Plant-based caviar or pickled mustard seeds are the perfect way to indulge in caviar while keeping to a vegan or vegetarian diet. After a lot of exhausting recipe testing filled with failures on top of failures, I’m excited to finally share the recipe I landed on. Make these, keep them in your fridge, and enjoy them whenever you like!

A close up of a large glass jar of light brown mustard seeds.

I buy my mustard seeds on Amazon because it is cheaper. Also, I cannot always find them at the grocery store.

My favorite way to use this condiment is on top of grilled meats (like my yakitori chicken) and vegetables. It is also delicious in dressings and salads.

Why are they called plant-based caviar?

You’ll understand as soon as you try them. The mustard seeds plump up during the cooking process. That plumpness makes them pop in your mouth with the same texture as caviar. Also, they have an umami flavor balancing salty, sweet, and acidic similar to caviar.

A large glass jar of light brown mustard seeds.

More Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes

Pickled Mustard Seeds

4.77 from 17 votes
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Plant Based Caviar, anyone?! In Japan these pickled mustard seeds went really well with yakitori, and I’ve been craving them. So after some exhausting recipe testing filled with failures on top of failures, I’m excited to share with you the recipe I landed on. Make these. Keep them in your fridge. And be happy forever.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 24
Calories: 1561kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup yellow mustard seeds
  • 1 cup brown rice wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic smashed
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup mirin
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp pink Himalayan salt

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to light boil. Lower to simmer. Simmer uncovered until tender, ~1 hour. Add water as necessary to keep the mustard seeds covered.
  • Remove the garlic clove. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tbsp | Calories: 1561kcal | Carbohydrates: 221g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 6043mg | Potassium: 1254mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 153g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 468mg | Iron: 15.7mg
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.

5 Comments

  1. 1 star
    There’s some critical step missing. I’ve been cooking this for 2 hrs and it has the texture of uncooked beans, bitter and unpleasant.

    1. Hi Philip, I’m so sorry to hear this recipe didn’t come out for you. Is it possible you used black mustard seeds? I’ve made this recipe dozens of times, and tried it a few times with black mustard seeds… it didn’t work with those.
      If you used the right mustard seeds, you cook them until plump, which takes a couple hours. So if they aren’t plumped up, they might just need another half hour to an hour.
      I hope this helps or clarifies. Feel free to ask more questions if you have them.

  2. The nutrition count of this recipe is slightly off 😀
    1500kcal in a tablespoon.

    Thanx for this recipe tho, gonna serve this with smoked potatos.

4.77 from 17 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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