Publised on 07/12/2022. Last Updated on 06/12/2024 by Richard
Smoked vegan salmon (aka vegan lox), ideal for blinis, bagels or salads. Super easy to make and perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
You're gonna wanna make this vegan salmon if you're having a party this year, OR ANY YEAR for that matter! It tastes like vegan smoked salmon with a tangy kick and a deliciously delicate flavour.
Perfect for serving on vegan blinis, bagels or toast with creative cream cheese - or just in a salad!
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It's made from carrots which have been blanched and then marinated in a super smoky brine, which gives it a delicious flavour, like vegan lox or vegan gravlax! Except no animals involved!
🧈 Vegan Salmon Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make this vegan salmon! It's so simple even a HORSE could make it! Ok maybe not a horse, they have big cumbersome hooves, but perhaps any animal with paws.
- Carrots
- Liquid smoke (or sub for 1 tablespoon smoked paprika)
- Caper brine
- Gherkin brine (aka pickle brine)
- White wine vinegar
- Fine sea salt
- Lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh dill (finely chopped)
And hey, don't fret if you can't find the quantities for my vegan salmon recipe! The amounts are all listed in full at the bottom of the page in the recipe card.
Definitely no need to send me a message on instagram to say you can't find the quantities! (Current tally of people who've messaged me to say they can't find the quantities for this recipe: 17)
🥣 How to Make Vegan Salmon
I know what you're thinking... "how do I literally make SALMON from a carrot??" - well if you stop raising your hand to ask questions for literally one minute I might be able to tell you! Sheesh!
Here's how - broken into four steps. HAPPY NOW!?
1. Peel and boil the carrots! When I say peel I mean remove the skin but then kinda JUST KEEP GOING! The peeler will help to create thin ribbons which you'll then boil nice and quickly.
Don't forget to have a bowl of cold water ready to plunge the cooked carrot ribbons into, to stop them from cooking!
2. Whisk together the marinade! All the big flavours arrive now! We're talking liquid smoke! Vinegar! Even pickle brine! Everything that tastes like vegan salmon!
It all comes together here in beautiful harmony! Want some extra flavours in there? Go wild! Add some spice or some herbs - whatever you fancy!
3. Marinate the carrots! Ideally for a few hours minimum. Side-bar: My secret pet peeve is people saying marinade instead of marinate, and vice versa.
Marinade is the noun, marinate is the verb. Got it? Good. Thanks for coming to the patronising pedantic English language school of witchcraft and wizardry.
4. Serve it up! You're now ready to serve your vegan smoked salmon! It doesn't matter if you stick it on vegan sour cream, vegan cream cheese or whatever!
Also remember you can serve on everything from a toasted bagel to a tray of vegan blinis or even vol au vents!
🧞♂️ Top Tip
Obviously the longer you marinate the carrots, the more they'll taste like vegan lox or vegan smoked salmon. I've left this recipe to marinate for up to a week and the flavour was insane!
This obvs means you can prepare this ahead if you're having a party!
🤘 Why it's great
- It's Gluten Free - No swaps needed! Unlike many others, I don't use soy sauce in my recipe, so it's gluten free! A crowd please!
- It's Soy Free - Again, no soy sauce in this recipe so it's also soy free!
- It's Easy To Make In Advance - The longer you marinate this vegan salmon, the more it'll taste like vegan lox! Make it up to a week ahead and serve at the best party ever!
Let me know via instagram if you decide to make any swaps or subs, or if you think you can improve this recipe somehow!
🔪 Equipment
Here's a list of everything you'll need to make my vegan salmon! Two things! that's it! Yesss!
- Vegetable Peeler
- 1 large saucepan
🤷♀️ Vegan Salmon FAQs
A: This vegan salmon is made from carrots! They're cooked quickly and marinated in liquid smoke among other ingredients.
A: This vegan salmon is best served cold or at room temperature.
🍽️ Making Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: This vegan salmon works great as a make ahead option as most of the prep happens ahead of time: preparing the carrots, making the marinade sauce and marinating the carrot strips. The carrots can stay in the marinade for up to a week for extra flavor! When you’re ready it’s just a case of removing the carrot slices from the marinade and serving however you like!
Storing: Keep leftover vegan salmon in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 5-7 days.
📒 Recipe Card
Vegan Salmon
Equipment
- Vegetable Peeler
- 1 large saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 carrots
- 2 tablespoon liquid smoke or sub for 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon caper brine
- 2 tablespoon gherkin brine aka pickle brine
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- small bunch of fresh dill finely chopped
Instructions
- Using a potato peeler, remove the skin from the carrots then peel them into long thin ribbons.4 carrots
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Boil the carrot ribbons for 3 minutes then drain and plunge into a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking further.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the carrot ribbons to the bowl and massage gently with your hands to make sure they're all coated with the marinade.2 tablespoon liquid smoke, 2 tablespoon caper brine, 2 tablespoon gherkin brine, 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, small bunch of fresh dill
- Cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour. Alternatively transfer to an airtight container and leave in the fridge for up to a week. Serve with cream cheese, a squeeze of lemon, capers and dill.
Notes
- The marinade provides lots of flavor. Liquid smoke, caper brine, pickle brine, vinegar, and olive oil create a salty, tangy, smoky flavor profile. Dill adds freshness.
- Letting it marinate for at least an hour, or up to a week, allows the carrots to really soak up the flavors. The longer the better!
- Serving suggestions include on blinis, bagels, toast, in salads or with vegan cream cheese/sour cream.
- It's gluten free and soy free as written, making it accommodate many dietary needs.
- The recipe is easy to make in advance for parties or gatherings. It stores well refrigerated for up to a week.
Nutrition
🥕 Related Recipes
- Vegan Fish Tacos
- Tofu "Fish" Sandwiches
- Vegan Tuna Salad
- Vegan Beef
- Vegan Ham
- Vegan Turkey
- Vegan Wellington
Emily
Wow and also made with orange bell pepper, for less of the trompe l’oeil effect and more of the don't-that-taste-good!
Christine
I've just started to make this but my carrot strips are about 1.5cm wide. What sort of peeler do you use to get wide strips?
Rachael
This is my go to mind blowering recipe to fool even my most carnivorous friends! Works every time. Amazing canapés any time of year but fab with bubbles at Christmas. I also add seaweed to the marinade (any old type will do) for extra fruits de mer FABULOUSNESS!! Thank you so much for this and your blini recipe.
Teresa Palmer
Okay, this is so next level. As an ex-smoked salmon eater (almost everyday in my pescatarian life) I can say that this tastes like the most high end smoked salmon I’ve ever had. I just had our neighbor try some and she couldn’t believe it wasn’t smoked salmon. Proud vegan moment! Hoping to get many more people on this train, really wild that it doesn’t taste like carrot at all. Tastes even better the next morning for breakfast. 5 stars!!!
Shannon
Fantastic! I was hesitant to use 2 tbls of liquid smoke but it was the perfect amount. I did not have any caper brine so I substituted for green olive brine.
The second time I made this I added crushed nori. Made it a little more "fishy" which we quite enjoyed.
Jade
I CANNOT BELIEVE how easy this recipe is and how much it’s like salmon…. Mind blowing
Isabel
Big fan of this sentence: “ Marinade is the noun, marinate is the verb. Got it? Good.” 😂