Vegan Carrot "Lox" and Tofu Cream Cheese
I’m going to be honest with y’all. I’ve never had actual lox before. Though I didn’t follow a strictly vegetarian diet growing up, fish was never my thing and so I tried to avoid it as much as I could. In fact, I didn’t even start enjoying things like sushi or “fish” tacos until after I went vegan… kinda ironic, right? I also tried “lox” for the first time at a vegan restaurant in Baltimore and I immediately fell in love with the taste and texture.
So I was super surprised to find out that the chef had made this vegan lox for us using carrots of all things! I haven’t been able to find a place that does vegan lox here in DC so I decided to create my own. This totally plant-based, omnivore-approved carrot lox will blow your mind. I suggest you make it immediately. And since we all know lox is best on a generously cream-cheesed-up bagel, I’m also going to show you how to make a quick tofu-based vegan cream cheese!
You’re gonna need
carrots,
LOTS of salt (cannot stress this enough),
olive oil,
apple cider vinegar,
lemon juice,
liquid smoke,
and ground black pepper.
And for the tofu cream cheese —
silken tofu,
extra firm tofu,
nooch,
lemon juice,
and salt and pepper.
Vegan Carrot "Lox" and Tofu Cream Cheese
Ingredients:
- 3 large carrots
- about 1/4 cup sea salt (I know that sounds alarming but trust me)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 8 oz silken tofu
- 8 oz extra firm tofu
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- optional but recommended:
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dill or your favorite herbs (e.g. chives, parsley, basil)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Scrub the carrots and pat dry.
- Pour enough salt to fully cover the bottom layer of the baking tray. Line the carrots on top and coat them in the remainder of the salt. (You may need more salt for this step depending on how big your carrots are)
- Bake at 450 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes or until browned on the outside and fork tender.
- In the meantime, prepare the lox marinade by whisking together oil, vinegar, lemon juice, liquid smoke, and black pepper.
- Allow the carrots to cool completely. Peel off the outer layer and use a peeler or knife to cut the carrot into thin strips.
- Add the carrot strips to the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least two hours but preferably overnight.
- Add silken tofu to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Crumble the extra firm tofu into the blender along with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, and optional garlic and herb seasonings.
- Blend again until thick and smooth.
- Transfer to a refrigerator-safe container and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving over bagels.