Deconstructed Sushi Bowl (Vegan)

What brings the bowl together are the flavor and texture combinations.  Avocado for creaminess, rice for bulk, fresh veggies for crunch, pickled radishes or spicy pickled onions for tanginess, and a salty vegan sushi sauce to add umami along with a slight sweetness.

The nori sheets are what really make this dish taste like sushi.  If you can’t find them, it still tastes just as delicious without them.  The red cabbage is nutrient-rich, and it adds a pop of color to the veggie sushi bowl.  Adding cruciferous veggies is just a nice way to vary the vegetables in our diet.

If you love avocado sushi rolls, this is a nice alternative with loads of vegetables for a healthy meal.  So whether you're vegan or vegetarian, you can still enjoy a sushi bowl without the fish.

For more grain bowl recipes try a vegan taco bowl with lentil walnut taco meat, a vegan black bean rice bowl with mango salsa, a peanut tempeh bowl, or a tofu Buddha bowl with a spicy peanut dressing.

Ideas for sushi bowls

Make the recipe for the vegan sushi bowl or change it up with different vegetables or sauces.

Grain or Pseudograin - Use short-grain white rice, quinoa, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.

Sushi Fillings - Try cucumbers, carrots, avocado, edamame, oil-free marinated tofu, crispy oil-free baked tofu, cooked sweet potatoes, marinated mushrooms (marinate in tamari then sauté), shredded red or green cabbage, or fresh mango.

Sauces - Top the sushi bowls with tamari or soy sauce, sweetened soy sauce (in the recipe below), teriyaki sauce, spicy mayo (vegan mayo with sriracha), or vegan chipotle sauce.

Toppings - Add sesame seeds, toasted sesame seeds, pickled ginger, pickled radishes, spicy pickled red onions, wasabi, crumbled nori, sliced green onions, or microgreens.

Storing for meal prep

The rice, edamame, and veggies can be prepped and stored together in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 4-5 days.  Or store everything separately and assemble it when ready to eat.

Store the pickled radishes, nori, sesame seeds, and sauce individually and separately from the rest of the components.  Add the avocado when you're ready to eat.  I do think the sushi rice bowl tastes better if you add the sauce right before you eat (but just a personal preference).

Tips

• The carrots can be cut any way you prefer, I just like the look of carrot ribbons.  Cutting them into match sticks works well too.
• You can find edamame in the freezer section at the grocery store.  They come in “shelled” or “in pods”.  
• I prefer shelled for this recipe, but sometimes they can be difficult to find.  The “in pods” 16-ounce package produces about 8 ounces once shelled, they also make a great snack.
• A Microplane works great for grating ginger.

How to peel a carrot into ribbons

1. Rinse and dry the carrots.  
2. Peel the outer skin and trim off the root end.  
3. Lay the carrot flat on a cutting board.  
4. Then use a vegetable peeler to peel thin strips lengthways, just like you’re peeling the outer skin off. 
5. Then rotate the carrot (if needed) and repeat until the carrot is too thin to peel.
6. Use the leftover bits as a snack, in vegetable broth, compost, or give them to your dog (mine love carrots).

How to shred red cabbage

1. Rinse the cabbage and pat dry.
2. Peel off and discard any wilted outer leaves.
3. Quarter the whole cabbage by cutting it in half, then half those halves.
4. Place the core side down on a cutting board, and cut out the core.
5. Keeping the cut flat side of the cabbage on the cutting board. Using a knife, slice the cabbage into thin strips.  A mandolin also works great.

Related recipes

• Burrito Bowl
• Chickpea Vegetable Rice Bowl
• Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl
• Butternut Squash Buddha Bowl
• Peanut Tempeh Bowl
• Vegan black bean rice bowl with mango corn salsa

I hope you enjoy this deconstructed sushi bowl! If you like the recipe feel free to rate it and leave a comment.