Carrot Lox Vegan Dip with Bagels (vegan smoked salmon)
Prepare to fall in love with this fun play on a brunch classic! Carrot Lox Vegan Dip with sliced toasted Bagels is the perfect addition for your next vegan brunch buffet or holiday gathering! That’s right…VEGAN lox…as in vegan smoked salmon…made with carrots!
This Carrot Lox Vegan Dip consists of shredded carrots marinated in a clever blend of seasoning that gives it a smoked salmon flavor…layered with vegan cream cheese, pickled shallots, capers, dill and everything bagel seasoning…served with sliced, toasted bagels.
This vegan brunch dip recipe is 100% vegan, but captures the flavor and essence of smoked salmon…it’s mind blowing! Give your guests a unique, veggie loaded option that they will fall in love with! This Carrot Lox Vegan Dip recipe is perfect for your vegan Easter brunch…or any holiday!
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Why you will love this Carrot Lox Vegan Dip recipe
This recipe is…
- QUICK AND EASY TO MAKE – This Carrot Lox Vegan Dip recipe looks and tastes like a gourmet appetizer, but it is actually super simple to make! Perfect recipe for even a beginner in the kitchen. And this baby can be prepped and ready in 20 minutes!
- SUPER UNIQUE – Now we all love a good hummus board…but it does get boring after a while, doesn’t it? Give yourself and your guests a super unique option to snack on at your next party! This Carrot Lox Vegan Dip is complex in flavor and is a fun, vegan play on the classic Lox and Bagel.
- CROWD PLEASER – This Carrot Lox Vegan Dip is a huge crowd pleaser! Vegans, vegetarians, AND meat eaters will love this recipe!
- CAN BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME – Want to get ahead of the game on prep? This Carrot Lox Vegan Dip recipe is perfect for making in advance! Prep this dip the day or days ahead of time. Just wrap and store in the fridge. When you are ready to serve, simply unwrap your Carrot Lox Vegan Dip, toast some bagels, and serve!
Ingredients You will Need to Make Carrot Lox Vegan Dip with Bagels
This recipe has many of the usual suspects of a traditional lox bagel…but it’s vegan! Here’s what you will need to create this epic Carrot Lox Vegan Dip…
- CARROTS – Carrots are the star of this dish. For this recipe you will be transforming fresh, shredded carrots into a vegan version of lox!
- LIQUID SMOKE – Liquid smoke is exactly what it sounds like…smoke in liquid form. You will be using this ingredient to help develop the smoky flavor of the lox. You can find this ingredient in the spice isle of the grocery store or online.
- OLIVE OIL – Can substitute any neutral oil.
- RED WINE VINEGAR – Can substitute any vinegar
- SOY SAUCE – Low sodium is best
- MAPLE SYRUP – Can substitute agave
- NORI FLAKES – Nori flakes are small pieces of dried seaweed. This ingredient is important for making carrots taste like seafood. You can find nori flakes in some grocery stores, typically in the spice isle or International isle. You can also find them at your local Asian grocery store and online.
- LEMON
- SALT
- VEGAN CREAM CHEESE – For this recipe I went with Miyoko’s Everything (everything bagel seasoning) vegan cream cheese. Miyoko’s products are always spot on and I highly recommend them! Feel free to substitute vegan cream cheese of your choice.
- CAPERS
- FRESH DILL
- SHALLOTS – Can substitute red onion if desired
- SUGAR
- WHITE VINEGAR – Used to make pickled shallots. You can substitute any vinegar.
- BAGELS – For this recipe I went with everything bagels for extra flavor. Feel free to substitute any flavor bagel you desire. Not into bagels? You can substitute chips, pita bread, or toast.
How to make Carrot Lox Vegan Dip with bagels
This recipe looks and tastes like a gourmet snack…but it’s actually very simple to make! Here’s how…
Make the Vegan Carrot Lox
Yes! You can turn carrots into vegan lox with just a few easy steps!
Begin by shredding the carrot. Use one large carrot or two small ones.
Once carrot is shredded, it’s time to make the seasoning that will make the carrot taste like lox. Combine 2 tsp liquid smoke, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp nori flakes, and 2 tbsp water.
Combine marinade with shredded carrots in a sauce pan.
Mix until evenly combined.
Cook marinated shredded carrots over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The goal is to make your carrots slightly more tender, but not mushy or over cooked.
After 5 minutes, remove from heat and add 1/2 tbsp lemon juice. Mix until combined.
You can allow your carrots to sit and marinate if you have extra time. If not you can drain and use them right away.
Place the marinated carrots in a strainer over the sink. Press down with a spatula or spoon to squeeze all of the excess liquid out. You want to make sure you drain your carrots completely so they don’t make your dip all soggy. Once properly drained, set aside.
Pickle the shallots
Traditional lox and bagels are often served with red onions. But for this recipe I wanted to take things a step further to develop a more exciting flavor, so I went with pickled shallots! This is a fast version of pickled shallots that combines vinegar, sugar, water, and shallots. It only takes a few minutes and is well worth the effort!
If you want to cut corners, feel free to skip the pickling part and just use raw red onion or shallots.
To pickle the shallots, start by slicing your shallots into thin pieces.
In a sauce pan, combine the sliced shallot with 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp white vinegar, and 1/4 cup water.
Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer for 2 minutes. The goal is to flavor the shallots and soften them slightly. Remove from heat and allow to rest while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Discard the liquid before adding to the dip.
Plate the carrot lox vegan dip
Now it’s time to plate your carrot lox vegan dip!
Start by spreading the vegan cream cheese on a serving plate. Top with carrot lox.
Top the dip with 2 tbsp of chopped fresh dill, 2 tbsp of capers, and pickled shallots. Sprinkle 1 tsp everything Bagels seasoning over top.
Serve with sliced, toasted bagels and enjoy!
Tips for making Carrot Lox Vegan Dip with bagels
This Carrot Lox Vegan Dip recipe is incredibly easy to make! Here are some tips to make sure you’re successful!
- Drain your carrots completely – Once you have marinated your carrots, you need to drain them COMPLETELY. Take your time with this step and make sure all of the excess liquid has been pressed out of your shredded carrots. You don’t want your dip to be runny and soggy!
- Prep ahead – This Carrot Lox Vegan Dip recipe is the perfect recipe to prep in advance! Prepare the recipe and plate it. Then wrap the plated dip with plastic wrap and cover it completely. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you are ready to serve, simply unwrap and serve with freshly toasted bagels.
- Allow your carrots to marinate for more flavor – If you are short on time, you can prep your carrots, drain and use them right away. But if you have extra time, marinating your carrot lox longer will make it even more flavorful!
Questions Answered
- Can I use a different vegetable – Carrots are definitely my favorite choice when it comes to making vegan lox aka vegan smoked salmon. But feel free to experiment! The marinade can turn any shredded veggie into a vegan version of lox. My second choices would be zucchini or beets.
- How can I use less ingredients – This recipe is delicious as is, but if you want to cut back on some ingredients you can! Personally I would leave the carrot lox as is, each ingredient is pretty important to create a vegan version of lox. If you want to shorten your ingredient list, feel free to skip the shallots, dill, capers, and everything bagel seasoning…basically, stick to the carrot lox, vegan cream cheese, and bagels. This version of the recipe will be much more simple, but still delicious!
- Do I have to shred the carrots – I like using shredded carrots for this dip because it allows you to easily make a bite-sized portion. But you can play around with the carrots if desired. Shave them into long strips or cut them into small pieces, instead of shredding.
- Can I make this recipe gluten free – Yes! This recipe can easily be made gluten free. To do so, just use gluten-free soy sauce and serve with gluten free bagels.
- Is this recipe vegan – Yes! This Carrot Lox Dip recipe is vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based.
What to serve with Carrot Lox Vegan Dip
This Carrot Lox Vegan Dip recipe was meant to be served with bagels. But feel free to mix it up! Pita bread, tortilla chips, crackers, and veggies would all make excellent vehicles to dish this Carrot Lox Vegan Dip onto.
More vegan recipes to serve with Carrot Lox Vegan Dip
- VEGAN DEVILED EGG DIP MADE WITH WHITE BEANS
- VEGAN BLOODY MARY SUNDRIED TOMATO DIP FOR BAGELS
- EASY VEGAN JUST EGG QUICHE CUPS – MINI KALE AND CHEDDAR
- PUMPKIN SPICE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SILVER DOLLARS
- WAFFLE SLIDERS WITH ROSEMARY MAPLE
- SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE VEGAN QUICHE
- BREAKFAST SALAD
Carrot Lox Vegan Dip with Bagels (vegan smoked salmon)
Equipment
- 2 sauce pans
- grater
- strainer
Ingredients
For Carrot Lox
- 1 large carrot
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp nori flakes
- 2 tbsp water
For Pickled Shallots
- 1 shallot
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
Other ingredients
- 8 oz vegan cream cheese I used Miyoko's Everything Vegan cream cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1 tsp everything bagel seasoning
- 2 bagels I used everything bagels
Instructions
Make the Vegan Carrot Lox
- Begin by shredding the carrot.
- In a bowl or sauce pan, combine 2 tsp liquid smoke, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp nori flakes, and 2 tbsp water.
- Combine marinade with shredded carrots in a sauce pan.
- Mix until evenly combined.
- Cook marinated shredded carrots over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The goal is to make your carrots slightly more tender, but not mushy or over cooked.
- After 5 minutes, remove from heat and add 1/2 tbsp lemon juice. Mix until combined.
- You can allow your carrots to sit and marinate if you have extra time. If not you can drain and use them right away.
- Place the marinated carrots in a strainer over the sink. Press down with a spatula or spoon to squeeze all of the excess liquid out. You want to make sure you drain your carrots completely so it doesn't make your dip all soggy. Once properly drained, set aside.
Pickle the shallots
- To pickle the shallots, start by slicing your shallots into thin pieces.
- In a sauce pan, combine the sliced shallot with 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp white vinegar, and 1/4 cup water.
- Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer for 2 minutes. The goal is to flavor the shallots and soften them slightly.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Discard the liquid before adding to the dip.
Plate the carrot lox vegan dip
- Now it's time to plate your carrot lox vegan dip!
- Start by spreading the vegan cream cheese on a serving plate. Top with carrot lox.
- Top the dip with 2 tbsp of chopped fresh dill, 2 tbsp of capers, and pickled shallots. Sprinkle 1 tsp everything Bagels seasoning over top.
- Serve with sliced, toasted bagels and enjoy!
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