Easy Vegan Tzatziki (3 ways!)

This vegan tzatziki recipe is an easy way to boost the flavor in all your summer meals! Tangy, creamy, and herby, it's the perfect sauce for vegan gyros, shawarma, grilled veggies, and more. It's super easy to make in under 10 minutes, and it goes with everything!

My son always sits down for dinner and asks, 'Where's the sauce?'. Sometimes you just need a tasty, creamy sauce to take your meal to the next level.

This vegan tzatziki sauce paired with sweet and spicy tahini is a killer flavor combo on my epic vegan shawarma, but it's also a classic sauce for vegan gyros! Greek tzatziki is super versatile and can be served as a sauce, drizzle, salad dressing, condiment for sandwiches and burgers or a dip!

Make a batch to enjoy all week; it tastes incredible on absolutely everything!

Tzatziki Ingredients

Authentic Greek tzatziki is a fresh and creamy, cucumber and yogurt-based sauce or dip traditionally made with sheep or goat yogurt. My family loves it so it was essential to create a vegan/dairy-free version. I've included 3 vegan tzatziki recipe options for you to choose from - each with a different creamy base: vegan mayo, cashews or dairy free Greek-style yogurt. Here's the 6 ingredients you'll need:

• Vegan mayonnaise (store bought or homemade): This makes up the creamy base instead of Greek yogurt.
• Acid: Apple cider vinegar and fresh lemon juice to brighten and add tanginess.
• Garlic: Finely minced, pressed or grated garlic adds savory flavor and pungency.
• Cucumbers: Small, Persian or English cucumbers are best because of their thinner skins. Regular cucumbers have thick, waxy skins that have to be removed.
• Fresh dill: Fresh dill is a classic tzatziki ingredient and to me it's essential. It adds an herbaceous, bright flavor that dry dill just doesn't. You can use another fresh herb if you don't like dill or can't find fresh dill.
• Salt and pepper: To make all the flavors pop!

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

This vegan tzatziki recipe is pretty versatile, here's a few suggestions for customizing the ingredients to suit your personal preference:

• Creamy base: I use homemade vegan mayo or store bought Vegenaise! It makes a thinner tzatziki sauce perfect for drizzling or as a dairy free dressing (or leave it in the fridge for several days and it thickens up nicely). You can sub in an equal amount of thick cashew cream or plain, unsweetened Greek-style vegan yogurt for the mayo (recipes below).
• Change up the acid: Use white vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar or a combination of vinegar and fresh lemon juice for different levels of tanginess.
• Play with herbs: Dill, parsley or mint are great choices. Use fresh herbs for the best flavor!
• Make it richer: My recipe doesn't use oil, but you can drizzle 1-2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil over the sauce right before serving for a richer tasting tzatziki sauce.
• Onion powder: I love the addition of onion powder, but it's optional.
• Make it spicy: We sometimes add a squirt of sriracha for a hit of heat (especially when slathering on BBQ burgers and sandwiches).

How to Make Vegan Tzatziki!

Super easy and fuss free to make, all you need is one bowl and less than 10 minutes to make this creamy restaurant-worthy, vegan tzatziki sauce. Here's an overview of the instructions:

1. Shred the cucumbers: Peel the cucumbers or don't - it's up to you. Remove the cucumber seeds by holding the cucumber in one hand and running the tip of a small spoon down the seed spine (see photos below). Finely dice or grate the cucumbers (on the large holes of a box grater). Wrap the cucumbers in a clean towel and squeeze to wring out the excess liquid.
2. Whisk the mayo and seasonings: In a bowl (or large measuring cup), whisk together the mayo, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Fold in the strained cucumbers and dill.

3. Cover and chill until ready to use: The tzatziki sauce thickens as it chills. So it's great for making ahead! Just leave it in the fridge for a couple days. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy as a dip, dressing or sauce when ready to serve!

Vegan Tzatziki (cashew based)

This is the thickest of the 3 dairy-free tzatziki versions which is perfect for dipping or slathering on tacos, burgers and vegan gyro. The cashew base is naturally, slightly sweet so to balance the flavor, I typically use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and an extra sprinkle of salt. Customize your own tzatziki sauce - mix and match the acids and fresh herbs to find the right flavor and texture balance for your preference. Here's how to make dairy-free tzatziki with cashews:

1. Blend the ingredients: Place ½ cup raw cashews, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons acid (lemon juice/apple cider vinegar/white vinegar), fresh garlic, and salt in a high power blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional water if required for thinning. (If your Vitamix is large, you may need to double this recipe to get a good smooth blend).
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients: Transfer the cashew sauce to a bowl, stir in the chopped, drained cucumbers, dill, and pepper (onion granules and parsley if using). Taste and adjust seasonings to your personal preference.
3. Chill: The tzatziki will thicken as it chills.

Vegan Tzatziki Sauce with Dairy-free Yogurt

This more traditional version of tzatziki sauce is made with thick, Greek-style vegan yogurt. I had a difficult time finding a plant-based yogurt (where I live) that had a neutral enough flavor and a thick enough texture for my liking. I tried a few that were good, but not great (hence the other 2 delicious versions above).

To make this vegan tzatziki sauce with a yogurt base, be sure to find the thickest, creamiest Greek-style vegan yogurt or full fat coconut milk based yogurt with no aftertaste. Follow the same directions as the mayo based tzatziki version above (and let me know which vegan yogurt you use!).

Helpful Tips & FAQ

This vegan tzatziki tastes very much like classic tzatziki, and it's easy to make at home from scratch. Here's a few tips I've learned after making it for over a decade:

• Do you need to remove the peel?: If using a Persian, English or small cucumber, you don't have to peel it (unless you want to). They have thin, tender skins. Regular cucumbers have a thicker skin so peel them.
• Remove excess liquid: Drain the cucumbers really well by wrapping them and squeezing out the liquid to ensure a thick and creamy tzatziki sauce.
• Should I remove the cucumber seeds?: I remove the seeds to prevent a watery tzatziki sauce.

• How to deseed a cucumber: Peel the cucumber before deseeding (if peeling). Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Hold one half in your hand and run a spoon* down the seed spine from top to bottom with the other hand. It's quick and tidy. *This is a coffee spoon and it's the perfect size for mini cucumbers.
• Vegan mayonnaise: I like the vegan mayo version best, but it's the thinnest version. Start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice then mix everything together. Add more as needed. It does thicken up a lot in the fridge.
• Optional add ins: I don't add oil, but I know it's popular and authentic to make the tzatziki richer. The curly parsley is totally optional but adds a fresh herby flavor and pop of color. Onion powder is optional but also good!
• Storing and make ahead: All 3 versions get thicker and more flavorful as they chill. Make it a day or two in advance and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cashew based tzatziki may need a teaspoon of lemon juice, vinegar or oil to thin after being chilled overnight.
• Can tzatziki sauce be frozen?: No, I would not recommend freezing tzatziki sauce.

How to Serve Tzatziki

Once you've mixed up a batch of tzatziki sauce, you'll find endless ways to enjoy it!:

• The best sauce for vegan gyros, falafel, sandwiches & burgers: Drizzle or add dollops of tzatziki sauce to pitas stuffed with falafel or cauliflower meatballs and veggies. Of course vegan tzatziki is THE sauce for gyros, and it's epic on vegan shawarma! Plus it's the perfect condiment on veggie sandwiches and burgers!
• As a dipping sauce: Because tzatziki is so rich and creamy, it's one of the best dipping sauces to serve with a veggie platter, meze platter or charcuterie board. Add wedges of pita bread or chips for scooping the dip.
• As a salad dressing: This tzatziki makes the best, creamy, dairy-free dressing for coleslaw, green salad or pasta salads!
• Drizzle it: I love tzatziki as a finishing sauce on vegetarian pizza. And it makes the perfect easy weeknight dinner drizzled over grilled or roasted veggies and crispy Greek air fryer potatoes served on rice.

More Vegan Sauces

If you love this vegan tzatziki recipe, try my Creamy Chipotle Sauce, Sweet and Spicy Tahini, Smoky Sweet BBQ Sauce, Vegan Big Mac Sauce, pico de gallo or easy guacamole next.

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Originally posted August 4, 2022. Updated June 2025 with new photos and instructions.