Homemade Tzatziki – What Jessica Baked Next

Authentic Greek tzatziki made dairy-free with vegan ingredients. Serve this light, fresh and creamy dip with pita bread/chips and your favourite mezze foods.

My traditional Greek tzatziki is a blog recipe I shared nearly 6 years ago in April 2016. Tzatziki reminds me of my travels to the Greek islands and Cyprus many years ago and one taste of this amazing dip just transports me back to those beautiful sunny destinations.

A taste of pure sunshine is exactly what we need on a wintery February day. I’m sure you agree?

I grew up in an English household, but as a child I travelled to some great places around Europe. Through travelling, I’ve been eating different cuisines and gaining new experiences from a young age. Throughout my childhood and even to this day, we eat traditional British food (delicious roast dinners, stews and pies), but also a mix of Italian, Spanish and Greek/Cypriot food.

Tzatziki originates in Greece. It’s very similar to the Turkish dip, cacik and raita, an Indian creamy cucumber dip.

I used my original tzatziki recipe and veganised it by swapping the Greek yoghurt for an oat-based alternative – I highly recommend Oatly Greek Style Oatgurt for the creamiest dairy-free Greek-style yoghurt.

Start by slicing the cucumber in half, then in half again, then scrap the seeds from the centre of each piece. Grate or finely chop the cucumber and then squeeze as much water from the cucumber as you can.

We don’t want the cucumber to add any extra water to our dip, this is not a runny sauce, it’s meant to be thick and super creamy – how it’s served in Greece! As it sits in the fridge it will thicken slightly and the flavour will intensify. I leave mine overnight, but 2-4 hours in the fridge is absolutely fine before serving.

I use freshly chopped dill in my tzatziki. You can use mint instead.

It’s great to use pita bread to scoop up the tzatziki. This time I bought my pita bread. I know I’ve said it before, that homemade pita bread is far superior, so I’d recommend making your own with my Greek Pita Bread recipe if you’re going to attempt this tzatziki.

This tzatziki is a tasty dip served just with pieces of pita bread, but it’s also incredible with either lemon herb rice or roasted vegetable couscous (both recipes I’ve featured below for you) and falafel or, if you’re vegetarian, some grilled/fried halloumi.

Vegan Tzatziki

Authentic Greek tzatziki but made with vegan ingredients. Serve this light, fresh and creamy dip with fluffy pita bread/chips and your favourite mezze foods.

Prep Time 15

Servings 8

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

1 large cucumber
400 g dairy-free yoghurt I use oat-based Greek-style yoghurt
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tablespoon dill or mint finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil I use extra virgin for best flavour
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Slice the cucumber lengthways and using a small spoon scoop out the watery centre and discard the seeds. Coarsely grate the cucumber or dice it. Place the cucumber in a sieve over a bowl and squeeze as much of the water out as you can. I always leave the peel on because it contains lots of flavour and texture, but this is just my personal preference.
In a medium mixing bowl combine the cucumber, yoghurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning. The dip can be served straight away but it is best left to chill in the fridge for at least 2-4 hours in order for the flavours to develop and marry together.
When ready to serve, place the tzatziki in a serving bowl or dish and drizzle with extra olive oil. It will keep fresh covered or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give the tzatziki a good mix prior to serving.