would highly recommend including dill. I don't recommend swapping for dried herbs, this sauce is all about freshness!
Fresh mint: also amazing for making tzatziki sauce as it brings such a strong fresh flavor. If you don't have or like mint, then swap for cilantro or parsley.
Fresh garlic: also essential for making tzatziki sauce. This sauce tends to be heavy on a raw garlic flavor, although feel free to adjust the amount to taste. I do not recommend swapping for garlic powder.
Lemon juice: brings all the amazing flavors together and makes the sauce perfectly tangy and zesty. You can swap for white wine vinegar (add a little bit at a time).
Pinch of salt

Ingredients needed to make a vegan Tzatziki, showing are vegan yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, fresh dill, fresh mint.

How to make this easy Vegan Tzatziki sauce in 10 minutes

Really, this authentic tzatziki sauce can be made within 10 minutes. That being said, tzatziki sauce is one of my go-to recipes to make ahead to allow extra time for the ingredients to intensify in flavor. Ideally, make it the day before you need it!

Prepare the cucumber

Clean and pat dry the fresh cucumbers well. Do not peel!

Then, grate the cucumber using a regular box grater.

Once done, measure a packed cup of grated cucumber you need for this recipe and remove as much water as possible from the shredded veggie. This will help to reach a thicker dip without ending up with a watery consistency.

To remove the excess moisture from the cucumber: place the measured cup of shredded cucumber on a clean towel or some paper towel (a few layers), lift the 4 corners of the towel up, twist, and squeeze the cucumber to remove as much water as you can.

Combine

Once you remove the extra moisture from the shredded cucumber, then simply combine it with the unsweetened non-dairy yogurt, fresh mint, fresh dill, salt, lemon juice and garlic in a large mixing bowl.

Stir everything together and make sure to taste to adjust flavor to your preference. Serve right away or keep covered in the fridge until ready to use.

A pile of shredded cucumber is on a hand towel

There are 2 hands holding a towel that has been twisted around shredded cucumber and it is squeezing water out.

Tips when preparing this sauce

I did notice a significant enhancement in the flavors when resting the sauce in the fridge for 1-2 hours. So if you have extra time, let the ingredients infuse together before eating.
I love using mini cucumbers or English cucumbers for this recipe. They have less seed filling and I simply love their flavor. If using larger cucumbers, be sure to first remove their watery interior filled with seeds before shredding them.
You can easily customize this sauce to your taste by adjusting the amount of lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs.
Since you are including the peel of the cucumber, then try to use organic cucumber and clean them thoroughly.
If you are not following an oil-free diet, then you can also add some high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Best ways to eat this creamy Vegan tzatziki sauce

This sauce is amazing when served with other Mediterranean-style dishes.

Just to name a few, use this tzatziki when eating any bowls with roasted vegetables and beans or add a good dollop on your plate to dip your falafel in (check out this vegan falafel bowl for an easy recipe).

Or use it as a dip when serving a Greek-themed or Mezze platter of pita bread made out of cucumbers, raw veggies, no tahini baba ganoush, hummus, butter bean dip, kalamata olives, fresh fruit, dried fruits, etc.

Try using this yogurt dip as a spread for sandwiches, then add roasted sliced zucchini, sliced fresh tomatoes, jarred roasted red pepper and crunchy romaine. Goes exceptionally well with these chickpea patties.

Make a wrap (such as a vegan chickpea gyros or vegan falafel gyro) using pita bread, cucumbers, tomatoes and top generously with this tzatziki sauce.

Make yourself an easy Greek meal by combining this sauce with a side of pita bread and a quick salad. To make the Greek salad, simply combine cubed cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, vegan feta cheese, chopped red pepper and pitted kalamata olives. Just sprinkle with a little salt and drizzle fresh lemon juice on top. Add more fresh herbs (parsley, dill, mint) if desired.

Storage tips

This sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Give it a good stir before serving as some separation might occur.

I do not recommend freezing this sauce, the water from the cucumber can change the texture of the sauce after thawing.

FAQ's

Can I use a food processor to make it?

Ideally, you would use as grater box to grate the cucumber. It simply gives the sauce the best consistency. If you want to use a food processor, then use the shredding attachment.

Can I skip removing the water from the cucumbers?

Squeezing the excess liquid out of the cucumber makes for a thicker consistency. If you skip that step, you might end up with a watery sauce that lacks texture.

Other sauces you might like

I hope you will love this Vegan Tzatziki sauce as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let us know how it was.

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