Taramosalata is one of the great Greek meze recipes. With ingredients like rich tarama (fish roe), extra virgin olive oil, bread, and lemons, it is creamy and delicious. The perfect representative of Lenten food, taramosalata is also enjoyed throughout the year.
If you love this taramosalata, you will also love this Greek fava dip, tzatziki sauce or the spicy feta dip!
Why this recipe sings
Taramosalata (or taramasalata as it is wrongly sometimes called) is a delicious spread made with tarama.
What is taramas? It is the salted and cured cod, carp, or grey mullet roe. This meze is always served on Clean Monday, the start of the Great Lent, but it is enjoyed all year round.
You can find tarama at Greek grocery shops and mediterannean delis, Amazon and Instacart.
This taramosalata is delicious and lemony. It is made with fish roe, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and stale bread. Its color and texture resemble mayonnaise, although it can be slightly grainy.
The color can vary from creamy beige to pink, depending on the type of roe used.
Mass-produced taramosalata is often pink due to the addition of food coloring and low-cost ingredients. I also find the taste to be very “fishy.”
In this recipe, we use natural white fish roe that doesn’t use any preservatives or colors. High-quality taramosalata is always light beige.
This yummy meze goes well over bread or crackers, olives, gigantes beans and seafood.
Here is what you need
- Fish roe, taramas. It is salted and cured carp or cod roe.
- Lemons. For their juice and zest.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- An onion. Pick the smallest onion you can find.
- Fresh dill. Optional. I like a bit of chopped dill on top for the color and a gently fresh note.
- Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper. Optional. I usually don’t season my taramosalata because taramas is already salty.
How to make it
- Soak the bread in plenty of water. Squeeze it with your hands to remove most of the water. (You can place the bread in a kitchen towel, wrap and squeeze until all liquid is out.)
- Zest and extract the juice from two lemons.
Add in the fish roe and the lemon juice and beat until creamy.
The longer you beat, the creamier it will get. Check the texture with a spoon and adjust it to your liking.
Pour dip into a bowl, sprinkle lemon zest and chopped dill if you like, and serve tapas style with bread, cut-up pita, roasted Greek beans and olives.
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Taramosalata
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 120 gr fish roe tarama. 4.2 oz
- 200 gr stale bread with no crust. About ¾ of a cup , soaked with water removed
- 80 ml fresh lemon juice or the juice from two lemons
- 300 ml extra virgin olive oil Approximately 1.2 cups
- 1 small size onion or half a regular size onion
For serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill optional
- lemon zest
Instructions
- Soak the bread in plenty of water. Squeeze with your hands to remove most of the liquid. (You can place the bread in a kitchen towel, wrap and squeeze until all liquid is out).
- Zest and extract the juice from two lemons.
- Using a food processor, grate a small onion.
- Add in the fish roe and the lemon juice and beat until creamy.
- Add the bread, start beating, and gradually pour the olive oil. Pulse until the taramosalata is creamy, like mayonnaise.The longer you beat, the creamier it will get. Check the texture with a spoon and pulse to your liking.
- Pour dip into a bowl, sprinkle lemon zest, and chopped dill if you like, and serve tapas style with bread, crackers, and olives.
Notes
- Use good quality bread. Avoid over-processed white bread. I use leftover sourdough bread.
- Some recipes use vegetable oil for this dip. Not me. I avoid vegetable oils, as a rule, I leave it for dip frying. Extra virgin olive oil tastes better, feels fresher, and is good for you.
- You can add a clove of garlic with the onion.
Nutrition
