Flavor-packed Yogurt Sauce with Indian spices that's healthy, vegan, and deliciously creamy. This versatile spiced sauce pairs well with curries, veggie bowls, roasted veggies, wraps, and almost anything!
Made with all healthful and flavorful ingredients, this quick and easy Spiced Yogurt Sauce will be a staple in your house in no time!
Did you know you can saute cumin seeds without oil? Add a drop of water to the skillet once it is hot enough. (The water should sizzle if the pan is ready.) Add the cumin seeds and cook for one minute! Use this technique to make the recipe without additional oil.
Pair this vegan yogurt sauce with my healthy Chana Saag, Chickpea Pumpkin Curry, or these Chickpea Loaded Flatbreads on my site.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Unsweetened vegan yogurt
- Tahini
- Cumin seeds
- Red chili pepper
- Cilantro
- Lemon zest and juice
See the recipe card for quantities.
🍋 Substitutions
- Red chili pepper - use any variety of red chili pepper or omit for nonspicy
- Tahini - drippy tahini works best
- Cilantro - use herbs you have on hand or omit
- Garlic - add fresh minced garlic for an extra kick
- Vegan yogurt - use unsweetened cashew, coconut, soy, or oat yogurt
For more healthy dips and spreads, visit my Vegan Condiment Recipes page.
📖 How to Make Spiced Yogurt Sauce
For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.
Step 1. Heat a large skillet over high. Add a few drops of water and they should sizzle when the pan is ready. Or heat a drizzle of oil instead. Add cumin seeds and red chili pepper. Toast them for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
Step 2. Transfer the yogurt and tahini to a medium bowl. Add the toasted seeds with red chili peppers.
Step 3. Add lemon zest and juice. Mix well to combine, adding water until the desired consistency. Garnish with cilantro.
Step 4. This deliciously creamy vegan spiced sauce pairs perfectly with my Chana Saag recipe.
✔️ Expert Tips
- For oil-free, heat the skillet until it is hot enough for the water to sizzle before adding the cumin seeds.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Spiced yogurt sauce is a versatile condiment that pairs well with many dishes, adding a creamy, tangy, and flavorful element. Here are some ideas for pairings: patties, vegetable dishes, grain bowls, rice dishes, flatbreads, salads, and crudites.
This dairy-free spiced sauce is a healthy alternative to traditional yogurt sauce. In the population study “Milk Intake and Risk of Mortality and Fractures in Women and Men,” researchers found significantly higher rates of bone and hip fractures, heart disease, cancer, and premature death in general for women who drank more milk. A more recent Harvard study confirms these findings.
Here are more helpful tips for stronger bones.
🍽️ Related Recipes
🥙 Pairing
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📖 Recipe
Spiced Yogurt Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 large red chili pepper or 3 small bird’s eye chili peppers, minced
- ½ cup unsweetened nondairy yogurt cashew, coconut, Greek, soy, or oat
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 small lemon zest and juice
- Fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over high. Add a few drops of water and they should sizzle when the pan is ready. Or heat a drizzle of oil instead. Add cumin seeds and red chili pepper. Toast them for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Transfer the yogurt and tahini to a medium bowl. Add the toasted seeds with red chili peppers.
- Add lemon zest and juice. Mix well to combine, adding water until the desired consistency. Garnish with cilantro.
Notes
- For oil-free, heat the skillet until it is hot enough for the water to sizzle before adding the cumin seeds.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Kimberly LaFrenais says
Delicious on veggies! (I did add a little salt)
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
That's ok:) So happy you enjoyed it. Thank you.