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a vegan sushi bowl with salt and pepper tofu, edamame, sushi rice, nori, avocado, pomegranate arils, and citrus vinaigrette
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5 from 5 votes

Vegan Sushi Bowls

I would happily eat one of these vegan sushi bowls every day. They're light yet satisfying, umami-packed perfection, and ready in under 30 minutes, to boot.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salads + Bowls
Cuisine: American
Keyword: vegan sushi bowls
Calories: 554kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (360 grams) short grain Japanese rice
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 14- ounce 397-gram package extra-firm tofu
  • ¼ cup (32 grams) cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) safflower oil
  • 2 cups (300 grams) shelled edamame
  • 2 ripe Hass avocados sliced
  • 1 Persian cucumber diced
  • ½ cup pomegranate arils
  • 4 sheets toasted nori torn into pieces
  • 1 batch citrus vinaigrette
  • Gomasio optional

Instructions

  • Place rice into a large bowl and cover with several inches of water. The water will become very cloudy right way. Agitate rice with your hands for 30 seconds, then drain in a fine-mesh sieve.
  • Rinse the rice under running water until the milkiness of the runoff subsides.
  • Place rice into a medium pot along with 2 ½ cups cold water.
  • Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until water is absorbed.
  • Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes, then stir in seasoned rice vinegar.
  • Meanwhile, dry the tofu very well between layers of paper towels. Cut into ½-inch cubes and dry once again.
  • Place into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat well.
  • In a 12-inch nonstick frying pan, warm the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add tofu and cook until golden on one side, then flip and continue to cook until golden and crispy on most sides. This will take about 10 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.
  • If you're starting with frozen edamame, cook lightly in the microwave or on the stovetop according to package directions. If they're not already shelled, go ahead and remove them from their pods.
  • To make the dressing, follow the directions for the Asian-inspired version. If you'd like to keep it vegan, substitute agave or another sweetener of your choice for the honey.
  • At this point you can assemble the bowls or arrange the ingredients buffet-style and let everyone serve themselves.

Notes

  1. For the rice, any short- or medium-grain variety used for sushi will work just fine here. If you feel like learning more, peep my sushi rice recipe. If you'd prefer fewer carbs and more protein, quinoa makes an excellent substitute.
  2. Seasoned rice vinegar includes a bit of salt and sugar. You can substitute unseasoned rice vinegar along with a pinch of sugar if that's what you've got.
  3. I often double the tofu in this recipe since it's so, so good.
  4. I like to use safflower oil, but any neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point is fine. Other good choices include canola, peanut, and vegetable oil blend.
  5. You can use any kind of cucumber, but I usually gravitate toward English or Persian, which both have skin and seeds that don't detract from the experience.
  6. The rice and tofu will both be at their best shortly after cooking, so I don't recommend going out of your way to make this recipe in advance. 
  7. That said, leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week and can be reheated with a quick spin in the microwave before topping.

Nutrition

Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 18.5g | Fat: 23.1g | Fiber: 7.4g