Best Vegan Salmon Recipe (Carrot Lox)

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This delicious and healthy Vegan Salmon Recipe (Carrot Lox) is delicious and easy to do. This vegan salmon substitute will impress you and your friends for brunch in no time at all!

There’s a particular food that makes Monday mornings so much easier for me, and that’s bagels. They’re so easy to grab and eat, and have a particular aesthetic to them; why are they the perfect work food?

If you’re like me and miss your carrot lox and cream cheese bagels on your way to work, fret no more! Here is an easy vegan salmon recipe that you can use to have those bagels again! Paired with an easy cashew cream cheese – you’ll never crave fish again!

Vegan Salmon Recipe

There are different ways to approach making vegan salmon; some people swear by using tomatoes, but I find that using carrots yield a better and more consistent vegan fish replacement, that is filled with vitamins and minerals to fuel your body.

This recipe is very easy to make, just make sure you follow the instructions and don’t skip anything.

Vegan Salmon Recipe (Vegan Carrot Lox) Taste

Can’t imagine carrots tasting like fish yet? The main idea is marinading and cooking your carrots until tender and allowing them to sit in the sauce overnight to absorb all the flavour until they become tender and have absorbed all our added fishy (but vegan) flavours like nori and soy sauce.

Why You Will Love This Vegan Salmon Replacement:

It’s healthy, it’s cheap, it’s easy to make, and best of all – it’s really delicious. It does take a little time to rest and get the texture right, but if you’re strong and patient, you’ll really enjoy the results.

Vegan Salmon made with carrots is a versatile recipe that you can use for bagels, wraps, even vegan sushi! It all depends on how you decide to slice your carrots after cooking, in thin, flat strips like lox, or sashimi-style.

All the ingredients you add in the marinade are substitutable: if there’s one you really don’t like, keep it out! Feel free to make this dish your own. Check out my tips and tricks to make the most of this recipe below (even how to make pink vegan salmon!).

Shopping List:

• Carrots
• Sea Salt
• Hot Water
• Nori Granules (or buy nori sheets and blend them to a powder)
• Caper Brine
• Rice Vinegar
• White Miso Paste
• Soy Sauce, Tamari, or Coconut Aminos
• Lemon Juice
• Garlic Powder
• Olive Oil

Equipment Required:

• Large sharp knife
• Saucepot
• Glass container or large bowl

The Recipe:

Yield: 8-10 servings

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Pin the image below if you like this vegan salmon recipe!

Let’s get those ingredients together and get you closer to a vegan salmon dream coming true!

Ingredients List:

• 3 large carrots, cut in half, not peeled
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1 tsp nori granules or blended nori sheets
• 3 tbsp caper brine
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp white miso paste
• 3 tbsp soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized pot, place your carrot with your salt and cover the carrots with tap water. Place on medium-high heat and bring to a boil for 5-10 mins or until fork tender. Be careful not to overcook to avoid mushy carrots. A fork or knife should just poke through and the carrots should hold their shape.
2. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice-cold water. As soon as the carrots are ready, drain them from the hot water and place them in the ice-cold water to stop the cooking immediately. Allow to cool fully for 2-3 minutes and then gently place on a wire rack to drip and dry.
3. While they dry, combine the following ingredients in a separate container or bowl: hot water, nori, caper brine, rice vinegar, miso paste, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder and olive oil. Whisk until well incorporated and set aside.
4. Using a very sharp knife, place your carrots on a chopping board and slice lengthwise or diagonally (getting as long strips as you can): you can decide whether you want paper-thin slices or thicker sashimi-style slices. Place into the marinade.
5. Cover and place in the fridge for at least a few hours to absorb the flavour, but overnight is best. The longer you marinate, the better the consistency of the vegan carrot lox will be!
6. When you’re ready to use, remove the carrot lox from the container – it’s best for the carrots to come to room temperature but it’s not super important – and use as you normally would!
7. Serve on toasted bagels with vegan cashew cream cheese, fresh dill and pickled red onions!

Tips and Tricks for Vegan Salmon:

Here are my favourite tips and tricks to make this recipe the best it can be:

1. Really give the carrots time to marinade in the fridge: I know it can be tempting to ahead and eat away, but don’t let all your efforts go to waste so fast! Really give it time to rest overnight, the texture will change and become a little bouncy, just like fish.
2. Add your own twist: feel free to change up the marinade to your liking – this recipe is just a suggestion and will make the carrots have an ocean-like taste thanks to the nori! Want a more aromatic flavour? How about adding a whole star anise, or black peppercorns in there? Maybe a tiny stick of cinnamon.
3. Make it PINK! After cooking, add a slice of raw, peeled beetroot to your marinade and leave those bad boys to soak up all that wonderful juice overnight. Try to remember to give the container a stir or a shake from time to time to get that beetroot colour evenly distributed!
   TOP TIP: If you want an ombre, pink to orange effect, I recommend marinading the carrot whole with a piece of beetroot, and then slicing the carrots afterwards. If you choose to do it this way, you really have to make sure the carrots marinade overnight to get the best texture.

FAQs

Can I use store-bought Vegan Salmon?

Yes, you sure can! There are plenty of stores where you can buy Vegan Salmon. My favorite is Sophie’s Kitchen Plant-Based smoked salmon. It is gluten-free, soy-free and non-GMO. While I always prefer homemade food, if you’re in the hurry you can buy them premade, just be careful what you’re buying. I also recommend Zalmon Sashimi from Vegan Zeaster. This product contains soy, and it’s full of omega-3 thanks to flaxseed oil.

What to serve Vegan Salmon with?

These homemade vegan bagels will go perfectly with this vegan salmon recipe (vegan carrot lox). Also, you can spread this delicious vegan cottage cheese!

Did you like my Vegan Salmon Recipe?

I hope you enjoy this vegan Smoked Salmon Recipe (Carrot Lox)! Please let me know if they work for you!

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