Vegan Tzatziki
A simple, refreshing Greek staple - tzatziki, plant-based style. Made with vegan yogurt, cucumber, dill, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice which makes for the perfect lunch accompaniment or late-night healthy snack.
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Introduction
Having trouble with late-night snacking? A sneaking feeling of hunger, that slowly crescendos into an unignorable, gastrointestinal ringing. “Feed me. Feed me. Feed me.” it bellows, in a deep, hollow tone that stifles the sound of the TV, the calls of your children, and the meows of your cat.
If so, you may be entitled to dip-based reimbursement, in a few simple steps. Minimal physical action and time required. Ask your grocer if tzatziki is right for you. Side effects include sudden urges to tell your friends and family about the Tzatziki you made the other night, the continual purchasing of cucumbers, yogurt, and herbs, and recurring visits to the fridge. Should you experience any of these symptoms, purchase carrots, bell peppers, or your favourite eatable instrument of choice, and go to town.
Tzatziki is a super easy, Greek dip made of only a few ingredients, and it takes maybe ten minutes to throw together. Grate cucumber, squeeze out the water. Chop up some parsley, dill, and garlic. Add to yogurt. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. Mix. Enjoy.
The secret to this recipe really does like in squeezing out all of the liquid you can from the cucumber. Cucumbers are 95% water, so if we don’t get out a good majority of those percentages, we’ll be left with a loose, diluted yogurt sauce (which we don’t want). Cheesecloth is your best bet - I got a roll of like 200ft online for under $10, and I use it for everything from making iced coffee and to tzatziki and soup. If you don’t have cheesecloth, you can also use paper towel - really put some muscle into it and wring everything out until very minimal liquid comes out.
Check out the Spruce it Up section for ideas on how to take this recipe to the next level.
Before we Get Started
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 0 Minutes
Total Time: 15 Minutes
Yield: 500 mL
Ingredients
500 mL Plain Vegan Greek Yogurt, unsweetened
1 Cucumber
2-3 cloves Garlic
Handful of Dill
Handful of Parsley
1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
Method
Using a peeler, peel your cucumber in alternate stripes.
So it looks like a zebra, peel one line down the cucumber, leave a line unpeeled, then peel another line. This will add to the colour variation without adding too much peel to the tzatziki.
Grate the tzatziki into your cheesecloth or paper towel. Squeeze the grated cucumber over a bowl until all of the liquid has been drained out.
Spoon your Greek yogurt into a bowl, and add your grated cucumber, as well as 2 tbsp. of the cucumber liquid.
Finely dice your garlic cloves, parsley, and dill, and add them to the bowl. Squeeze your lemon juice in and drizzle with olive oil. Mix thoroughly, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy.
Spruce it Up
Add some cayenne or paprika for a little kick.
Mint adds a great refreshing flavour.
Finely diced red onion with also add a great spice, whether finely diced or grated.