There was nothing like lox, until we tried carrot lox. According to Food 52 and several of our blogging friends, it might even be better than the actual thing. Pair it with some nut-based cream cheese, fresh dill and a vegan bagel, and you’ll be hooked. This year, we’re expecting lots of creativity in the world of vegan meat and fish, and there’s no better place to start than carrot lox.
Vegetable-based lox is prepared with careful attention to flavor and texture: you can slow roast whole carrots in a bed of salt, or slice them thinly, marinate, and roast. If you’d prefer tomatoes, try marinating them in kelp, liquid smoke and soy sauce (a la Carrots and Flowers, below). When you’re a vegan or vegan-curious like me, few things feel as triumphant as turning a whole vegetable into something that meat-eaters will envy.
DIY vegan cream cheese is just as essential, and super easy. Most recipes are cashew or coconut-milk based, so they’re paleo and potentially nut-free. Mix in some dill, capers, or even some fresh horseradish for more flavor.
Below is a collection of our favorite vegan lox and cream cheese recipes. Let us know what you think–is carrot ‘lox’ the next big thing? Happy noshing!
Vegan Lox Recipes:
Smoked Carrot “Lox” from Food 52 (vegetarian, not vegan–consider vegan eggs or omitting them entirely)
Vegan NY Style Bagels with Tomato “Lox” and Cashew Cream Cheese from Carrots and Flowers
Vegan Cream Cheese and Beet Tart from May I Have That Recipe (above)
Carrot Lox from Olives for Dinner
Smoked Rainbow Carrot ‘Lox’ from In My Bowl
Vegan Cream Cheese Recipes:
Simple Cashew Cream Cheese Spread from Yum Universe
Simple Cultured Cashew Cream Cheese from Yup, It’s Vegan
Coconut Milk Cream Cheese from Nerdy Mama
Vegan Smoky Black Pepper Cream Cheese from The Vegan 8
Nut-Free Vegan Cream Cheese from Ceara’s Kitchen
Vegan Bagel Recipes
Bagel Recipe
Montreal Bagels from The New York Times (use agave nectar instead of honey)
