A sandwich doesn’t have to be between two slices of bread. Break out the pita to disrupt the monotony of your lunch or dinner routine. With a few store-bought staples and a quick homemade dairy-free tzatziki sauce, you can have a satisfying, hearty meal on hand in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
Cooking spray
1⁄3 small yellow onion, very finely minced
3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 lb (454 g) vegan ground beef (try Beyond Meat)
1⁄4 cup (6 g) mint leaves, finely chopped
4 oz (113 g) vegan feta, finely diced (try VioLife)
2 tablespoons (4 g) breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons (4 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the Dairy-Free Tzatziki
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 6 hours or boiled for 10 minutes
1⁄2 cup (120 ml) water
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 large cucumber, grated
1⁄4 cup (3 g) dill
1⁄4 cup (5 g) parsley
1⁄4 cup (6 g) mint leaves, finely chopped
For Serving
4 pitas
1 cup (149 g) small tomatoes
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Spray a large pan with cooking oil and place it over medium heat. When the pan is hot, cook the onion and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, until softened, then remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the vegan ground beef, mint, feta, breadcrumbs, cumin, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes. Mix until evenly combined. Use a melon scooper to portion 1-inch (2.5-cm) balls, then roll them tightly in your hands.
3. Place the pan back over medium heat. Spray with cooking oil, then add the meatballs. Cook until a thick crust forms on the meatballs, turning them frequently, about 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the dairy-free tzatziki. Combine the cashews, water, lemon juice and salt in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Taste the cream. Add more salt or lemon juice if the cream needs a bit more tang to achieve a yogurt-like flavor. Transfer the cream to a bowl. Stir in the cucumber, dill, parsley and mint. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
5. When the meatballs have a nice crust, transfer them to a baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes. Warm the pitas and halve the tomatoes. Wrap several meatballs, tomatoes, and a large scoop of dairy-free tzatziki in a warm pita.
Recipe and photo reposted with permission of Megan Sadd, a Switch4Good team member and founder of Carrots & Flowers. If you’re a recipe developer, athlete, or just proud to be dairy-free, sign up to be a part of our growing team of go-getter individuals!
