Russian · side, snack
Zucchini Caviar (Russian Kabachkovaya Ikra Spread)
Кабачковая икра
Video by Yuliya Small on YouTube, in Russian · Open on YouTube
- Low carb (5.4 g net carbs) but not keto: 59% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
- Vegan
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
A vegan vegetable spread with about 5 g net carbs in a ¼-cup serve — mostly zucchini, carrot and onion cooked down with tomato, with under 1 g of added sugar a serve.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 11
Method
The cook speaks Russian; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.
- Peel the zucchini and trim the ends; if they are large and seedy, scoop out the middle. Cut into small cubes — you want 1 kg prepared weight. 0:36
- Peel the carrots and grate them coarsely (or chop finely), and chop the onions into small dice. 1:13
- Heat the 70 g oil in a frying pan and fry the onion until lightly golden. 1:35
- Add the carrot and fry 2–3 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and fry a couple of minutes more. 1:54
- Scrape the fried vegetables into a heavy-based pot and put the zucchini on top. Add the salt, sugar, pepper and, if you like, a little dried garlic and ground coriander. 2:23
- Cover and stew on the lowest heat until the zucchini is completely soft, lifting the lid now and then to stir so nothing catches. 2:56
- Take the pot off the heat and blend everything with a stick blender until smooth. 3:26
- Return to medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly (it splutters). Stir in the vinegar, turn off the heat and let it cool. Keep in a covered jar in the fridge. 3:41
Tip. Makes about 1 litre. Spread it on rye bread, or serve with eggs or grilled meat. Keeps about a week in the fridge; the cook seals it in sterilised jars for winter, which we don't cover here.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One portion, ¼ cup (60 g), gives you 1 of 16
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 31%
- Protein 8%
- Fat 61%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Omega-3 High27%
0.4 g a serve, mostly from neutral vegetable oil (93%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin A Source16%
141 µg a serve, mostly from carrots (93%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin C Source16%
15 mg a serve, mostly from zucchini (77%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Show the other 12
Vitamin B69%
0.2 mg a serve, mostly from zucchini (64%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin E8%
1.2 mg a serve, mostly from neutral vegetable oil (66%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin K7%
8.6 µg a serve, mostly from neutral vegetable oil (36%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Potassium6%
290 mg a serve, mostly from zucchini (56%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Folate6%
22 µg a serve, mostly from zucchini (68%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Magnesium4%
17 mg a serve, mostly from zucchini (64%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Iron3%
0.5 mg a serve, mostly from zucchini (50%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Zinc3%
0.3 mg a serve, mostly from zucchini (64%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Calcium2%
22 mg a serve, mostly from zucchini (45%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Selenium1%
0.5 µg a serve, mostly from tomato paste (50%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Yuliya Small; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.