This fresh and creamy Dairy-Free Tzatziki Sauce is bursting with cucumber, garlic, and fresh herbs. It's so simple to make and pairs perfectly with loads of dishes or as a quick vegan dip.
In the UK, I’ve yet to come across a shop-bought dairy-free tzatziki sauce (let me know if you find one!). So, I decided to make my own, and I was surprised at how much better it tasted than any pre-made version I've tried. The best part is it’s ready in just 15 minutes!
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Freshly grated cucumber, garlic (my favourite!), tangy lemon, and herbs are all mixed with dairy-free Greek yoghurt to make this luxuriously creamy dip.
Dairy-free yoghurt tastes can vary enormously, so check out my number one recommendation for this recipe in the ingredient section below!
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🤔 What Is Tzatziki?
Tzatziki is a Greek dip traditionally made with Greek yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, and herbs. It's similar to Indian raita, but raita normally uses natural yoghurt that's thinner, & has the addition of cumin.
My mint yoghurt dip is a bit like a raita, but without the spices!
🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make this dairy-free tzatziki. To find out how to make it suitable for other allergies, simply scroll down to the section below this one.
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
- Dairy-Free Greek Yoghurt – Plain dairy-free yoghurts can vary a lot in taste; some are sweet, and others have weird aftertastes, so it’s a good idea to taste the yoghurt first to make sure you like it. After trying a few, my absolute favourite for this recipe is Oatly Greek Style Yoghurt—It actually fools you into thinking you are eating real Greek yoghurt it is that good!
- Cucumber – Be sure to scoop out the seeds before grating, as they’re quite watery. Also, squeeze out any excess water from the cucumber using a tea towel.
- Lemon – You’ll only need the juice of the lemon for this recipe, and fresh is always best. You can save the zest for my vegan courgette cake.
- Garlic – Adjust the garlic to your taste, depending on how strong you like the flavour!
- Fresh Herbs – I’ve used both mint and dill, and I’d highly recommend sticking to fresh herbs for the best flavour. Use any leftover mint in my minted mushy peas and the dill in this dairy-free fish pie.
- Olive Oil – Try to use the best quality olive oil you can—it really makes a difference!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🥜 How Can I Make This Dish Allergy Friendly?
The dish is dairy-free, as written, but in the UK, Oatly contains a minuscule amount of gluten, so it can’t be classed as gluten-free. In the US, it is gluten-free. ( Always double-check the packaging, as ingredients can change!)
- ✔️ Make It Gluten-Free: If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, choose a soya or coconut based yoghurt instead.
- ✔️ Make It Soy Free: Use a coconut based plain yoghurt (not coconut flavour), but bear in mind that you will probably be able to taste a bit of the coconut so the taste will be different to using a soya/oat-based yoghurt.
✏️ How to Make Dairy Free Tzatziki
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: Start by slicing the cucumber in half lengthways and use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds. The seeds are quite watery and would make the tzatziki too runny, so it’s best to remove them.
Next, coarsely grate the cucumber, place it in a clean tea towel, and squeeze out any excess water over the sink.
Step 2: Crush the garlic using a garlic press, then finely chop the fresh dill and mint leaves, discarding the mint stems.
Step 3: In a mixing bowl, combine the dairy-free yoghurt, grated cucumber, garlic, and chopped herbs.
Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of good-quality olive oil. Stir everything together until well mixed.
Step 4: Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting as needed, and your dairy-free tzatziki is ready to serve, although it's best if you can chill it for 30 minutes in the fridge first, to allow the flavours to deepen.
💡 Lauren's Tips
- ✔️ Taste The Yoghurt First: Dairy-free yoghurts can vary in flavour, so make sure to taste the one you’re using beforehand to see if it suits you. I have used Oatly Greek-style yoghurt for this recipe.
- ✔️ Cucumber: Don't skip the step of scraping the seeds out & wringing out any excess water in a tea towel. It’s essential if you don’t want a watery dip. Getting rid of as much water as possible keeps the tzatziki thick and creamy.
- ✔️ Use Fresh Herbs: Fresh dill and mint are key to giving your tzatziki the best flavour. Dried herbs just won’t have the same impact, so stick to fresh for the best results.
- ✔️ Adjust The Garlic – You can tweak the amount of garlic depending on how strong you like it. If you're a garlic fan, feel free to add more, but if you prefer it milder, use a bit less.
🥡 How To Store
For best results, chill the dip in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
Store any leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It may become a bit watery after a couple of days, so give the tzatziki a good stir before serving.
🍴 How To Serve
We love serving tzatziki with a kebab! Either these air fryer chicken shish or lamb koftas are our favourites.
It’s also great as part of a mezze platter alongside some pitta bread or gluten-free flatbreads, baba ganoush & honey fried aubergine.
Dip crudities like carrot sticks, sliced pepper or celery into it for a healthy snack.
Serve alongside roasted veggies and sea bass for a Mediterranean-inspired dinner.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Yes! Tzatziki actually tastes better after it’s had time to chill in the fridge for a few hours, as the flavours have time to come together, so for best results make it the day before serving.
Traditional tzatziki isn’t, but you can make it vegan by using dairy-free Greek-style yoghurt.
I would really recommend using fresh herbs if you can, but if you can’t, you can use dried dill or mint. Just reduce the amount since dried herbs are more concentrated.
⚡ Other Herby Recipes
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Dairy-Free Tzatziki Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 240 g ( 1cup) Dairy Free Greek Yoghurt I used Oatly Greek style yoghurt
- ½ medium cucumber seeds removed & coarsely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice the cucumber in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon. Coarsely grate the cucumber, place it in a clean tea towel and squeeze out any excess water over the sink.
- Crush the garlic with a garlic press and finely chop the dill and mint leaves.
- Put the yoghurt in a mixing bowl, and add the grated cucumber, garlic, chopped herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. Stir well.
- Season to taste and if you have time, let it chill for 30 minutes in the fridge before serving to give time for the flavours to deepen.
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