Creamy tzatziki is such a delicious and refreshing dip for pita, veggies, and especially for your gyro! Making vegan versions though, I have found that non-dairy yogurts can vary drastically in taste and texture. That is why I created this vegan tzatziki sauce with tofu for more consistent results!
So simple to make
Deliciously smooth and creamy
Easy to adjust to your taste
And it gets a little protein boost from the tofu too!
Ingredients For Vegan Tzatziki
For a traditional tzatziki recipe, take a look at this one from The Mediterranean Dish. This delicious sauce (or dip) is made with yogurt, cucumber, and garlic. Typically, you would use a thick Greek yogurt to make tzatziki but using a dairy-free yogurt hasn’t been quite as straight forward.
I suspect that dairy-free yogurt options will keep getting better as the years go by but for now… I find that they can vary drastically. Some are really thin and watery. Others have a great texture but the taste might be too coconut heavy for instance. And one brand… we used as a sour cream substitute when we were newly plant-based because it certainly did not taste like the yogurt we were used to!
That is why I make this recipe with soft tofu. I don’t think the taste and texture of a silken or soft tofu will vary as much so you will likely get a more consistent result.
In addition to the tofu I use:
- Cucumber (English cucumber is seedless so that is my preference)
- Garlic
- White vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Fresh dill or mint (or both)
- And salt and pepper to taste
How To Make Vegan Tzatziki
If you do want to make this vegan tzatziki sauce with a plant-based yogurt you absolutely can! I will detail both options below.
First, grate your cucumber and strain the excess liquid. The best way to remove the most amount of liquid is to sprinkle your grated cucumber with ½ teaspoon salt and let it sit for a few minutes. The salt will help draw out more of the water inside the cucumber and you will remove much more liquid. Strain the cucumber by pushing it against a fine mesh strainer or by squeezing it in cheesecloth. (You can reserve the cucumber water for a juice or smoothie if you’d like).
Next, using tofu, you can add the remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. If you are using a dairy-free yogurt you won’t have to take out your blender and you can just stir the remaining ingredients into the yogurt.
Finally, stir the grated cucumber into the creamy dip and it’s ready to enjoy. If you allow the tzatziki to rest, the flavours will continue to strengthen and the dip will likely thicken a little.
Recipe Cost
This vegan tzatziki sauce with tofu makes 350 grams and costs me approximately $1.80 Canadian.
The tofu for this recipe costs me $1.10 and if I were to use a store-bought vegan yogurt my cost would go up by about 50 cents to 1 dollar.
If I were to use the traditional Greek yogurt for this recipe the yogurt would cost me at least $1.60. So, my tofu version ends up being the most cost effective of all options.
Let me know in the comments below if you try this recipe with tofu or yogurt. Remember to tell me how you use it and if you pair it with my tofu shaved meat for a delicious vegan gyro!
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Creamy Vegan Tzatziki Sauce (with Tofu)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 350 g 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan tzatziki sauce made creamy with tofu! Dairy-free yogurt can vary in taste & texture but this simple tofu version is always delicious!
Ingredients
- 170 g cucumber, grated and drained (about ⅓ of an english cucumber)*
- 200 g soft or silken tofu (or 1 cup dairy-free unsweetened yogurt)
- 1–2 cloves garlic (or ¼ tsp garlic powder)
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or mint)
- ¾ tsp salt (more to taste)
- Pinch black pepper (to taste)
*Fresh ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
- Wash and dry your cucumber then grate it using a box grater. Sprinkle the grated cucumber with ½ teaspoon salt and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as possible (the salt will help to draw out the liquid).
- If using tofu, blend the remaining ingredients (including the ¼ teaspoon remaining salt). Taste the dip and add more salt if desired or more acid for tang. If using yogurt, you don’t need to use a blender and can stir the ingredients together.
- Stir the drained shredded cucumber into the tofu or yogurt mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The “tzatziki” will likely thicken a little in the fridge and the flavours will continue to meld as it rests.
- Enjoy as a dip with pita and vegetables or add it to dishes like my tofu gyro.
- Keeps well refrigerated in an air-tight container for 2-3 days.
Notes
Approximate Cost: $1.80 Canadian using silken tofu. Dairy-free yogurt in place of the tofu would add 50 cents to 1 dollar. If I were to make this recipe with the traditional Greek yogurt the yogurt would cost me at least $1.60. The silken tofu for this recipe costs me $1.10 and a store-bought vegan yogurt would cost $1.80.
I prefer using an English cucumber for this recipe since they are seedless.
- Category: Sauces & Dips
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Greek Inspired
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