I used to go crazy over smoked salmon. My family would buy the huge container of it from Costco and I would devour it — way too much at a time, if I’m honest. No bagel required.
After going plant-based, I was intrigued to learn that a vegan deli near me offered carrot “lox.” A quick search landed me on the Vegan Smoked Salmon Lox recipe from the Olives for Dinner blog. Her method has us salt-roasting whole carrots, then slicing and marinating. The first time I tried it, I was floored by how delicious it was.
Over the years I’ve tried many variations on carrot lox, and have settled on my own recipe that’s simpler to make but every bit as delicious. I roast thinly-sliced carrots until tender, then toss in a simple smoky-and-savory marinade.
And while of course this won’t fool an omnivore into thinking they’re eating real smoked salmon, this plant-based version totally satisfies that craving for me. With a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a dash of fresh dill and chives, it’s the perfect bagel topping.
When I want to make a weekend extra special, one of my favorite projects is to whip a batch of homemade sourdough bagels, cultured cashew cream cheese, and a these carrot lox.
Carrot Lox Ingredients
- Carrots: The larger the better, because you’ll be able to cut them into larger slices.
- Oil: Good extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil are my go-tos. Fish is naturally quite oily, so you don’t want to skimp on the oil in this recipe — it’s what’s going to give the carrots a luscious texture.
- Soy sauce: For umami.
- Liquid smoke: For the characteristic smoky flavor.
- White wine vinegar: A little bit of tartness will balance out the saltiness and the carrots’ natural sweetness.
How to Make Carrot Lox
Step 1: Peel carrots and slice thinly at a steep angle.
Step 2: Place carrots in a baking dish and toss with salt and oil. Cover the dish with foil, or place a lid or cookie sheet on top to trap steam.
Step 3: Once carrots are roasted, toss with soy sauce, vinegar, and liquid smoke. Transfer to a sealed container and allow to refrigerate for 2+ hours (preferably overnight).
Carrot Lox (Vegan Smoked Salmon)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 very large carrots or about 4 smaller carrots
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil I like extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Lox Marinade
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar can sub apple cider or rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon nori flakes (optional)
Recommended Garnishes
- fresh lemon juice
- fresh dill
- minced shallots, red onion, or chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Peel carrots. Carefully cut them into thin slices on a steep diagonal. Aim for between 1/8" and 1/4" thickness. Larger carrots will work best for this recipe so you can keep the pieces large but thin.
- Place sliced carrots in a baking dish (I use a ceramic 8×8" pan). Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt and toss to coat.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil — or use a lid, or place a cookie sheet on top of the dish. The goal is to trap the steam to keep the carrots moist.
- Place the carrots in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. At this point, give the carrots a good stir, then seal again with the foil/lid before placing them back in the oven.
- Bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until carrots are fully tender. There may bit a little bit of caramelization around the edges of the pan but the carrots shouldn't be too browned.
- Remove the carrots from the oven. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and liquid smoke and thoroughly toss to coat. Give the carrots a taste and add more salt, smoke, or vinegar to preference.
- Transfer the carrots to a sealed container and place in the fridge. Allow to chill for 4+ hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to marry.
- When ready to serve, give the carrots another quick stir to make sure they're evenly coated with the marinade. I love to heap the lox onto a bagel with vegan cream cheese (my favorite is the one from Kite Hill). A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh chopped dill and minced shallots is my perfect combination. Enjoy!
