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Fish & seafood · Cured fish

Tarama (cured fish roe)

Salt-cured fish roe, traditionally from carp or grey mullet, now often cod, sold as a paste for making taramasalata.

Also called: taramas, carp roe, cod roe, salted fish roe, white tarama, pink tarama, cured roe

Around the world: ταραμάς (el) · tarama (tr)

A kind of fish

1 recipe with it

What it is

The roe of carp, grey mullet or cod, salted and cured until it becomes a dense, granular paste. It is sold in jars or tubs in Greek, Cypriot and Turkish shops. Undyed 'white' tarama is pale beige and is considered the better quality; the bright pink kind is coloured with dye and tastes the same. It is not the same as bottarga, which is whole pressed and dried mullet roe, or as ready-made taramasalata.

How it’s used

  • Beaten with soaked bread or potato, lemon and oil into taramasalata
  • Mixed into Greek fritters (taramokeftedes) during Lent
  • A small amount stirred into dressings or butter for a briny, savoury note

Characteristics

Taste
Intensely salty and briny, with a rich, savoury fish flavour.
Texture
Thick, slightly grainy paste of tiny eggs.
Appearance
Pale beige to orange (white tarama), or bright pink when dyed.
When cooked
Emulsifies well with oil; a little goes a long way because of the salt.
Sold as
cured, paste
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Mainly a seasoning
Common in
Greek, Cypriot, Turkish

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep the opened jar tightly closed in the fridge and use within a few weeks; unopened, follow the date on the jar. Discard if it smells sour or rancid.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Fish.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains fish (allergen).
  • Very high in salt; season dishes containing it carefully.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
264 kcal
Protein
24.6 g
Carbohydrate
4 g
Fat
17.9 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Fish, caviar, black and red, granular (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Smoked cod's roe — The British smoked roe makes a smokier, orange taramasalata; peel off the skin and use about the same weight.
  • Bottarga — Grated dried mullet roe can stand in at about half the weight; the result is firmer-tasting and more expensive.

Related ingredients

Recipes with tarama (cured fish roe)