Vegan Raita: Indian Cucumber and Mint Yogurt Sauce

Raita is a cooling yogurt-based Indian sauce with cucumber and mint. This vegan version is quick and easy to make and tastes just like the original!

Yogurt is a cornerstone of Indian meals, it’s served alongside the spicy curries to temper the heat. It can be served plain, which does the trick, or made into raita for something extra special. Raita is an Indian yogurt sauce, full of cucumber and mint plus a few spices.

This vegan raita is as perfectly tangy, creamy, salty, spiced, and mouth-watering a sauce as the non-vegan original. It’s so simple to make and elevates any Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi meal. This cucumber raita was made following my mother-in-law’s recipe, as recounted by my husband Omar.

Omar’s request for a vegan raita took me by surprise, as he never shows much interest in yogurt generally speaking. Apparently adding a few things to yogurt turns it irresistible! Each batch of raita disappears quickly, served alongside spicy curries, potato hash, stews and more. A bit more quickly than expected actually, with spoonfuls of the yogurt sauce being snuck between meals.

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegan plain and unsweetened yogurt
• 1/2 cup vegan sour cream
• 1/2 cup peeled and grated cucumber
• 3 tbsp minced white or yellow onion
• 1 tbsp minced fresh mint
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2-1 tsp salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Mix everything togeter in a mixing bowl, starting with 1/2 tsp of salt. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
2. Eat immediately or make in advance, store in a sealed container in the fridge.