We set out to make a winning vegan alternative to the classic smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, and after countless trial and error, we think we’ve hit the mark!
This carrot lox mimics the texture and appearance of smoked salmon beautifully, and the cream cheese brings in that signature smokiness – your first bite will have you transported to lox bagel heaven.
What you need
Mandolin
Medium-sized mixing bowl
Whisk
Airtight container for storage
Ingredients
4 SERVINGS
- 4 vegan everything bagels
- 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced into thin rings
- ¼ cup capers drained
For the Carrot Lox:
- 6 large carrots
- 1 cup tamari or soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari for a gf option)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- ½ tbsp. caper liquid
- 1 tsp. liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp. kelp granules
- 1 tbsp. miso paste
- ½ tsp. fresh cracked pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tsp. fennel seeds
- ½ cup vegan cream cheese
- 1 tsp. smoked salt
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
- ½ tsp. fresh cracked pepper
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
Step 2
Using a mandolin or a knife, thinly slice the peeled carrots into about 3mm ribbons. The carrot ribbons should resemble the thickness and shape of lox slices.
Step 3
Line a tray with baking paper and add your sliced carrots and salt. They can overlap each other; you don’t want to spread them out as you want them to steam. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil, and pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients to make your marinade.
Step 5
Add the cooked carrot ribbons to the marinade, ensuring that they are fully coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid, and let the carrots marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but no longer than overnight.
Step 6
Once done, taste the carrots for seasoning. If they still taste too, well… carrotty, then let them sit in the marinade a little longer. Drain the finished carrots and have them ready to assemble.
Step 7
For the smoked cream cheese: add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Step 8
To assemble the bagels, cut your bagels in half so there are two circles. If you prefer to toast your bagels, do so now.
Step 9
Once done, smear a generous amount of the cream cheese to one side of the bagel, then heap a good amount of lox, followed by tomato, onion and capers. Close your bagel, and repeat the process with remaining bagels.
✨ RECIPE NOTES ✨
- Smoked cream cheese: If you don’t have smoked salt, you don’t have to make a smoked, herby cream cheese. We’re just trying to be a little bougie here. Regular cream cheese works great!
- Gluten-free: We’ve popped this in our gluten free category as it is as simple as swapping out your bagel for the gluten free kind. Everything else is good to go!
- Storage: Vegan Carrot Lox can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Steam: You can also steam the carrot ribbons instead of baking them. Place the marinated carrot ribbons in a steamer basket and steam for 5-10 minutes or until tender.
