Taramasalata is a popular Greek dip made year-round but is more commonly enjoyed on Clean Monday, which is the first day of Lent when people start fasting for Easter. This taramasalata recipe is a creamy whipped dip that is salty, slightly tangy from the lemon juice, and creamy from the olive oil. This delicious dip is made from fish roe, potatoes, olive oil, and lemon juice, all mixed together for a velvety smooth dip! You’ll often see this dip on the menu of Greek restaurants in town.
This recipe uses carp caviar and potatoes instead of white fish roe and white bread. I love dipping homemade pita bread into this creamy taramasalata dip!
The colour of your homemade taramasalata can be light beige to pale pink, depending on the type of fish roe used. For this recipe, I use carp roe caviar, so the colour is a beautiful pale pink.
RECIPE TIPS
- Blend the tarama on its own for 10 minutes on its own so that it becomes light, fluffy, and lighter in colour.
- Allow the potatoes to cool before grating them so that they’re easier to handle. Use a box grater to grate the potatoes before adding them to the food processor. Add 1/3 of the grated potatoes to the tarama, mix them together, and then repeat this process until all of the grated potatoes are added. You may need to turn off the processor and scrape down the sides a few times while making the taramasalata.
- Tarama is salty, so there’s no need to add any more salt to this recipe. If it is too salty, add more olive oil and lemon juice.
- The potatoes will need to be peeled and then boiled until soft. Approximately 20-25 minutes.
- Chill the taramasalata dip in the fridge for at least an hour before serving so the flavours can come together.
INGREDIENTS NOTES
Tarama: You can usually find tarama at Greek or Mediterranean specialty stores. I use the Krinos Tarama carp caviar, which is a delicate carp roe that is naturally cured and aged and comes in a 250-gram jar. I found the best results using carp roe caviar instead of lumpfish caviar. The natural colour of tarama is a bright pink, but it becomes more muted as it’s mixed with potatoes, oil, and lemon juice.
Potatoes: Yellow potatoes or Yukon gold work well for this recipe. I haven’t tried this recipe with Russet potatoes. This recipe uses about 1.25 pounds (567 grams) of potatoes.
Oil: I use olive oil for this recipe because it adds an earthy flavour to the dip. I find that this dip still tastes great after it’s been in the fridge. Olive oil solidifies in the fridge and at cooler temperatures, but I haven’t found olive oil to alter the texture of this dip too much. If you’d like, you can substitute canola oil, avocado oil, or another light-flavoured vegetable oil for olive oil.
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice will brighten up this dip and balance out the flavours of the fish roe. Try the dip first, and add more lemon juice if you’d like!
KITCHEN TOOLS RECOMMENDED
- Food processor (at least 3.5 cup size or larger)
- Box grater
- Vegetable peeler
HOW TO MAKE TARAMASALATA: STEP BY STEP
STEP 1: Boil the potatoes. In a large pot, boil enough water so that the potatoes are submerged. Once the water begins to boil, place the potatoes in the pot. Cover with a lid and boil the potatoes for about 25 minutes.
STEP 2: Purée the tarama. While the potatoes are boiling, place 5 tablespoons of tarama into the bowl of a food processor. Puré for 10 minutes until the tarama becomes light, fluffy, and lighter in colour.
STEP 3: Combine ingredients together. Once the potatoes are soft, drain them in a mesh strainer or colander. Allow the potatoes to cool so that they’re easy to work with. Grate the potatoes on the cheese grater side of a box grater. Place 1/3 of the grated potatoes in the food processor with the tarama, mix them together, and then repeat this process until all of the potatoes are added to the food processor.
If you have a larger food processor, then you can add all of the potatoes in at the same time. Then, slowly alternate between adding the oil and lemon juice and blending until the dip is creamy and smooth and you’ve reached the right consistency. Transfer the dip to a clean bowl, cover with cling or saran wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. When ready to serve, top with some Greek olives and drizzle with olive oil.
STORING & SERVING
Taramasalata is typically enjoyed with fresh crusty bread, pita bread, and Greek salad. Top the tarama dip with fresh parsley, Kalamata olives and oil. It is commonly part of a mezze platter with Greek dips like tzatziki and tirokafteri.
You can store any leftover taramasalata in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The flavours of the dip will become more pronounced the longer it sits in the fridge.
Creamy Whipped Taramasalata Recipe (Greek Fish Roe Dip)
Equipment
- Food processor (at least 3.5 cup size or larger)
- Box grater
- Vegetable peeler
Ingredients
- 4 small-medium sized peeled potatoes approximately 1.25 pounds
- 5 tablespoons tarama
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- Fresh Italian parsley optional garnish
- Kalamata olives optional garnish
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. In a large pot, boil enough water to submerge the potatoes. Once the water begins to boil, place the peeled potatoes in the pot. Cover with a lid and boil the peeled potatoes for about 25 minutes.
- Purée the tarama. While the potatoes are boiling, place 5 tablespoons of tarama into the bowl of a food processor. Purée the tarama on its own for 10 minutes until the tarama becomes light, fluffy, and lighter in colour.
- Combine the ingredients together. Once the potatoes are soft, drain them using a mesh strainer or colander. Allow the potatoes to cool so that they're easier to handle. Grate the potatoes on the cheese grater side of a box grater. Place the grated potatoes (1/3 amount at a time) in the food processor with the tarama. Mix together, and then add in more grated potatoes. Repeat this process until all the potatoes are mixed in. If you have a larger food processor, then you can add in all of the grated potatoes at once. Then, slowly alternate between adding in the oil and lemon juice and blending until the dip is creamy and smooth.
Notes
- Tarama is salty, so there's no need to add any more salt to this recipe. If you find it's too salty, you can add more olive oil and lemon juice.
- The potatoes will need to be really soft. Allow them to boil for at least 25 minutes.
- Allow the grated potatoes to cool before adding them to the blended tarama.
- Chill the taramasalata dip in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Nutrition
Date Published: April 4, 2023
Creamy Whipped Taramasalata Recipe (Greek Fish Roe Dip)
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