Taramosalata (Ταραµοσαλάτα)

Taramosalata

Taramosalata is a classic Greek dip made of potato and fish roe

Don’t you just love pink food?  Us too! Like strawberry yogourt, raspberry smoothies and cotton candy, taramosalata is beautifully pink.  Its colour is not only beautiful, but handy, because when taramosalata has difficulty rolling off the tongue, its lovely hue is mentioned, and suddenly, everyone knows what you are referring to. That pink Greek dip is universally understood to be the traditional carp roe spread which is a staple in many Greek restaurants and homes.  It is caviar for the masses.

The key ingredient for taramosalata is carp roe (yes, fish eggs), which is called tarama.  It can be found in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern stores, or on-line. Tarama is not usually eaten in its pure form, but is instead mixed with other ingredients to create a spread which is delicious slathered over a thick slice of bread, some crackers, or even used as a dip for vegetables.

Taramosalata

Taramosalata is a lenten friendly food, which is particularly important if you are concerned that you may not be getting enough nutrients in your diet while fasting.  Thankfully, all fish eggs, including carp roe, are very high in Omega-3 fats, which have anti-inflammatory properties.  Roe is also one of the only foods which contains Vitamin D. In addition, it is a great source of Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, Vitamin K2, zinc, and iodine. Who knew that such teeny tiny little eggs could pack such a nutritional punch.

Helpful hints:

There are recipes for taramosalata which use bread, but our parents make their taramosalata with mashed potatoes.  When it comes time to mash your boiled potatoes, be sure not to include any other ingredients.  The only thing you may add to the potatoes is some of the water they were boiled in, in case the mash is too thick and clumpy.  You want to end up with mashed potatoes which have a very smooth consistency.

Our parents are not particular about the type of potato they use here; they simply use whatever they have on hand.

Keep in mind that this recipe makes a lot of taramosalata – 5 – 6 cups worth.   If the recipe is too large, you can easily half it.

Taramosalata

Pin this recipe if you like it!

Taramosalata

Looking for more dips? We think you’d enjoy these:

Melitzanosalata (Eggplant dip)

Tzatziki

Fava

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Taramosalata

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Taramosalata

Taramosalata

A classic Greek dip recipe made of potato and fish roe.
4.20 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 cups
Author: Mia Kouppa

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or hand held mixer

Ingredients

  • 2- 2 1/4 pounds potato about 6-7 medium size potatoes
  • 1 cup (250 mL) vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
  • 1 medium size onion, grated or finely minced
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 250 grams tarama

Instructions

  • Peel and cut your potatoes into chunks. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your potatoes until they are fork tender. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water that the potatoes boiled in and then drain the potatoes.
  • Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they are smooth. Add a bit of the reserved water if you need some liquid to make the potatoes easier to mash. Allow to cool.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the mashed potatoes with the vegetable and olive oil. Mix until well combined and then add the grated onion and the lemon juice. Mix until well combined and your mixture is smooth and free of any lumps.
  • Stop your mixer and then spoon in your tarama. Turn the speed back up to medium and mix until just combined. You will need to use a rubber spatula to scape down the sides. If you find that your taramosalata is too thick, fill the jar which your tarama came in with cold water and shake it. Then, add up to 6 tablespoons of this water to the taramosalata until you get the texture that you like.
  • Store your taramosalata in the refrigerator.
  • Enjoy!

Thanks for sharing!

18 Comments

  1. a little Swiss, a little Canadian says:

    Love It! I had this the first time when I was in Greece about 20 years ago😊

    1. miakouppa says:

      Awesome! Let us know if you try this recipe 🙂 It’s pretty simple (and delicious)

  2. Francesca says:

    Love this version and great method too. Just whipped up half a batch. Can you tell me how long the Taramasalada will last in the fridge?

    1. miakouppa says:

      Amazing Francesca! Thanks so much for stopping by. We’re so glad that you love this taramosalata recipe. We usually keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days…if it lasts that long!

  3. Amalia Booras says:

    I cannot find Tarama. What do you use instead?

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Amalia, sorry for the late reply. We find Tarama in Mediterranean Grocery stores. Unfortunately, it’s becoming harder and harder to find. For this particular salad, we are afraid that there is no substitution.

    2. Tarama is probably a Greek word and no fishmonger will know it outside of Greece. Tarama = Fish roe. Ask a fishmonger for SMOKED or SALTED cod roe. If the smoke or salt flavour is too strong just remove the skin of the roe sack and keep it in water for 30 minutes.

      1. miakouppa says:

        Good tip! Thanks 🙂

  4. Amalia Booras says:

    And where can you find it. I live in California

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Amalia, sorry for the late reply… we actually have a recipe for Koulourakia that uses Orange juice.. it’s called Koulourakia with Orange.

  5. Great recipe! have always bought it, but decided to make my own this year. I added 2 cloves of garlic and it was a hit with my family

    1. miakouppa says:

      Thank you Voula for letting us know that you have tried, and enjoyed, our recipe! We are SO happy!! Kali Sarakosti. xoxo Helen & Billie

  6. Can this taramosalata also be made by only using olive oil?
    Either way looking forward to making it for the first time! Thank you!

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Irene! Yes it can, but keep in mind that the flavour will be “heavier” if that makes sense – should still be delicious however. Let us know what you think 🙂 Enjoy! xoxo Helen & Billie

  7. Michelle Riggan says:

    I made mine with toast bread instead of potatoes, unfortunately it was way too salty!
    I have to experiment next time ….
    Regards from Germany 🇩🇪, Michelle 🙋🏻‍♀️🌸5 stars

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hope you give our recipe a try next time 🙂 We hope that you will love it! xoxo Helen & Billie

  8. I made this exactly as the recipe specified and also found it too salty, and too onion-y… maybe it comes down to how potent each person’s ingredients are2 stars

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi there! Sorry to hear that you weren’t happy with the way the recipe turned out. It is possible that your onions were quite strong, and your tarama very salty. Its hard to know – many people who follow this recipe exactly (us included) find it perfectly balanced. It may also be that you are more sensitive to the salt and onion flavour. You can definitely adjust by using less onion, and perhaps even adding more potato to ‘cut’ the salty flavour of the tarama. We also have another taramosalata recipe you might like to try, which uses no potatoes or bread, which is another common ingredient. You can find it by searching easy 4 ingredient taramosalata recipe. xoxo Helen & Billie

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