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    Home / Recipes / Vegan Breakfast

    Carrot Lox and Vegan Cream Cheese Bagel

    Published: May 20, 2023 · Modified: May 20, 2023 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Give your breakfast a little vegan love! This carrot lox recipe is smoked and delicious on top of a toasted bagel with vegan cream cheese, red onions, and capers.

    Carrot Lox  Recipe on a bagel with vegan cream cheese, red onions, and capers.

    Although I have missed very few foods since changing to a plant-based lifestyle, lox is one of them. Despite not having Lox in over 20 years, we recently went to a vegan restaurant, Verdura, where  I ordered their carrot Lox and cream cheese bagel. Yes, I indulged. So, I made a vegan carrot lox recipe to enjoy at home.

    Jump to:
    • Carrot Lox Recipe Ingredients
    • Carrot Lox Recipe Ingredient Substitutions
    • How to Make Vegan Carrot Lox
    • Marinating the Carrots
    • Vegan Cream Cheese
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Tips
    • More Vegan Breakfast Ideas!
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Carrot Lox Recipe Ingredients

    Carrots on the counter.
    • Coarse Sea Salt: To make carrot lox, it is necessary to coat the carrots with an exorbitant amount of salt. The salt is used to cure the carrots, but the salt amount is not consumed. It is rinsed and removed from the carrots.
    • Carrots: Try to find large carrots that are wider rather than thin ones so the pieces are wider in size when peeled.
    • Liquid Smoke: I used hickory flavored liquid smoke, but any flavor will do.
    • Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar supplies the acidity to the brine.
    • Pure Maple Syrup: The maple syrup is sweet yet refined and sugar-free.

    Carrot Lox Recipe Ingredient Substitutions

    • Any parsnips will work in place of carrots. However, you could use thin slices of sweet potato.
    • Choose any flavor of liquid smoke. Liquid smoke is very strong, and if you use too much, it can be overpowering. So be light-handed! What's the conversion: 1 teaspoon smoked paprika = ½ teaspoon liquid smoke. You could also add another ½ teaspoon of regular paprika for color.
    • Rice vinegar is a great substitute for apple cider vinegar.
    • Date syrup or agave nectar is used instead of maple syrup

    How to Make Vegan Carrot Lox

    Pouring salt over carrots for carrot lox.
    • Preheat oven to 375.
    • To slow roast the carrots, place one cup of coarse sea salt into a glass square baking pan that offers just enough room to accommodate the length and width of the carrots so you can keep them whole.
    • Rinse the unpeeled carrots and place them wet into the salt, making sure that the carrots sit on top of the salt and do not make contact with the bottom of the glass pan.
    • Pour about another whole cup of salt evenly over the tops of the carrots. They need to be completely covered.
    • Place into the oven to roast, uncovered, for an hour and a half.
    • Once done, use tongs to remove the carrots and place them on a plate or baking sheet to cool.
    • Crack away and brush off any salt, then peel away the skin.
    • It’s fine if there is still some skin left on the carrot. Then, using a mandolin or sharp knife, finely chop the carrots into jagged, thin strips.
    • Place into a clean glass container.

    Marinating the Carrots

    • To marinate the carrots, whisk together the maple syrup, liquid smoke, and apple cider vinegar. (If you have a little more or little less than 1 ½ cups of carrots, add a little more or less of the liquid components as needed.)
    • Drizzle over the warm carrots and toss well to coat.
    • The carrots need to marinate in the refrigerator for at least two days to allow the flavors to meld.
    • On the day you plan to serve the carrot lox recipe, remove the carrots from the refrigerator and allow the carrots to come to room temperature.
    • Serve with toasted bagels, capers, vegan cream cheese, red onion and fresh sprigs of dill as desired.

    Vegan Cream Cheese

    Although plenty of vegan cream cheeses exist, such as Miyoko's Cream Cheese and Kite Hill Cream Cheese (both fantastic), I make homemade vegan cream cheese with cashews. Feel free to take a shortcut and use your favorite store-bought vegan cream cheese.

    Regarding bagels, I buy fresh bagels from Nobel Bread, a Phoenix bakery that sells its oil-free bread and bagels at the farmer's market every weekend. I also enjoy UDI Gluten-Free Bagels I buy at Whole Foods.

    Of course, you can make your own bagels, but I prefer to buy vegan bagels and keep them in the freezer.

    Recipe FAQs

    Are raw carrots healthier?

    Carrots provide more antioxidants when boiled or steamed than when eaten raw, according to a January 2008 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry report. Researchers found that boiling carrots until tender increased the concentration of carotenoids by 14 percent.

    Can diabetics eat carrots?

    Carrots can be a safe choice if you have diabetes and are watching your blood sugar levels. They're also non-starchy vegetables. 

    Do you need to peel carrots?

    There is no need to peel carrots before eating—many people enjoy eating them with their skin on.

    Tips

    • The secret to the lox is simple; liquid smoke and how long you marinate and cook the lox.
    • Although the recipe is simple in execution, it is time-consuming.
    • Therefore, I gave a speedy option in the notes to meet everyone's needs.
    • I also added red onions, tomato, capers, and dill to my bagel, which I remember as a kid.
    • Because the carrot lox recipe is essentially pickled, it will last up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

    So, if you are a fan of a crunchy bagel slathered with cream cheese, layered with vegetables, and topped with dill and capers, you will love this addition of carrot lox!

    More Vegan Breakfast Ideas!

    • vegan oil-free cornbread recipe
      Vegan Oil-Free Cornbread
    • vegan quiche recipe
      Best Vegan Quiches
    • Lemon blueberry bread recipe
      Vegan Lemon Blueberry Bread
    • chickpea omelette recipe
      The Best Chickpea Omelette

    If you love this carrot lox recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

    📖 Recipe

    Carrot Lox and Vegan Cream Cheese Bagel

    Kathy Carmichael
    Give your breakfast a little vegan love! This carrot lox recipe is smoked and delicious on top of a toasted bagel with vegan cream cheese, red onions, and capers.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 215 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 Bagels cut in half and toasted
    • 1 Red onion sliced thin
    • 1 Large Tomato cut into thin slices
    • 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 (YES THIS IS THE CORRECT AMOUNT)
    • 3 large carrots do not peel them
    • 1 Tablespoon liquid smoke I used Hickory Flavor
    • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Pure Maple Syrup

    Instructions
     

    Carrot Lox

    • Preheat oven to 375.
    • To slow roast the carrots, place one cup of coarse sea salt into a glass square baking pan that offers just enough room to accommodate the length and width of the carrots so you can keep them whole.
    • Rinse the unpeeled carrots and place them wet into the salt, making sure that the carrots sit on top of the salt and do not make contact with the bottom of the glass pan.
    • Pour about another whole cup of salt evenly over the tops of the carrots. They need to be completely covered.
    • Place into the oven to roast, uncovered, for an hour and a half.
    • Once done, use tongs to remove the carrots and place them on a plate or baking sheet to cool.
    • Crack away and brush off any salt, then peel away the skin.
    • It’s fine if there is still some skin left on the carrot. Then, using a mandolin or sharp knife, finely chop the carrots into jagged, thin strips.

    Marinate the Carrot Slices

    • Place the carrots slices into a clean glass container.
    • To marinate the carrots, whisk together the maple syrup, liquid smoke, and apple cider vinegar. (If you have more or less than 1 ½ cups of carrots, add more or less of the liquid components as needed.)
    • Drizzle over the warm carrots and toss well to coat.
    • The carrots need to marinate in the refrigerator for at least two days to allow the flavors to meld.
    • On the day you plan to serve the carrot lox, remove the carrots from the refrigerator and allow the carrots to come to room temperature.
    • Serve with toasted bagels, capers, vegan cream cheese, red onion and fresh sprigs of dill as desired.

    Cashew Vegan Cream Cheese:

    • Rinse and drain soaked cashews
    • In a small bowl food processor, add the cashews and the rest of the ingredients.
    • Blend until smooth.
    • Refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken upon cooling.
    • You may add different flavors to your cream cheese: dill and onion, garlic and chive, jalapeño and red pepper, fresh strawberries; the varieties are endless.

    Serving:

    • Toast Bagels
    • Slather with vegan cream cheese.
    • Add red onion and tomato.
    • Add carrot lox and top with capers and dill.

    Notes

    Quick Version Carrot Lox: Does not require 2 days; 2 hour version
    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Place carrots on a rimmed baking sheet lined on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    • Bake carrots at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes, depending on thickness, until fork-tender. Let cool completely.
    • Place the same liquid ingredients in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Set aside.
    • Remove skins for carrots. Use a vegetable peeler to slice carrot lengthwise into thin slices.
    • Place in bowl with tamari mixture; gently toss to coat.
    • Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours
    • Drain excess marinade and use carrot lox as you would traditional salmon lox.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 8gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 345mgPotassium: 191mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2629IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 2mg
    Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Kathy Carmichael

    Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

    www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jcb

      August 16, 2019 at 9:35 am

      Has anyone found a whole grain vegan sos bagel? Have had no success in TX, MA, CT or NY.

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        August 21, 2019 at 9:30 am

        sos?

        Reply
        • Jcb

          October 07, 2019 at 2:31 pm

          No sugar, oil or salt. SOS

          Reply

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