All of the components of a typical vegetarian sushi roll are tossed together in a bowl for a filling and delicious vegan and gluten free meal. Cooked white rice is mixed with diced cucumber, carrot, roasted seaweed, and tofu then topped with a spicy mayo sauce and sliced avocado.
We’re in a really magical time of year when late winter, spring, and early summer crops are overlapping! That means that two of my favorites, cucumbers and carrots, are both in season at the same time. I love the combination of juicy cucumbers with crunchy carrots. Their contrasting flavors and textures just complement each other so well. Last year I paid homage to their union with this salad so this year, I paired them together in this veggie sushi bowl with spicy mayo!
This recipe takes all of the components of a typical vegetarian sushi roll…and just puts them in a bowl. Simple I know, but it’s really easy, delicious, and filling! Plus, the spicy mayo gives it a nice little kick. All of the components are really great for meal prep and can be made ahead of time. And, there’s only 10 ingredients in this whole recipe, including the sauce!
Why You Should Make This Recipe
- You get all of the flavors of a vegetarian sushi roll without having to order takeout or invest in equipment to make your own sushi.
- You can make a filling bowl and accompanying sauce with only 10 ingredients (not including the water and sea salt).
- It’s the perfect way to celebrate the pairing of carrots and cucumbers.
- It’s really darn delicious!
How to Make This Veggie Sushi Bowl
The base of this sushi bowl is the rice. Rather than making “sushi” rice, we’re simply cooking up some white jasmine rice. You’ll add the water, rice, and some coconut oil to a pot, bring it to a boil, give it a stir, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Then remove the pot from the heat, keeping the lid on it for an additional 5-10 minutes to allow the rice to steam.
While the rice is cooking, we can pan-fry the tofu. It’s best if the tofu has been pressed beforehand to release a lot of the water, but if you forgot, no worries! Our goal with the tofu is mostly to create a little color and take the raw edge off. Once the tofu is starting to turn golden brown you’ll remove it from the heat.
Before assembling, you’ll do a fine dice on your carrots and cucumbers (see the photo above). You’ll also whisk together the three sauce ingredients until smooth. And, you’ll crumble up your roasted seaweed. Once you’re ready to eat, mix the diced carrots and cucumbers into the rice along with the crumbled seaweed and the cooked tofu. Top the bowl with some sliced avocado and drizzle it with your sauce. Eat and enjoy!
FAQ
- Do I need to press the tofu? Pressing the tofu helps remove some of the moisture and make it easier to get some browning action in the pan when cooking it. However, if you’re short on time or not feeling up to it, you can omit this step! Your tofu will still cook in the pan, but it won’t brown as easily.
- Can I use pre-cooked rice? Of course! I’m all about taking shortcuts to make a recipe better suited to your own needs. I prefer a white rice here, but I’ll leave that up to you.
- Where can I get the roasted seaweed? Roasted seaweed snack packs and roasted seaweed sheets are commonly found on the “International Foods” aisle of grocery stores here in the States. At my grocery store, the snack packs are actually on a different aisle with other snacky foods.
Veggie Sushi Bowl with Spicy Mayo
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
All of the components of a typical vegetarian sushi roll are tossed together in a bowl for a filling and delicious vegan and gluten free meal. Cooked white rice is tossed with diced cucumber, carrot, roasted seaweed, and tofu then topped with a spicy mayo sauce and sliced avocado.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked white jasmine rice
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, divided
- 1 14–ounce block of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- sea salt, to taste
- 2 medium cucumbers
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 0.35–ounce package of roasted seaweed snacks
- 1/3 cup vegan mayo
- 2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sriracha (this one is my favorite!)
- 2 avocados
Instructions
Start by cooking the rice. Add the uncooked rice to a pot along with the water and 1 tbsp of the coconut oil. Set the pot over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, then stir it several times before reducing the heat to low and covering the pot with a lid. Cook the rice for 15 minutes, covered. After 15 minutes, remove the rice from the heat and leave the lid on to allow it to steam for at least 5 minutes. Season with salt as needed.
While the rice is cooking, focus on the tofu. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. While the pan heats up, cut your tofu into roughly half-inch cubes. When the pan is to temperature, add the remaining tbsp of coconut oil. Then, add the tofu and a pinch of salt. Cook the tofu, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until it is beginning to gain some color and turn golden brown. This will take 10-15 minutes.
Prepare your veggies next. Finely dice both the cucumber and carrot and set them aside. Crumble up the roasted seaweed with your fingers and place it in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the vegan mayo, tamari, and sriracha until smooth. Slice or dice your avocado.
To assemble each bowl, mix 1 cup (about a third) of the rice with a third of the diced veggies, crumbled seaweed, and cooked tofu. Top each bowl with some of the avocado and drizzle with the spicy mayo.
Makes 3 servings.
Notes
- Since I’m typically making only 1 serving at a time to eat, I keep all of the components separate until I’m ready for a bowl.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: main
