Description
This dairy free tzatziki sauce is ultra creamy and made with a cashew cream base instead of yogurt or a dairy free yogurt alternative! With a little proper planning (soaking the cashews and chilling the cashew cream), it comes together quickly and makes a delicious dip or sauce to accompany your favorite Greek meals. Made with fresh and wholesome ingredients like raw cashews, cucumber, fragrant herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar. It is entirely plant based, zippy, bright, and has tons of mouth-watering flavor!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup raw cashews (140 grams)
- Just boiled water to soak cashews
- 1/3 cup (+ 1 tablespoon if needed) water to blend with cashews
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1–2 cloves of garlic, grated with a microplane or very finely chopped
- 3/4 cup finely grated English or Persian cucumber (persian cucumbers create a thicker tzatziki because they have a less watery flesh)
- 3–4 tablespoons fresh chopped dill, mint, and or parsley (any combination works, but dill is a must IMO!)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak the cashews. Cover 1 cup cashews in a heat-proof bowl with just boiled water to soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour. If you’re in a hurry you can simmer the cashews on the stove top for about 10 minutes, until they are pale and plump.
- Make cashew cream base. Drain soaked cashews and add to high speed blender with 1/3 cup water, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Blend on high until entirely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed or use blender tamper to coax it to blend. If the mixture isn’t blending well, add a little more water at a time until it moves freely through the blades – 1 tablespoon more should be enough. Transfer mixture to a bowl or Tupperware and move to the refrigerator.
- Prepare remaining tzatziki ingredients. Using a box grater or grating blade on a food processor grate about 3/4 cup cucumber. Transfer grated cucumber to a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and set aside. Chop 3-4 tablespoons fresh dill, parsley, and/or mint, and grate or finely chop 1-2 cloves garlic.
- Assemble the tzatziki. Remove cashew cream base from the refrigerator. Using your hands, squeeze out as much excess moisture from the cucumber as you can. I like to work with one small handful at time. Add squeezed cucumber, fresh herbs, garlic, and 1 teaspoon olive oil to the cashew cream base and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Chill before serving. Because the blender will likely make the cashew cream warm, it’s best to chill the tzatziki for at least an hour before serving. The sauce will also thicken up slightly as it sits in the refrigerator. If you’re in a hurry, you can put it in the freezer and stir every 5 minutes or so until it’s thick and cool. You can also make the cashew cream base the day before, chill it in the refrigerator, and then finish the sauce by adding the cucumber, garlic, and herbs just before serving.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve as a dip with pita, crackers, or fresh cut vegetables, or as a sauce alongside your favorite Greek dinner, and enjoy!
Notes
This tzatziki should keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Some of the liquid in the cashew cream may separate during storage; if that happens just mix it together again before serving.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Greek