How to make vegan Tzatziki? (with a Pita recipe) (2024)

September 19, 2019Melanie

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How to make vegan Tzatziki? (with a Pita recipe) (1)

I have been a vegetarian since 2009 and have not eaten a single Greek dish since. I thought it is not possible because the Greek cuisine is very meat-heavy. Since I had wanted to try Tzatziki for a long time I decided to make a complete traditional Greek dish vegan and this is no longer a problem today. Thanks to the meat substitute products, there is such a large choice and possibility to recreate most dishes with meat. I personally think it’s really helpful with these products to switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet if you’ve eaten meat before (which was definitely the case with me) and I’ve found the transformation with meat substitutes so much easier. Nowadays I don’t use them so often because after a while you don’t need them anymore. You already know some recipes without meat or how to use Tofu/Tempeh. I’m a big Tofu fan btw. My focus is on a healthy diet and the meat substitutes aren’t quite as beneficial. But it is all about balance. I think it’s ok to occasionally use meat substitutes.

Now I get back to the recipe. Tzatziki is one of the most famous Greek dishes worldwide and you can buy it in almost every supermarket. But why not make it yourself? This vegan Tzatziki recipe is very simple and with only 6 ingredients very quick to make. It is also a good way to make a simple dip. I think Tzatziki could also be called cucumber garlic dip and who doesn’t love a garlic dip?! In any case, I can’t get enough of it 😀 In addition to the Tzatziki, I have a vegetable gyros mix with a pita recipe for you.

How to make vegan tzatziki?

Vegan Tzatziki is really quick and easy to make. You only need a few ingredients which you often already have at home. That’s why it’s worth preparing Tzatziki at home whether it’s vegan or not. For the non-vegan version, you can use Natural yogurt or Skyr yogurt. I made two versions because my boyfriend has a soy allergy. So I made Tzatziki with Skyr for him. You can also use Greek yogurt.

What’s the difference between Skyr and Natural yogurt? Skyr is from the consistency more like curd. This makes it creamier and tastes a bit sourer. Skyr contains almost no fat as it is made from skimmed milk and is also high in protein. The same goes for vegan skyr which is also rich in protein and is not made from milk but from soybeans.

Since vegan skyr is not everywhere available you can simply use natural soy yogurt. Dill and garlic are important for the flavor. The cucumber shouldn’t be forgotten either. For the cucumber, you need a grater because it has to be shredded. Then you should squeeze the water out of the grated cucumber (by hand). Otherwise, your Tzatziki becomes too watery. You can grind dill and garlic cloves with a mortar or use a garlic press for the garlic. Apart from that you only need a bit of lemon juice, olive oil and season your Tzatziki with salt & pepper.

How to make vegan Tzatziki? (with a Pita recipe) (2)

Stuffed pita bread with vegan tzatziki

So what goes best with Tzatziki especially if you want to create a complete Greek dish? Definitely pita bread with gyros 🙂 This dish is also very quick to make as I bought gyros as a meat substitute and this one is already very well seasoned. We fried it with onions. Since we still had Jalapenos at home, we added green and red to it. You can also add red and/or green pepper instead. Finally, we added fresh avocado. This dish is healthy, delicious and ready in 10 minutes. So you should definitely give it a try 🙂

You´ll definitely have some leftovers, so you can store Tzatziki in the fridge for up to 5 days. Preferably in a food container.

How to make vegan Tzatziki? (with a Pita recipe) (3)

What foods taste good with Tzatziki?

  • Definitely everything with potatoes
    – fried potatoes, boiled potatoes, baked potatoes
  • Oven Roasted Vegetables
  • Zucchini Fritters
  • Pita Bread
  • Couscous Salad
  • Samosas
  • French fries/Nachos
  • Falafel
How to make vegan Tzatziki? (with a Pita recipe) (4)

Are you looking for more dinner ideas? Then check out following recipes:

  • Healthy Vegetable Gyoza
  • Healthy Vegan Tacos with Salsa Verde
  • Easy Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
  • Green Coconut Thai Curry
  • Vegan Cheesy Potato Casserole
How do you like this recipe?

I would be very happy to get feedback from you! If you try this vegan Tzatziki recipe, please leave me a comment with a ⭐️ rating. Are you active on Instagram or Facebook? If you post a picture of this Tzatziki, please link to me with @plantiful.heart so I can see your creation! ?

Vegan Tzatziki with Pita

How to make vegan Tzatziki? (with a Pita recipe) (5)

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Gyros, Pita, Tzatziki, Vegetables, Yogurt

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 Portionen

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Tzatziki

  • 400 gr Skyr Soy Yogurt Alternative: Natural Soy Yogurt
  • 1/2 Cucumber
  • 2-3 Garlic Cloves
  • 2 Dill Stems
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper

Stuffed Pita

  • 1 pack Gyros meat-free alternative
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Garlic Clove
  • 1 Red or Green Pepper
  • 1/2 Cucumber
  • 1 Avocado
  • Salt & Pepper

Instructions

  • Peel garlic cloves, cut them into small pieces and grind with dill in a mortar, grate cucumber -> squeeze cucumber shreds out so that you don't have too much liquid in your Tzatziki.

  • Put yogurt in a small bowl, add garlic and dill. Stir well.

  • Now add cucumber to the yogurt and stir it in. Then press lemon juice into your yogurt mixture and add oil. Mix everything again.

  • Let your Tzatziki rest a little so that the flavor can unfold. Season your Tzatziki with salt and pepper.

Stuffed Pita

  • Peel onion and garlic clove, then chop into small pieces. Heat some olive oil in a pan. Add onions and garlic and fry a little.

  • Then add your vegan gyros and peppers. Fry everything until your gyros is crispy. Season your dish with salt and pepper.

  • Toast your pita bread or briefly heat them in a pan.

Are you active on Pinterest? and do you like this recipe? Then you can pin the following picture ? You can find the Pinterest Button under the picture.

How to make vegan Tzatziki? (with a Pita recipe) (6)
How to make vegan Tzatziki? (with a Pita recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan tzatziki made of? ›

Ingredients
  • ½ cucumber, grated.
  • 1 cup (240 mL) unsweetened soy yogurt
  • cloves garlic, crushed.
  • ¼ cup (4 g) fresh dill, minced.
  • ½
  • extra virgin olive oil.
  • ¼ tsp. salt.
  • ⅛ tsp. ground black pepper.

What are the main ingredients in tzatziki? ›

Tzatziki is a salted yogurt and cucumber dip that's made of strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and herbs. Authentic Greek tzatziki is most often made with sheep or goat yogurt, but my tzatziki recipe calls for regular full-fat Greek yogurt.

What is a good substitute for tzatziki sauce? ›

Raita is commonly used to tame the fiery heat of Indian food, and Turkish cacik is similar to tzatziki but more herbaceous and sometimes served as a soup.

How do you make tzatziki thicker? ›

You can thicken it by placing a piece of cheesecloth over the top of a wide mouthed jar and holding it in place with some rubber bands. Fill the cheesecloth with your sauce, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The excess water will drain out and the sauce will be thicker.

How long does vegan tzatziki last? ›

Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator (where it will thicken) up to 5 days, sometimes longer depending on freshness of yogurt. This Tzatziki is delicious on its own, but it also pairs well with Greek-inspired recipes like these Traditional Vegan Falafel, Tabbouleh Salads, Shawarma Sandwiches, or Buddha Bowls.

How long does homemade tzatziki last? ›

Tzatziki sauce should be kept in a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator when you're not using it. As long as it's stored properly, you can expect homemade tzatziki to last about three to four days. This will depend on how fresh the yogurt was when you made the sauce.

Does tzatziki have garlic in it? ›

Tzatziki is made of strained yogurt (usually from sheep or goat milk) mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dill or mint or parsley.

Does tzatziki contain onion? ›

Tzatziki is a yogurt salad typically made with cucumbers, onions and garlic. At least, these are what I consider to be the essential ingredients.

What do Greeks eat with tzatziki? ›

A platter of salted raw tomatoes and cucumbers becomes an instant salad when topped with tzatziki as a dressing. Bread is smeared with tzatziki and topped with grilled meats or vegetables for a crostini or bruschetta style snack that pairs well with Greek wines, like these Artichoke and Eggplant skewers.

Why is tzatziki not vegetarian? ›

Traditionally speaking, no, tzatziki isn't vegan-friendly as it has historically been made with dairy yoghurt, however, it's just as simple to make a plant-based version with all the same flavours and textures.

What can I use instead of Greek yogurt sauce? ›

5 Amazing Greek Yogurt Substitutes
  • Plain Yogurt. It depends on the recipe, but plain, unsweetened yogurt will work as a substitute for Greek yogurt. ...
  • Sour Cream. Sour cream has the consistency of Greek Yogurt, and it maintains the same sharp tang in recipes. ...
  • Buttermilk. ...
  • Cottage Cheese. ...
  • Silken Tofu.

Why does tzatziki get watery? ›

The watery sauce is due to the cucumbers, which hold lots of water. The best way to avoid a watery tzatziki sauce is to get the excess moisture out of the grated cucumber before it's added to the sauce mixture.

How do you cut cucumbers for tzatziki? ›

Peel cucumbers and slice into long quarters. Then, using a spoon, remove all the cucumber seeds. Dice the cucumbers. Dice the cucumber and drain with a sieve to remove the excess liquid.

Why does my tzatziki taste bitter? ›

This is because tzatziki sauce is not meant to be bitter. However, if your tastes bitter, there are chances that you used too much lemon juice, or the quality of other ingredients wasn't good enough. For this reason, it is suggested that you always use high-quality and fresh ingredients to enjoy the right flavor.

Is there vegan Greek yogurt? ›

Vegan yogurt is made from plant-based sources such as soy, coconut, oat, and cashews instead of dairy products. They come in a variety of textures such as regular, Greek, French, and kefir-style probiotic drinks, as well as flavors.

Is tzatziki made from yogurt or sour cream? ›

Tzatziki sauce is a creamy cucumber sauce that is most often made with simple ingredients including, Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil and lemon juice. We've created the most delicious Easy Tzatziki Sauce made with sour cream instead of full-fat Greek yogurt.

What are the ingredients in store bought tzatziki? ›

Ingredients: yogurt (milk ingredients, bacterial culture), sour cream(milk ingredients, bacterial culture, microbial enzyme), water,cucumber, canola oil, white vinegar, sea salt, garlic purée (garlic,canola oil), modified corn starch, garlic powder, citric acid.

Can you buy dairy free tzatziki? ›

Bio Tzatziki Dairy Free 150g | Woolworths.

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