Vegan Tzatziki {Paleo, Whole 30, Nut Free}
/You can enjoy all of the creamy, zesty flavors of tzatziki with none of the dairy in my vegan tzatziki sauce. It's nut free and a great dip or topper for your favorite protein or raw vegetables.
Vegans and dairy-free friends have a few workarounds for creamy sauces.
Cauliflower is a big stand-in to create dimension and texture, as are cashews.
I used cashew cream with my stuffed cabbage rolls and I've also made vegan smoky cashew chipotle cashew "cheese" with no dairy.
Today, I'm keeping things super simple and really clean with my vegan tzatziki, which uses no nuts and no soy.
Coconut yogurt is the base of this paleo, whole 30-friendly sauce.
I've been enjoying New Earth's coconut yogurt, as well as The Coconut Cult's.
You can choose what you like, but just be sure to read the labels as you really only want to be eating coconut cream, and not a bunch of additives and fillers.
With your dairy-free yogurt in hand, all you have to do is mix a few simple ingredients together to get your vegan tzatziki.
You might be tempted to bypass the cucumber wringing stage, but I don't recommend it.
Cucumbers have a lot of water in them, and if you don't get rid of the excess water upfront, you're going to have your sauce swimming in it later.
I love this vegan tzatziki on chicken, brisket, vegetables and they even make a good appetizer topping on my gluten-free rosemary socca rounds.
You can also use this dairy free tzatziki in a turkey wrap - you know when you're sick of stuffing and cranberry sandwiches.
There are so many ways to enjoy this easy, vegan tzatziki.
Vegan Tzatziki {Paleo, Whole 30, Vegan, Dairy Free}
Makes about 1 Cup
Ingredients
1 medium organic English cucumber
1 cup organic coconut yogurt
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cut the ends off the cucumber, but keep the skin on. Place a cheesecloth or thin towel under a box grater. Grate the cucumber on the cheesecloth until it's completely shredded. Fold the towel around the cucumber and ring out the excess juice. I like to collect the juice and throw it in my smoothie later. Open the cloth and salt the remaining cucumber and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes, then squeeze again to remove any remaining juice.
Place the coconut yogurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice, and cucumber in a glass bowl and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on my gluten-free rosemary socca rounds or on your favorite protein.
