My Dairy Free Tzatziki recipe is incredibly delicious and made dairy free by using coconut yogurt. It is filled with flavor thanks to the fresh garlic, dill and cucumber. I think it tastes just as good as authentic tzatziki and is perfect served with fresh veggie sticks and warm pita bread, drizzled over a vegan gyro and over salads or served to dip grilled meats into.
Tzatziki is a dip from Southern Europe and the Middle East, traditionally made using strained yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, garlic and herbs like dill and mint. In my version, we skip the straining process to save on time. It also means that my tzatziki is slightly thinner consistency than the traditional version, which makes it great for drizzling over salads. I love making a Greek style salad with cherry tomatoes, red onion, black olives and butter lettuce, topped with my Air Fryer Meatballs and drizzled with my Vegan Free Tzatziki.
For more simple dip recipes try my Smooth Hummus or Creamy White Bean Basil Dip.
What You’ll Love About This Plant-Based Tzatziki Recipe
- Allergy friendly – my vegan tzatziki sauce recipe is completely dairy free, gluten free, nut free and egg free, making it vegan and perfect for anyone with these allergies or intolerances.
- Easy – with a handful of simple ingredients, this delicious dip is easy to make.
- Delicious& Versatile – dairy-free tzatziki sauce is the perfect addition to a meze platter, used to dress salads, add to lunchboxes with veggie sticks or spread on sandwiches and wraps.
- No complicated equipment – make this recipe using just a bowl, a whisk, a sieve and measuring cups and spoons. No food processor or expensive equipment required.
- Real food ingredients & plant based – If you love eating plant-based food then this dip is definitely for you. With no added sugar, this thick sauce is perfect for dipping your favorite veggies into.
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
This recipe is made with just 6 ingredients! Below are the ingredients you will need to make this vegan tzatziki recipe, as well as any possible substitutions and notes.
- Lebanese cucumber – Otherwise known as Persian cucumbers, the cucumber needs to be grated using a box grater and then the excess moisture squeezed out. I don’t recommend using English cucumber as it has a tough outer skin and much larger seeds than the Lebanese cucumbers, which isn’t ideal for this recipe.
- Natural coconut yoghurt – make sure to buy natural coconut yogurt made from coconut, not coconut flavored yogurt. The coconut yogurt needs to be unsweetened as well. If you’re not dairy intolerant than you can swap for Greek yogurt, natural plain yogurt or another unsweetened vegan yogurt. I haven’t tried this recipe with other vegan yogurts though.
- Fresh dill – you can also use other fresh herbs like fresh mint if preferred.
- Sea Salt Flakes – the amount of salt specified in this recipe is for sea salt flakes, if using granular sea salt you will need to use half the specified amount.
- Minced Garlic – if you don’t have a garlic mincer, you can finely grate the peeled fresh garlic. You can also swap for store bought jarred minced garlic, however fresh garlic is best.
- fresh lemon Juice – again, fresh always tastes best! In a pinch you can swap the lemon juice for apple cider vinegar.
How to Make Dairy Free Tzatziki
Who knew that vegan tzatziki could taste SO good? Plus it’s so simple to make so it’s a win win really! The first step to making this paleo tzatziki is to remove the excess liquid from the grated cucumber, so that the tzatziki doesn’t end up watery. Here’s how:
First, finely grate a medium sized cucumber. Place the shredded cucumber into a sieve over the top of a bowl. Use your hands to push and squeeze the grated cucumber to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard of the cucumber liquid (or drink it, yum!).
You can also strain the liquid off the cucumber by placing the grated cucumber into a cheesecloth and squeezing as much liquid out as possible.
You could also strain the liquid off the cucumber by placing the grated cucumber into a cheesecloth and squeezing as much liquid out as possible.
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Next, it’s time to make the vegan tzatziki. Add the natural coconut yogurt, minced garlic clove, lemon juice, salt, dill & strained cucumber to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth & creamy. Serve in a small bowl topped with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Serving Suggestions
Here’s some ways to use this Dairy Free Tzatziki:
- on a burger.
- on a meze platter with vegetable sticks and crackers.
- use it to dip warned flat bread or pita into.
- use to top broccoli & sweet potato fritters with.
Storage
Store tzatziki in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
FAQ
Traditionally tzatziki is not dairy free and made using Greek yogurt or natural yogurt. However you can easily make this dip dairy free by using unsweetened coconut yogurt or another natural plain vegan yogurt.
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Dairy Free Tzatziki
Equipment
- Grater
- Cheese Cloth or Seive
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 medium Lebanese cucumber, finely grated
- 1 cup coconut yoghurt, natural
- 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, flakes
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Extract as much liquid as possible from the grated cucumber by placing grated cucumber into a sieve atop a bowl. Use hands to squeeze and push out as much liquid as possible. Alternatively, place grated cucumber into a cheese cloth and squeeze as much liquid out as possible.1 medium Lebanese cucumber finely grated
- Add the grated cucumber to a bowl with coconut yoghurt, dill, garlic, sea salt and lemon juice.1 cup coconut yoghurt natural, 1 tbsp dill finely chopped, 1-2 cloves garlic crushed, 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes, 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Mix together with a spoon until smooth and creamy.
- Serve with veggie sticks and flat bread on a platter or store in a sealed glass container in the fridge for up to 4 days until ready to use.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
Serve this vegan tzatziki:- on a platter with warmed pita, veggie sticks, hummus and creamy white bean basil dip.
- on burgers
- on sandwiches or wraps
- drizzled over salads
Nutrition
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