Hello, my wonderful chickpeas! Today's recipe is sure to become a staple in any Mediterranean-loving plant based kitchen. This Easy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce is creamy, tangy, and comes together super fast. Perfect for your next Mediterranean style wrap or salad!
If you've been looking for a flavorful dairy free tzatziki, this is the one for you! It packs in those traditional tzatziki flavors we love, but without any of the animal products. Let's dive in!
Inspiration for Easy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce
If you've followed the blog for a while, you may have noticed that I like Mediterranean inspired recipes (such as my Air Fryer Falafels or my Roasted Red Pepper Hummus!). Mediterranean food is great for a plant based lifestyle because there are lots of fresh veggies already included, and a number of sauces are already naturally vegan!
Tzatziki sauce is one of the few Mediterranean sauces that traditionally is very dairy-heavy, so I wanted to give us vegans a delicious alternative. My version uses coconut yogurt as the base to pull in those tangy flavors and a creamy texture. We also include cucumber, dill, and garlic for those traditional tzatziki vibes. I love using this sauce in wraps, salads, or even as a dip with pita bread or fresh veggies!
Ingredients
This one uses some super flavorful ingredients! Let's talk about them.
- Plain coconut yogurt: this is the base of our Vegan Tzatziki Sauce. It's tangy and creamy, making it perfect for this recipe!
- Cucumber, garlic, and dill: these are all pretty typical flavors for a tzatziki. These pair together beautifully!
- Onion powder, lemon juice, and optional lemon zest: for a bit more of a flavor boost! The lemon adds some necessary acidity, and the onion powder ups the savory vibes.
How to Make Easy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce
I love how easy it is to make this homemade tzatziki! As always, full recipe is down below. But here are the basics:
- Wring out your grated cucumber in a thin towel to remove the liquid.
- Mix together all ingredients.
- Let refrigerate, then enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
There are so many ways to enjoy this dairy free tzatziki. Here are some ideas on how you can make this your own, and on how to use it!
- Sauces like this tend to be pretty versatile - feel free to adjust ingredients as you'd like to meet your flavor preferences! If you really like dill, add in more dill. If you want a milder cucumber flavor, use less cucumber!
- This Easy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce is perfect for spreading in wraps - wrap it up with a bunch of fresh or grilled veggies (and maybe some Air Fried Falafel), and dig in!
- I also love adding this to Mediterranean inspired salads or buddha bowls! It adds some great flavor and can also be combined nicely with other Mediterranean sauces, such as hummus or baba ganoush.
- This also works great as a dip! Pair it with pita bread, crackers, or fresh veggies for a fun snack!
- On a Mediterranean kick? Check out my Quinoa Tabbouleh or my Mediterranean Buddha Bowl next!
Enjoy!
Easy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup plain coconut yogurt
- ½ small/medium cucumber - grated
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 tablespoon dill - finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- optional: ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- salt - to taste
Instructions
- Place your grated cucumber onto a thin dish towel. Over the sink, squeeze the cucumber through the towel to wring out as much liquid as you can. When you are done you should have about ⅓ cup of grated cucumber (don't stress too much about getting exactly ⅓ cup though, you'll just have a slightly stronger or weaker cucumber flavor if you end up with more or less!)
- Add your cucumber and all other ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine. Give it a taste test and add more salt if desired.
- Ideally, let it refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving (this gives it a stronger flavor, and also allows it to thicken!). Serve with pita bread, fresh veggies, or use as a condiment on a wrap or bowl! Enjoy!
Happy cooking! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your tzatziki-making ways.
Stay joyfully balanced!
Leave a Reply