We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Caviar is notoriously expensive and can give many dinner party hosts pause, yet even budget-friendly caviar can stop ethical shoppers in their tracks. Whether you’re tight on a budget, shop with sustainability in mind, or are trying to avoid meat and fish products, you have options if you’re wanting to replicate the caviar experience without putting fish products onto plates.
Instead of calling for fish roe, vegan caviar can be made with kelp seaweed. The texture and aesthetics are comparable, the taste of the sea is present, and the round, buttery bites gently give way to a satisfying pop that offers a similar taste to typical caviar. As with spoonfuls of traditional caviar, vegan caviar can be served with a range of accoutrements so that any vegans at your next party can partake in the fun. While some brands extract seaweed to shape the byproduct into small, egg-like morsels, after drying the plants, and processing them into balls with additional ingredients like salt, spice, and citric acid, others use tapioca, fruit and vegetable juices to add color, or agar-agar. Ingredients like chia seeds can also be turned into vegan caviar to build a subtle nutty tasting profile in each bite. Brands of vegan caviar can also be flavored with spices like cayenne, turmeric, black pepper, and tarragon. Alternatively, seaweed called umi-budō, which translates as sea grapes, is a natural ingredient that can also mimic the caviar experience.
All of the luxury of caviar without the catch
With a range of black, red, and yellow vegan caviar options available for purchase, pretty platers of vegan caviar can spruce up dinner tables with a quick scoop. Vegan caviar products vary in price, but expect to shell out around $10 for a small container. This 3.5 ounce Caviart brand made from seaweed is around $15 on Amazon. You’ll find budget-friendly options that retail around $5, and higher-end vegan caviars that can edge towards the $30 range. When compared to some of the standard prices of traditional caviar, however, not only will endangered fish thank you, but your bank balance will, too.
Regardless of the vegan caviar you decide to try, the small pearls can be delicately placed onto blinis, potato chips, pasta, pizza, and potatoes. And, of course, when offered with the right bottle of bubbles, the tasting experience feels like a luxury, minus any hesitations.
