Ingredients You’ll Need
Just like making sushi rolls, these bowls are easy to customize. Roasted red bell peppers add a sashimi-like texture to this bowl, and baked tofu adds filling protein. Diced cucumber, sliced avocado, and shredded carrots add an appealing texture, and you can use any cooked rice you love. Traditional sushi rice is usually short-grain white rice, but you can use brown rice if you prefer the extra fiber. (And don’t mind a longer cooking time.) You could even use quinoa as the base if you want more plant-based protein. We almost always have seaweed snack packs in our home (my son loves them!), but you can also serve a full nori sheet on the side, or crumble it over the bowl as more of a seasoning.
How to Make Vegan Sushi Bowls
Start by cooking the rice according to the directions on the package. I usually cook rice in the Instant Pot to make the process hands-off. While the rice is cooking, cut the extra firm tofu into cubes and toss it with garlic powder, salt, and sesame oil. Toss well, then sprinkle with arrowroot starch and stir again. Arrange the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, making sure that the pieces don’t touch each other. Bake at 400ºF for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10 minutes. While you wait for the rice and tofu to cook, prepare the “spicy mayo” sauce. In a small bowl or jar, combine the tahini, lime juice, tamari (or use regular soy sauce if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe), garlic, ginger, sriracha, maple syrup, and salt. Note: This amount of sriracha will make the sauce quite spicy, so use less if you don’t love spicy food. You can start with as little as 1 teaspoon. Or use more if you like things extra-spicy. Use a whisk to stir well, then add 1 tablespoon of water and stir again. You may want to add another tablespoon or two of water to help thin out the sauce to a pourable consistency. Chop the cucumber, shred the carrots, thinly slice the red bell peppers, or chop any other vegetables you’d like to add in. When the rice and tofu are both cooked, you can start assembling the bowls. Start with a base of cooked rice, then add in the veggies. Top with tofu, seaweed sheets, and a generous drizzle of the sriracha sauce. Top with sesame seeds, if desired, then serve right away. It tastes remarkably like a sushi roll! Leftover rice, tofu, sauce, and chopped veggies can all be stored separately in the fridge for up to 5 days. Feel free to make this ahead of time for an easy meal prep option! Looking for more vegan recipes? Try my Vegan Quesadillas (the best!), Egg Roll in a Bowl, or Vegan Orange Chicken. If you try these Vegan Sushi Bowls, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
