We tried Vegan Zeastar Calamari! Here's what we thought about this breaded vegan calamari, plus what's in it and how to cook it.
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Vegan Zeastar Calamari Review
I got this calamari -- they spell it Kalamariz -- as part of that big order I placed with GTFO It's Vegan for the Vegan Zeastar salmon.
This was both Dave's and my first times eating calamari since we went vegan, and boy oh boy. They sure did nail that texture!
Vegan Zeastar seems to be great at texture in general. That salmon's texture was on point, too.
The calamari had that ultra-firm pop that I associate with animal calamari.
For me, the breading was a little bit too sweet, which sort of detracted from the experience. Dave didn't have that problem, though. He absolutely loved it.
My sister also ordered the Vegan Zeastar calamari, and she shared it with my dad. They both loved it! So maybe this breading problem was a me problem?
If you do find it too sweet, dipping it in a sweet sauce does the trick. I dipped this in sweet chili sauce, and it was a delight.
How to cook it
It came breaded, so I cooked it in the air fryer at -- you guessed it! -- 400° F for 10 minutes. Perfect.
If you prefer baking, you can bake it at 425° F for around 15 minutes.
You can also deep fry your vegan calamari for four to seven minutes or pan fry it in oil for four minutes per side (eight minutes total).
What is it made of?
Like the Vegan Zeastar Salmon, the base for these is a mix of water, starch, and thickeners:
Water 73.1%, thickener (locust bean gum, modified starch, alginate) 13.5%,soybean oil 2.8%, sugar 2.1%, salt 1.5%, gelling agent (konjac powder), hydrolyzed, non-GMO soy protein, kelp extract, sweet potato starch,tempura batter mix, mirin (maltose, rice vinegar), colours (calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide), wheat protein, yeast extract, acidity regulator (calcium oxide), vegan flavourings, glucose, white pepper
These also contain soy and wheat protein, which I imagine is how they're achieving that "pop" you associate with non-vegan calamari.
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