Vegan salmon is now very popular, as increasing numbers of people are concerned with fish welfare, by-catch, over-fishing and pollution. The most popular alternative surprisingly is carrots, which are often used to make the dish using other flavourings to make it fishy. Vegan Salmon Bagel (Green Evi) is an easy and affordable starter recipe. Salty and savoury, use this on toast, bagel or crackers, or add to salads, soups, pasta and rice.
Avoid seaweed for thyroid issues. Keep vegan fish away from pets, as it looks, smells and tastes the same, but may have toxic ingredients like onion, garlic, mushrooms etc.
Salmon are fascinating creatures. Able to live in all kinds of water, they make the long journey home to where they were born and (if not eaten by a bear) give birth to new salmon. How they do this is a mystery, either through magnetic navigation or their strong sense of smell (they can smell one drop of scent in an area the size of 10 Olympic swimming pools). They are hugely threatened due to over-fishing, loss of habitat and climate change.
make your own plant-based salmon
Carrot ‘Salmon’ & Cream Cheese Bagel (So Vegan) is a simple snack that keeps in the fridge for a couple of days, and can easily be doubled up or made gluten-free using different bread and liquid smoke. Don’t give leftover buttered sandwiches to birds, as the fat can affect waterproofing/insulation of feathers (also don’t give birds crusty, stale, mouldy or white bread – see how to help our garden birds).
Try this Vegan Tofu Salmon Fillet (Carlo Cao). Serve with a squeezes of lemon and roasted vegetables.
Vegan Smoked ‘Salmon’ Cheese Rolls (Full of Plants) are filled with vegan cultured cream cheese, on roasted peppers.
Smoked Salmon with Capers & Dill (Gaz Oakley Chef) is marinated 24 hours beforehand, in a broth of miso, paprika, sea salt, lemon, maple syrup and nori (avoid for thyroid issues). The ‘salmon’ is served with a vegan cream cheese made from lemon and cashew nuts, with cheesy-tasting nutritional yeast. Garnish with fresh dill and served on toasted rye bread.
where to buy plant-based salmon
Save da Sea Foods (Canada) makes smoked salmon made from plants. Available for food service, it’s not local but a good example of what can be made with some innovative thinking. Made with just 9 ingredients (including carrots) and without much processing, this tastes just like the real thing, without the fish.
