Quick No-Dairy Tzatziki (Low FODMAP Option!)

This quick 5-minute tzatziki recipe combines dairy-free coconut yogurt, diced cucumber and dill, and can be easily made low FODMAP diet friendly by simply substituting the minced garlic for low FODMAP garlic-infused oil. Creamy and satisfying, use this tzatziki as a dip, as a sauce, or in wraps and sandwiches!

Personally, I like to dip my favourite crackers into this tzatziki AND our no-garlic hummus. Why not have options? Check out our list of low FODMAP snack ideas for a list of our fave low FODMAP crackers.

Let’s face it, it can be difficult to find yummy dairy free dips and sauces. As a registered dietitian, I work with folks who avoid dairy for many different reasons. Including milk allergies, gut health issues, and vegan lifestyles. One dip in particular that is almost always made with dairy is tzatziki sauce, as it’s generally made with a yogurt base. Unfortunately this isn’t always ideal for those with IBS symptoms!

Where does tzatziki come from?

Tzatziki is a dish that comes from Greek cuisine. It is thought to also have origins from India, as it’s similar to a popular Indian sauce called Raita. It is primarily made from yogurt and cucumber, but is also combined with fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon juice.

What To Eat With Tzatziki Sauce

If you’ve never had it, you may be wondering what to serve with tzatziki. This sauce/dip is very versatile and can accompany many different meals and snack foods. Since tzatziki has a mild, fresh flavour, it doesn’t overpower other foods and can really match with so many things! Some of the best things to eat with tzatziki are:

• Crackers, tortilla chips, or pita
• Raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, sliced cucumber, or snap peas
• Meat – tzatziki makes a great dipping sauce for chicken, beef, and lamb
• Baked potato – use tzatziki as a delicious alternative to sour cream
• Salad – it makes a great salad dressing similar to ranch!
• Wraps and sandwiches

Is Tzatziki low FODMAP?

Traditional tzatziki is not low FODMAP, as it is made with a yogurt base. This means there is lactose in most tzatziki sauce. Additionally, it is very common for tzatziki to have garlic in it as well. Which is also a high FODMAP ingredient.

The dairy free tzatziki recipe I’m sharing today uses coconut yogurt instead of cow’s milk yogurt but does contain garlic, so is still high in FODMAPs. However, the garlic can easily be replaced with garlic-infused oil to make this recipe fully low FODMAP. See the notes section at the bottom for more details!

Is coconut yogurt low FODMAP?

For those of you who do wish to make this recipe into a low FODMAP sauce, it’s also important to know the best low FODMAP yogurts to use. Coconut yogurt is low FODMAP at portions of up to 1/2 cup, therefore this recipe makes the cut. As long as you don’t eat more than 1/3 of the entire batch in a sitting! Be careful, it’s pretty delicious – you might feel tempted!

If you aren’t keen on coconut yogurt, lactose-free plain greek yogurt is also a great low FODMAP option. Greek yogurt tends to be thicker than coconut yogurt. So, you may end up with a thicker tzatziki consistency if you choose to make that swap.

Is cucumber low FODMAP?

You bet! Cucumber is an excellent vegetable to choose on a low FODMAP diet, as you can eat it quite liberally. It doesn’t become moderate until about 4 cups – and that’s not even high FODMAP! It’s the perfect addition to this dairy-free tzatziki. Looking for other low FODMAP add-ins for this recipe? Try adding:

• Mint
• White wine vinegar (can be swapped for lemon juice)
• Cilantro & lime – swap the dill for cilantro and the lemon for lime to put a different spin on your tzatziki!
• Paprika – adds a nice smoky taste!

Love this low FODMAP recipe as much as we do? Our collection of low FODMAP recipes were created to help you navigate the low FODMAP diet. Many of our patients have tried implementing the low FODMAP diet on their own. However, this diet should be conducted with the support of a registered dietitian. At Ignite Nutrition we offer one-on-one nutrition counselling to help you start on the low FODMAP diet with guidance.