This vegan tzatziki recipe is packed with delicious and traditional flavors. Start with a base of vegan cashew sour cream, then add plenty of fresh cucumber and dill for the ultimate sauce!
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Cashew Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
This plant-based tzatziki recipe uses vegan sour cream made from cashews as its base.
Cashews create a rich, creamy and delicious sour cream which is the ideal base for vegan tzatziki! There’s also some tofu in the sour cream which adds extra plant-based protein and nutrients.
Cashew tzatziki is simple to make, but you can also use store bought vegan sour cream as the base for this recipe. The cashew base makes for a thick and delicious tzatziki. It’s best to start off with a really thick sour cream since tzatziki adds cucumber, which has a high water content and will thin your sauce.
Vegan yogurt substitutes can also work as the base for this recipe. If you chose this option, make sure to buy an unsweetened yogurt and ideally one that is thick. If it’s too thin, the tzatziki will be runny.
How to Serve this Vegan Cucumber Dill Sauce
There are countless ways to serve this tasty vegan cucumber dill sauce. It’s ideal to use on a vegan gyro, but some other fun ideas include:
- As a dip for pita bread or pita chips
- In a falafel wrap
- As a dip for veggies
- An alternative sauce in a vegan donair wrap
- Dipping in some vegan crab cakes
- As a dip for barbecued jackfruit seitan (trust me, this is an amazing combo!)
The flavor combination of cucumber and dill is amazing and pairs so well with a variety of foods!
If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!
Vegan Tzatziki Sauce (Cashew Base)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan sour cream (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 cup cucumber , finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill , minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- If needed, prepare a batch of homemade vegan cashew sour cream.1 cup vegan sour cream
- Mince the cucumber as finely as you can. Place it into a mesh strainer and use the back of a spoon to press out excess water. Keep going until there isn’t any water dripping from the cucumber as you press.1 cup cucumber
- Stir the drained cucumber into the sour cream along with remaining ingredients.2 tablespoons fresh dill, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon dry oregano, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving (if possible).
- Keeps in an airtight container/ jar for up to a week in the fridge.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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About Nicole Stevens
Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.
She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.
Debi
I tried this with your Seitan Gyro and both results are wonderful!!!
I made a gryo for lunch today for my daughter, a busy nurse. She is a "flexitarian" who adores vegetables but her gut doesn't love legumes so she can't quite do full-on vegan. She texted me very excited about her lunch. She asked me what was in the amazing Tzatziki sauce and is excited to try your recipe herself as a dip for vegetables.
I haven't found vegan sour cream at the grocery store here, so I used cashew yogurt and added a dash of white wine vinegar, but otherwise followed your recipe to the letter. Nicole, thank you so much for developing these recipes and sharing them.
<3 <3 <3
Nicole Stevens
Glad you both enjoyed! Unsweetened yogurt is what traditional tzatziki sauce is made with (typically) so if you find a vegan one that works, that's great!