5-Ingredient Vegan Caviar Recipe (2024)

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This vegan caviar recipe is so easy and delicious and the end result makes one of the pretties appetizers ever!

Making your own vegan caviar is actually super simple and the process is sinfully easy!

There are many ways to make vegan caviar, but some are very labor intensive and time consuming.

This recipe will show you how to make it using just a few ingredients and less than 10 active minutes of prep time!

5-Ingredient Vegan Caviar Recipe (1)

The main reason that I love this vegan caviar recipe is that it really does taste just like regular caviar.

It has the same fishy flavor, the same squishy texture, and it is even black in color so it makes for a really nice, easy, and affordable imitation!

The taste is very strong and salty so you only need a little bit when serving or else the flavor is overwhelming. Again, just like real caviar!

It is also pretty healthy too! Chia seeds are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, ginger is anti inflammatory, and the nori/seaweed includes calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc and then some!

Finally, it only takes 5 ingredients to make and it is super simple and easy.

I love serving vegan caviar on Christmas or New Years or your favorite fancy holiday!

You can also serve it as part of your Vegan Mother’s Day Brunch or anything else when you are looking to get super fancy and fun.

Regular caviar is cost prohibitively expensive and overfishing is a huge problem in our oceans.

Vegan caviar is very affordable, very sustainable, and the end result is just so tasty and visually appealing too!

I hope you enjoy serving this at your next get together or just eating it when you feel like celebrating alone in your own home!

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How To Make Vegan Caviar

Making vegan caviar is so incredibly simple!

First, you are going to start with a bowl and put your water into the bowl.

Next, you will add your ginger and your soy sauce.

Use a whisk to mix these ingredients together. The soy sauce and ginger layer over each other really well and give a nice depth of flavor to the finished result!

Next, you are going to crumple up a sheet of sushi nori.

Sushi nori or the seaweed that is wrapped around sushi can be easily found everywhere and I love using it to give vegan recipes that “fishy” flavor with no fish in sight!

For example, I love using it for my Vegan Clam Chowder and it gives it a pretty authentic taste!

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Now that you have crumpled up the sushi nori and combined it with the rest of the liquid, you have two options.

You can put your clean hands in the mixture and continue to break it apart until it is in tiny pieces.

Or, you can pop that liquid mixture in the blender to puree the sushi nori until it is liquid and all ripped apart.

I have done both methods when making vegan caviar.

The difference of blending up the liquid is that there won’t be any clumps at all and it will be very smooth.

However, I did the “ripping apart with my hands” method for the photos you can see here so the difference isn’t too much visually!

Once you have either well mixed/torn apart the nori or blended it up, now it is time to add the chia seeds!

Add the chia seeds and use a whisk or wooden spoon to make sure that they are completely submerged and at least wet. They will still be floating at the top so just make sure they are mixed throughout a little bit.

Now, set aside until the mixture magically gels. This usually takes between 1-2 hours.

I usually find that it is ready to go within 60-90 minutes!

As soon as the mixture grows in size and is more like a gel than water and is very thick, your vegan caviar is ready for serving!

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How To Serve Vegan Caviar

You can serve vegan caviar the same way that you would serve regular caviar!

Since I assume most of us have either been vegan/vegetarian our whole lives, or probably not fancy enough to regularly consume caviar otherwise [def me!] I am going to give you a few ideas!

First, you will have the vegan caviar in a small bowl with a small spoon so that people can spoon it out. You can also plate the appetizers before people come!

Here are a few ways you can serve vegan caviar:

  • Plain! On a spoon all by itself. Regular caviar is often eaten in small bites without any additions. However, I love to play it up!
  • Spread Vegan Sour Cream on a cracker and then top it with vegan caviar.
  • Eat it with chopped onions and fresh herbs
  • Spread vegan caviar on dry toast or with a little Vegan Butter
  • Serve it with vegan white chocolate

Keep in mind that caviar is supposed to be the pièce de résistance of your dinner or party! So you should treat vegan caviar the same, even if it isn’t as expensive or hard to find.

There are some pretty interesting ways of serving caviar so why not pretty up your caviar and serve it the same way? Your friends will think you are fancy!

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How To Store Vegan Caviar

This vegan caviar will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.

I would not recommend freezing this recipe, but if you do, please comment and let me know how it turned out!

This is a great recipe to make a day or two in advance of your party or get together. The longer it sits the better it gets as the flavors meld together and the liquid continues to get absorbed by the chia seeds!

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Did You Try This Recipe?

If so, I would love to keep in touch! I enjoy seeing photos and comments about the recipes that you make! You can follow me on Instagram and I will repost your goodies in my stories and comment on it too! Just tag me at @wowitsveggie and hashtag #wowitsveggie. I can’t wait to see what you make!

Yield: 1 cup

5-Ingredient Vegan Caviar

5-Ingredient Vegan Caviar Recipe (7)

This vegan caviar recipe will make you feel all fancy and cultured and it just takes 5 ingredients! It is filled with nutrients and is very low in calories! Make sure to serve it in a nice plating to impress your friends!

Prep Time10 minutes

Additional Time1 hour

Total Time1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1 sheet of sushi Nori
  • 4 tablespoons chia seeds

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine water, soy sauce, and ginger. Whisk together until combined.
  2. Using your hands, crumple up the sushi nori sheet and place it in the liquid. Use a whisk to stir until combined. To break apart the sushi nori and ensure that it is liquid, place this mixture in the blender and puree until smooth and combined. Alternatively, you can place your clean hands in the water/soy sauce mixture and break it apart further. You do not want huge clumps of the nori in your vegan caviar.
  3. Next, add in the chia seeds. Stir until combined and the chia seeds are a little wet.
  4. Set aside for 1-2 hours or until the chia seeds have absorbed the liquid and have grown in size. The mixture will now be more of a gel than a liquid and that is how you know it is done!
  5. Serve vegan caviar on lightly buttered or dry toast, unsalted crackers, on crackers topped with Vegan Sour Cream, and more!

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 39Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 1mgSodium 254mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 1g

5-Ingredient Vegan Caviar Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan caviar made of? ›

Vegan caviar is made from seaweed and kelp. Read about the differences between kelp and seaweed here. Containing no animal ingredients it's a plant-based product. Seaweed contains a lot of great vitamins, minerals, and important nutrients.

What is a vegan alternative to caviar? ›

What is seaweed caviar? Seaweed caviar is the environmental choice and 'roe' of the future. It's a plant-based alternative to different types of caviar. The kelp caviar can replace different roe including lumpfish rose, trout roe, salmon roe, and cod roe.

Does vegan caviar taste like real caviar? ›

The flavor profile of land caviar

While tonburi has the right texture (gotta have that pop) and mouthfeel of caviar, it has a "vegetal" flavor that is not reminiscent of fish caviar's salty, unctuous taste.

How long does vegan caviar last? ›

Far less expensive than fish roe, this plant-based caviar is a great choice for eco-conscious cooks. The product will keep for 3 months at room temperature once opened. However, it is best served chilled, so we'd advise keeping in the fridge.

What are the ingredients in Zeroe caviar? ›

Our caviar is 100% plant-based and vegan. It is made from seaweed sourced from the coast of France, and does not contain any animal-derived ingredients.

What is a cheap alternative to caviar? ›

The most affordable and widely consumed example is that of lumpfish roe, which may be either red or black, and rich in omega-3. It is less salty than the original caviar and, for this reason, is used in various recipes along with other ingredients rather than being served alone.

What is a cheaper version of caviar? ›

Lumpfish roe is a less expensive alternative to genuine caviar, but still a rather tasty option! Lumpfish Caviar is delicious served on blinis with creme fraiche for a classy canape. It is also great used as a garnish to impress your guests - spoon lumpfish roe over soft boiled eggs or even over hot...

What is a vegan who only eats fish? ›

Most simply, a pescatarian is someone who doesn't eat red meat or poultry, but does eat fish and other seafood. The term pescatarian was coined in the early 1990s and is a combination of the Italian word for fish, “pesce,” and the word “vegetarian.” Sometimes it's spelled “pescetarian,” but this means the same thing.

What is the seed that looks like caviar? ›

Tonburi is a type of edible seed, sometimes called "land caviar," "field caviar" or "mountain caviar." Tonburi is the dried seed of the summer cypress, Kochia Scoparia, a speciality of Akita prefecture in Japan.

What is the only fish that produces real caviar? ›

While there are thousands of different fish species swimming in the waters of the world, we know that real caviar only comes from the roe of a sturgeon fish, unlike salmon roe. Bursting with flavor, caviar is a unique experience that will take your taste buds to a whole new level of luxury.

What fish does cheap caviar come from? ›

For the least expensive caviar, Bergstein recommends hackleback (shown above), or paddlefish. They both come from wild American sturgeon. Hackleback is considered a good substitute for osetra caviar. It's black, with a nutty finish.

How can you tell if caviar has gone bad? ›

A strong, fishy odor indicates spoilage. Color and Appearance: Any significant changes in color or appearance can be a sign of deterioration. Texture: The eggs should be firm yet delicate. If they become mushy or overly hard, the caviar is likely spoiled.

Can you eat old caviar? ›

For the best possible quality, caviar should be consumed within 3 days of opening. Usually, once the container has lost its vacuum the product should be eaten within a few days to a week max to ensure the best tasting quality and safety.

Why are eggs vegetarian but caviar isn t? ›

The language here around eggs (with caviar being a type of egg; in this case, a fish egg) does make it confusing when it comes to caviar being vegetarian or not. Ultimately, because the fish has to die in order to consume the fish eggs, the process and product are not considered vegetarian.

How is caviar made without killing the fish? ›

Unlike the classic method of harvesting fish roe, the newer and less-common method completes caviar extractions through "no-kill", or "cruelty" free caviar, this method usually uses hormone therapy combined with milking techniques and/or C-section-like surgery to get stabilized eggs without harming the fish.

Are black seaweed pearls healthy? ›

These Pearls are a Gem of Sustainability

Caviart® Black Seaweed Pearls from Season Brand are not only healthy for us and chock full of iodine, B-12, and other vitamins and minerals. They're also healthy for the seas.

Is caviar alive fish eggs? ›

Simply put, caviar is a type of fish roe, but not every type of fish roe is caviar. To be considered caviar, the roe must come from sturgeon, or fish of the Acipenseridae family. The unfertilized sturgeon eggs are still considered roe until they're salt-cured, at which point it becomes a delicacy known as caviar.

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