Tzatziki Cucumber Sauce | Vegan

This healthier, lower-fat version of Tzatziki Sauce is super simple to make and delicious on everything from salads and grilled veggies to its traditional use as a dip for falafels and other Greek foods.

Tzatziki is a cucumber sauce usually made with yogurt and oil, but I’ve found a very quick and easy way to make it much lower in fat and vegan with silken tofu, garlic, lemon juice, fresh (or dry) herbs, and a few other seasonings. It tastes delicious on these Cucumber Sandwiches!

Tzatziki (Tsaht-ZEE-kee) Sauce

I’ve never been to Greece yet, but I have eaten in Greek restaurants and enjoyed tzatziki sauce on pita sandwiches and gyros. A few years ago, I even came up with a couple of versions of Vegan Gyros made with either mushrooms or seitan.

The most difficult thing about tzatziki, in my opinion, is how to pronounce the mouthful of letters. It’s actually pronounced tsaht-zee-kee, and you can hear it pronounced correctly here.

Uses for this cucumber dip

Some people only ever eat tzatziki with gyros and other meaty dishes, but it’s absolutely delicious with many other foods like these.

Sandwiches & spreads

• Sandwiches
• Veggie Pinwheels
• Wraps and pita pockets
• Chickpea Burgers

Dip for vegetables

• Grilled veggies and kabobs
• Fresh cut raw vegetables
• Crusty bread and pita triangles
• Crackers
• Salad dressing

Falafels & Greek foods

• Falafels
• Gyros
• Vegan Moussaka

How to make tzatziki sauce from scratch

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

This is such a simple recipe to make, I’m sure you’ll find lots of new uses for it. Personally, I use a lot of homemade vegan mayo in dishes, and tzatziki could easily replace the mayonnaise in many of them.

Begin by preparing the cucumber by washing and drying it well. I like to leave the peeling on mine.

Slice the cucumber in half and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Some people leave the seeds, but I really prefer to make this recipe without them.

I am often asked which knives I use personally, and I have to say that it is Victorinox. They are the same company that makes Swiss Army Knives and the quality is excellent.

Next, use a grater to grate the cucumbers being careful not to slice your fingers. There are plenty of different graters, but I prefer a larger grate cut for this cucumber dip.

Draining water from cucumbers

Cucumbers are full of water, so the next step of draining the water from the cucumber is arguably the most important. There are a number of methods for doing this.

• Squeeze with hands over the sink
• Place on a paper towel and allow to sit for 30+ minutes
• Pour the cucumber into a fine sieve and allow to drain over a bowl

Personally, to speed things up, I like to place the cucumber in a sieve and use my fingers to press out the water over a bowl or the sink.

Next, place all of the other ingredients plus half of the grated cucumber into a blender or food processer and blend until nice and smooth.

Pour the tzatziki sauce into a bowl and stir in the other half of the prepared cucumber. This provides the dip with a little more texture and makes it fuller.

Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Chilling will help firm it up and gives time for the flavors to marry up. Keeps for about 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

More vegan sauces

• Best Vegan Cheese Sauce
• 10-Minute Alfredo Sauce
• Easy Peanut Dipping Sauce

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!

Continue to Content

Tzatziki Cucumber Sauce

Yield: 2 cups

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This healthier, lower-fat version of tzatziki sauce is super simple to make and delicious on everything from salads and grilled veggies to its traditional use as a dip for falafels and other Greek foods.

Print

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup grated cucumber
• 12 oz package firm silken tofu
• 1 med clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint (or dry)
• 1 teaspoon dry onion flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
• pinch of pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing the cucumber by washing and drying it well. I like to leave the peeling on mine.
2. Slice the cucumber in half and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Some people leave the seeds, but I really prefer to make this recipe without them.
3. Next, use a grater to grate the cucumbers being careful not to slice your fingers. There are plenty of different graters, but I prefer a larger grate cut for this cucumber dip.
4. Cucumbers are full of water, so the next step of draining the water from the cucumber is arguably the most important. There are a number of methods for doing this. I've included 3 methods above in the article. Personally, to speed things up, I like to place the cucumber in a sieve and use my fingers to press out the water over a bowl or the sink.
5. Next, place all of the other ingredients plus half of the grated cucumber into a blender or food processer and blend until nice and smooth.
6. Pour the tzatziki sauce into a bowl and stir in the other half of the prepared cucumber. This provides the dip with a little more texture and makes it fuller.
7. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Chilling will help firm it up and gives time for the flavors to marry up. Keeps for about 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
8. Delicious used as a dip for raw or grilled veggies, as a salad dressing, spread on sandwiches and wraps, and with falafels.

Notes

Detailed instructions, in-process photos, and my personal helpful tips can be found in the article above.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Mori-Nu Tofu, Silken Style, Extra Firm, 12.3-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 3)
• 
  McCormick Minced Onions, 6.37 oz

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 15Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 39mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

Did you make this recipe?

Please rate and leave a comment because I love hearing from you. Remember SHARING IS CARING!