Who doesn’t like bagels and who said you can’t have lox on a bagel when you don’t eat fish? Turns out there are a few ways to recreate a plant-based version of smoked salmon. If you have seen the documentary “Seaspiracy”, you will appreciate doing your part in protecting the ocean by eating lower on the food chain. The best part is that there are several ways to do this. You can use large carrots, eggplants, and my favorite orange or red bell peppers. This recipe is by far the simplest one as it only requires roasting and marinating the peppers.
The others involve several additional steps and take longer to prepare. Bell peppers produce slightly thicker slices than carrots but they are really good! So back to our peppers!
Did you know that all bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C, A, and potassium? This being said, red peppers are the most nutritious (11 times the amount of beta carotene and vitamin C) because they stay the longest on the vine (green have the least). Bell peppers go from green to orange, then yellow and red. All make a great addition to salads, stir-fries, pizzas, casseroles, and more.
If you are in a hurry and don’t have time to make cream cheese from scratch, there are several really good brands. My favorites are Tofutti (soy milk), Miyoko’s Creamery (cashew milk), and Kite Hill (almond milk). All 3 brands are available in most grocery stores. There are a few more options like: Follow Your Heart, Wayfare, and Daiya. They have plain and some with onion chives.
Bagel with Vegan Smoked Salmon
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- silicone mat
Ingredients
- 4 toasted bagels (plain, sesame, onion, etc.)
- 3 red or orange bell peppers
- 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (Tofutti, Miyoko, Kite Hill, Daiya)
- 1/2 cup minced chives
Marinade
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp liquid from capers
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp white miso
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Garnishings
- 1/2 medium red onion sliced
- 2-3 tbsp capers (small or large)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
Dairy-free Cream Cheese
- 2 cups cashews soaked overnight
- 2-3 tbsp filtered water
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Prepare the dairy-free cream cheese
- Soak the 2 cups of raw cashews overnight or for a few hours
- Drain the cashews and blend.
- Add a little water at a time if the cream is too thick.
- You will have to scrape the blender a few times to get it to the right creamyness.
- Add the salt, lemon juice, minced chives, and garlic powder and mix one more time.
- Mix and refrigerate until needed.
Prepare the marinade
- Combine all the liquid ingredients in a bowl and mix the miso until it is blended.
- Taste and season if needed. Set aside.
Prepare the garnishing
- Thinly slice the red onion and the cucumber.
Make the vegan smoked salmon
- Remove the top of the orange or red peppers. Cut out the three sections and remove the seeds.
- Line a baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Place the peppers face down and bake at 400 F for 25 minutes.
- Let the peppers cool down and the skin will easily come off.
- In a shallow bowl, pour some marinade, add a layer of peppers, then more marinade until all the peppers are used.
- Cover and flip and few times. Refrigerate overnight or for a few hours.
Assemble
- Toast the bagels.
- Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator a few minutes before serving.
- Spread a nice layer of cream cheese, then add a few slices of cucumber, followed by slices of vegan lox, some capers, and red onions.
- Serve open face.
