Tzatziki Sauce (Using a Cashew Base)

Tzatziki Sauce (Using Cashew Base)
Tzatziki Sauce (Using Cashew Base)

Since we can’t have falafel without Tzatziki Sauce (well, you can, but it’s better with), I had to get together a recipe.  I started with a recipe at The Vedge, and added some additional things I like to it.

Tzatziki Sauce (Using a Cashew Base)

  • 1 cup cashew pieces (raw, unsalted) and soaked overnight in water  (covering cashews by 2-3 inches)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of dill weed (optional)
  • 4 Tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 medium cucumber (peeled if waxed) and diced (I used two pickling cukes, and left the skin on)

Drain the cashews and place in a blender.  Add water, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to blender.  Blend until completely pureed, better to over blend than to not blend enough.  You want it as smooth as you can get it.

Cashew Mixture After Blending
Cashew Mixture After Blending

Pour cashew mixture into a bowl that will hold it, the dill, the parsley and the cucumber. Add dill, parsley, and cucumber to the cashew mixture and stir to mix well.

Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh parsley, chopped
Cucumbers diced
Cucumbers diced

You can do all this in the blender if you want, but I like chunky cucumbers in this sauce.  Refrigerate for at least an hour, and use on falafel, gyros, wraps, salads, as a dip and so on. Or you could use large slices or chunks for a salad or side dish, and do a much smaller dice or in the blender for a sandwich slather.

Let us know what you think 🙂

    6 comments

    1. I think I might l love you both. I love Tzatzki sauce and have missed it dearly. This is really good. I made all of it with my immersion blender because I am lazy and it was late. It made much more sauce than I expected. Thank you again for sharing your culinary learnings.

      1. I am so glad it worked for you, Laura! And the stuff keeps for about 5 or 6 days, so just dump it on everything — it even works as salad dressing. Also, yes, this is why we share.

    2. So nice to find a good, soy-free recipe! It was delicious. I added more lemon juice because I’m a lemon fiend and also didn’t soak the cashews because I stink at thinking ahead, but it was still amazing poured over my big bowl of tabouli. 🙂

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