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Pale pink taramosalata swirled in a white ceramic bowl with lemon wedges, olives and warm pita on a wooden board

Creamy Taramosalata with Soft Bread and Fresh Lemon

Blend tarama, soaked bread, onion, lemon juice and light olive oil into a fluffy Greek dip, chill for 30 minutes and serve with warm pita.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 222
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the dip
  • 100 g tarama (salted carp roe)
  • 4 slices stale white bread (about 100 g); crusts removed
  • 1 small onion (about 40 g); finely grated
  • 80 ml fresh lemon juice from about 2 lemons
  • 200 ml light olive oil or 100 ml light olive oil plus 100 ml sunflower oil
  • 1 cold water to 2 tbsp; only if needed
To serve
  • 4 pieces pita bread warmed and cut into wedges
  • 1 lemon cut into 8 wedges
  • 40 g Kalamata olives optional

Method
 

  1. Cut the crusts off the bread. Soak the slices in cold water in a 20 cm / 8-inch bowl for 5 minutes, then squeeze them hard in your hands or a clean towel until they feel like damp clay.
  2. Grate the onion on the fine side of a box grater. Squeeze the lemons and measure 80 ml juice.
  3. Put the tarama, grated onion and 40 ml of the lemon juice in a 2-liter / 8-cup food processor. Blend for 30 seconds until smooth, then add the squeezed bread in pieces and blend for 1 minute until no lumps of bread remain.
  4. With the motor running, pour in the 200 ml oil in a thin stream over 3 to 4 minutes. Halfway through, add the remaining 40 ml lemon juice. Stop once to scrape down the sides. The dip should turn pale pink and fluffy. If it looks split or greasy, add 1 tbsp cold water and blend for 20 seconds.
  5. Taste the dip. If it's too thick, blend in 1 to 2 tbsp cold water. If it needs more tang, add lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time. Tarama is salty, so you shouldn't need extra salt.
  6. Spoon the dip into a serving bowl, cover and chill for 30 minutes. Taste again, then serve with warm pita, lemon wedges and olives.

Notes

  • Squeeze the soaked bread dry so the dip stays thick and fluffy.
  • Look for pale beige or light pink tarama, since bright pink usually means added color.
  • Chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavors settle and the dip firms up.
  • Nutrition is for the dip only, without pita or olives.