Give your breakfast a little vegan love. This carrot lox is smoky and flavorful, perfect piled on a toasted bagel with vegan cream cheese, thinly sliced red onion, capers, and fresh dill.
I don’t miss many foods on a plant-based diet, but traditional lox did linger in my memory. After trying a vegan carrot lox at Verdura, I recreated a version to enjoy at home. The result is a satisfyingly smoky, slightly sweet, and tangy carrot “lox” that layers beautifully on a bagel with creamy vegan cheese and bright toppings.
Carrot Lox Recipe Ingredients
- Coarse sea salt: Used to cure and slow-roast the carrots. The salt is rinsed off after roasting, so you are not eating it directly.
- Large carrots: Choose fat, wide carrots rather than thin ones so you can slice them into nice, wide strips.
- Liquid smoke: I used hickory-flavored liquid smoke for a classic smoky note; other varieties are fine—use sparingly since liquid smoke is strong.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds a bright acidic balance to the marinade.
- Pure maple syrup: Provides gentle sweetness without refined sugar.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Parsnips can replace carrots, or try thin slices of sweet potato for a different texture.
- If you don’t have liquid smoke, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika can replace ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke; add another ½ teaspoon regular paprika for color if desired.
- Rice vinegar works well in place of apple cider vinegar.
- Use date syrup or agave nectar instead of maple syrup.
How to Make Vegan Carrot Lox
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Pour 1 cup of coarse sea salt into a square glass baking dish large enough to hold whole carrots without touching the bottom.
- Rinse the unpeeled carrots and place them wet on top of the salt so they don’t touch the pan bottom.
- Pour another cup of coarse sea salt over the carrots, covering them completely.
- Roast uncovered for 1½ hours.
- Remove carrots with tongs and let cool on a plate or baking sheet.
- Brush or crack away excess salt and peel the skin (a little skin left is fine).
- Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut the carrots into thin, jagged strips to resemble lox.
- Transfer the slices to a clean glass container for marinating.
Marinating the Carrots
- Whisk together maple syrup, liquid smoke, and apple cider vinegar. If you have slightly more or less carrot by volume, adjust the marinade amounts proportionally.
- Drizzle the warm marinade over the carrot strips and toss to coat evenly.
- Refrigerate the carrots to marinate for at least two days so the flavors develop fully.
- On the day of serving, bring the marinated carrots to room temperature for best texture and flavor.
- Serve on toasted bagels spread with vegan cream cheese and topped with red onion, capers, tomato slices if desired, and fresh dill.
Vegan Cream Cheese
There are many excellent store-bought vegan cream cheeses, or you can make a simple cashew-based cream cheese at home. I like a cashew cream that’s blended smooth and chilled so it firms up. If short on time, using your favorite store-bought vegan cream cheese is an easy shortcut.
For bagels, I usually buy fresh ones from a local bakery or keep vegan bagels in the freezer for convenience.
Recipe FAQs
Some studies show cooked carrots can have higher levels of certain antioxidants, like carotenoids, compared with raw carrots; gentle cooking can make some nutrients more available.
Carrots are a non-starchy vegetable and can fit into a diabetic-friendly diet when consumed in balanced portions and paired with other foods that help manage blood sugar.
Peeling is optional; carrot skin is edible and contains nutrients, but for this recipe I remove the skin after roasting for a cleaner texture and appearance.
Tips
- Liquid smoke and adequate marinating time are the keys to developing a convincing, smoky lox flavor.
- This recipe is simple but takes time; plan ahead so the carrots can marinate at least two days for best results.
- If you need a faster version, follow the quick method in the notes for a 1–2 hour option with good flavor.
- Classic toppings include thin red onion, tomato, capers, and fresh dill to echo a traditional lox bagel.
- Because the carrot lox is essentially pickled by the marinade, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
If you enjoy a crunchy bagel with creamy vegan cheese and bright, smoky toppings, this carrot lox is a delightful plant-based alternative.
More Vegan Breakfast Ideas!
- Vegan Oil-Free Cornbread
- Best Vegan Quiches
- The Best Chickpea Omelette
- Vegan Mediterranean Quiche
If you try this carrot lox, please leave a review and tell us how you served it — we’d love to hear your feedback.
📖 Recipe
Carrot Lox and Vegan Cream Cheese Bagel
Ingredients
- 6 Bagels cut in half and toasted
- 1 Red onion sliced thin
- 1 Large tomato thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Capers drained
- ¼ cup Chopped dill
Vegan Cream Cashew Cheese
- 1 recipe Vegan cream cheese
Carrot Lox
- 2 cups Coarse sea salt plus more if needed
- 3 Large carrots do not peel before roasting
- 1 Tablespoon Liquid smoke Hickory recommended
- ½ teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Pure maple syrup
Instructions
Carrot Lox
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Put 1 cup coarse sea salt in a glass baking pan sized to hold whole carrots without touching the bottom.
- Rinse the unpeeled carrots and place them wet on top of the salt.
- Cover the carrots with another cup of salt so they are completely covered.
- Roast uncovered for 1½ hours.
- Remove with tongs and let cool; brush away and discard excess salt, then peel.
- Slice the carrots into thin, jagged strips with a mandoline or sharp knife and place into a clean glass container.
Marinate the Carrot Slices
- Combine maple syrup, liquid smoke, and apple cider vinegar and whisk to blend.
- Pour the marinade over the warm carrot strips and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Refrigerate and marinate for at least two days to develop flavor.
- Before serving, bring to room temperature and assemble on toasted bagels with vegan cream cheese, red onion, tomato, capers, and dill.
Cashew Vegan Cream Cheese
- Rinse and drain soaked cashews.
- Combine cashews and remaining cream cheese ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Refrigerate until chilled; the mixture will thicken as it cools. Add herbs or other flavorings if desired.
Serving
- Toast bagels and spread with vegan cream cheese.
- Top with red onion, tomato slices, carrot lox, capers, and dill.
Notes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roast carrots on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 40–45 minutes until fork-tender. Cool completely.
- Peel and slice carrots lengthwise into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler.
- Toss with the same liquid ingredients (maple syrup, liquid smoke, and vinegar), refrigerate 1–2 hours, then drain and use like traditional lox.
Nutrition
Let us know how it was!