All the flavor and texture of sushi without the hassle of making the rolls. These vegan sushi bowls are perfect for a build-your-own weeknight bowl or to make ahead and enjoy throughout the week. Just 10 ingredients required, naturally plant-based and gluten-free, and SO satisfying. Let us show you how it’s done!
Recipe Inspiration
These vegan sushi bowls are inspired by the flavors of sushi, but with a plant-based spin made into bowl form.
Sushi is a common dish in Japan and in Japanese restaurants around the world. And it’s thought that it might date back to the 2nd century BC, where it originated from a Chinese dish called narezushi. It’s believed to have then spread to Japan in the 8th century. And by the 18th century, sushi restaurants were wildly popular in Japan.
You can find a more traditional tofu sushi roll recipe from Okonomi Kitchen here.
How to Make Vegan Sushi Bowls
These bowls start with making the rice. We use a Japanese-style, short-grain white rice (sometimes labeled sushi rice) that becomes fluffy with a firm bite. A bit of vinegar adds classic sushi rice flavor.
Next, we marinate slices of tofu in a tamari-ginger-sesame sauce that infuses these bowls with savory, umami flavor.
Then we cook the tofu until it’s golden brown with a slightly crispy exterior.
And to add a tangy element, we used a simple method for quick pickled carrots. Thinly sliced carrots are submerged in a vinegar, water, and ginger brine where they soak up flavor while the bowls are prepared.
With the rice, tofu, and quick pickled carrots ready, all that’s left to do is slice the vegetables and assemble the bowls. We went for an avocado roll vibe with thinly sliced fresh cucumber and avocado plus crumbled nori seaweed.
Optional yummy garnishes include:
- Toasted sesame seeds for crunch
- Sliced green onion, microgreens, or sprouts for more green
- Pickled ginger for a sweet, zingy addition
- and/or Wasabi for a spicy element
We hope you LOVE these vegan sushi bowls. They’re:
Savory
Fresh
Tangy
Bright
Versatile
& Satisfying!
These bowls are the perfect meal for warmer weather or anytime you’re craving something light and fresh. While delicious on their own, they would also pair well with Watermelon Sashimi as an appetizer and Mango Green Tea Pops for dessert.
More Vegan Bowls
- Crispy Miso Chickpea Bowls with Garlic Sesame Dressing
- Smoky Tempeh Burrito Bowls
- Nourishing Curried Lentil & Sweet Potato Bowl
- Rice Noodle Bowls with Almond Butter Tofu
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Sushi Bowls with Ginger Marinated Tofu
Ingredients
RICE
- 1 cup dry sushi rice (or sub short-grain white or brown rice and increase water)
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
MARINATED TOFU
- 1/2 cup tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
- 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp ginger, grated (a 1-inch piece yields ~1 Tbsp or 9 g)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)
- 14 ounce package extra firm tofu, cut into 2 x 1/4-inch slices
QUICK PICKLED CARROTS
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tbsp ginger, grated (a 1-inch piece yields ~1 Tbsp)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)
- 1 cup thinly sliced carrots (using a knife or mandolin // 2 large carrots yield ~1 cup)
FOR SERVING
- 1 cup cucumber, cut into 3-inch matchsticks (1 large cucumber yields ~1 cup)
- 1 large avocado, thinly sliced
- 1 small package seaweed snack chips or nori sheets, crumbled into a seaweed “sprinkle”
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (optional)
- 1 cup microgreens or sprouts (optional)
- Pickled ginger (optional)
- Wasabi (optional)
Instructions
- RICE: Rinse rice with cold water in a fine mesh strainer until water runs clear. Drain and transfer to a small saucepan. Add water and rice vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until water is evaporated and rice is tender (~20 minutes). Turn off the heat and let rice steam with the lid on for 10 minutes.
- MARINATE TOFU: While the rice cooks, make the tofu marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tamari, sesame oil, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and maple syrup (optional). Set aside 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the marinade for serving with finished bowls. Add the tofu to the remaining marinade and gently mix to combine and coat the tofu. Allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes, mixing every once in a while to ensure the tofu is marinating evenly.
- PICKLED CARROTS: Meanwhile, combine rice vinegar, water, ginger, and maple syrup (optional) in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. This will be a brine to quick pickle your carrots. Place carrots into a medium-sized heat-proof bowl or jar and pour the simmering brine over the carrots. Cover and place in the refrigerator to cool while you proceed.
- COOK TOFU: Heat a large non-stick skillet or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, remove the tofu from the marinade and place on the hot pan. Cook the tofu for 2-3 minutes on each side, until crispy and golden brown.
- To serve, divide the rice between bowls and top with the pickled carrots, cucumbers, avocado, cooked tofu, seaweed sprinkles, and the marinade you set aside. Option to garnish with sesame seeds, green onion, microgreens, pickled ginger, and/or wasabi. Best enjoyed at room temperature.
- Leftovers will keep stored separately in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Not freezer friendly.
Sara says
This is amazing. I didn’t have a ripe avocado so I steamed some broccoli and we loved it. Definitely going into the weekly rotation. Made the pickled carrots the day before. Honestly the best tofu ever—and I’ve eaten a lot of tofu. Thanks, Minimalist Baker!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sara. That sounds like a great swap. Thank you for sharing! xo
Megan R says
One of my favorite recipes I’ve made in a while. The tofu marinade/dressing is delicious, and the balance of flavors and textures is excellent.
Plus, this is one of the easiest recipes I have ever followed. If you’re thinking about making this one, don’t delay!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Megan! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Katie says
Made this for a weeknight dinner and both my husband and I loved it. It was simple, easy, and very tasty. I had enough for leftovers the next day, and it was still delicious. I also love how you can just add a bit of this or that veg to help make sure I am staying on top of the produce in my fridge. I got the ingredients to make again this week for make-ahead lunches. Thanks very much!
Elisa says
Hi,
Would I be able to substitute the tofu for tempeh?
Thank you
Hi Elisa, we think that would work! You might want to try adding a little almond or peanut butter to help it coat the tempeh better. You can use this tempeh recipe for inspiration. Hope that helps!
Rebecca says
OMG. These sushi bowls are beyond delicious. I used super firm tofu (no draining required!), and marinated the tofu for 4 hours, turning over frequently. This resulted in the most tasty tofu and it crisped up nicely in my cast iron skillet. I picked 4 carrots and the cucumber, too, pickling for 3 hours instead of just 30 minutes. The tangy pickles went beautifully with the creamy, sliced avocado. The crumbled seaweed snacks added the perfect umami touch over the rice. Another Minimalist Baker recipe added to our rotation!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Rebecca! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Kerrie says
I pressed the tofu and baked it instead of pan frying it, and used ginger garlic paste (I am addicted to that stuff) instead of ginger, and made 50% more rice, (which I totally ended up needing, because 2 teenagers and a hungry husband) but did everything else the same. This was a great recipe. My daughter said she could eat it every night, and my husband asked me when I was going to make it again. This was sorely needed, because our favorite sushi (vegan) restaurant closed up, and we have totally missed it, and I’m NOT spending the time rolling sushi. This came together pretty quickly, IMHO.
Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kerrie. So glad you all enjoyed!
Karina says
This was delicious !!!! I prepared it for my husband as a welcome back home lunch after a long drive back from Italy. He had two bowls and asked me to make more ! It was also such a great discovery that o can prickly carrots so quickly and so deliciously !!! Thank you for another great recipe ❤️❤️❤️
Aw, that’s so sweet! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it! xoxo
Sarah says
Love this recipe! Marinade is super delicious 😍
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Amber says
I substituted the white rice with quinoa. I wanted the sushi flavor but didnt mind not having sushi rice with it. I also like the idea to soak the tofu before cooking and reserving the marinate. Thank you for this neat simple recipe for those who dont like to spend alot of time cooking but also love the nutrition of veggies! <3 Ill let you all know how this goes.
We’d love to hear what you think, Amber! Thanks for sharing your modifications. xo
SB says
Really delicious recipe! Tasted so fresh and just like sushi. We used the left over marinade from the tofu to sauté a lot of spinach and add to the bowl for some more greens. Still ended up with enough marinade sauce to pour over the rice as well in the bowl.
Giving it 4 stars only because it took a lot longer than expected. Some prep work the night ahead would help on this one.
Will def make this again – thank you!
Thanks for sharing your experience! Love the spinach addition!
Chelsea says
absolutely delicious. we had enough marinade leftover that I did another block of tofu just to snack on over the next few days.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Chelsea! Thank you for sharing!
Monica says
This was delicious
Thank you, Monica! xoxo
Chelsea says
In the video shown of you making the recipe – what kind of pan are you using to cook the tofu?
Hi Chelsea, that’s an Always Pan. You can find our full review of it here. Hope that helps!
sabrina says
I made this twice, I really enjoyed it and so easy to make. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Woohoo! Thank you for sharing, Sabrina! xo
Serena says
I love this recipe!! So simple and great for meal prepping! I added some fresh mango on top and it really brought a nice sweetness to the dish.
Love that! Thank you for sharing, Serena! xo
Ellen Morell says
OMG this was sooooo good! I was a little hesitant at first because the recipe looked complicated but the way the instructions were laid out made it simple to prepare. And the finished dish was beautiful as well as tasty. I will be making this on a regular basis from now on. Thank You!
We’re so glad you gave it a try and enjoyed it, Ellen! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Vicky says
Great bowl! and I think this could work awesome to prepare ahed and have for lunches throughout the week, thanks for another amazing recipe!
Agreed! So glad you enjoyed it, Vicky! xo
Halie says
Thank you for this! I really love how easy and DELICIOUS this was.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Halie! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Corey says
Hi! I made this the other night and it was so yum! I used the lesser amount of maple syrup in the sauce and marinade, added ginger people brand pickled ginger, cilantro, zoodles/miracle noodles combo instead of rice. The flavors were amazing and really appreciated the quick pickled carrot recipe. I did have a question: it seems like there was a lot of marinade leftover and so far it’s just covered and back in my fridge. Thoughts/ideas? I could use it as a salad dressing, marinate another batch of tofu, etc. Maybe just reduce the amounts next time? Thanks!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Corey! Thank you for sharing! You can definitely use the marinade again. We typically use some of it at the end for serving. It might also work with some modification in one of these recipes: marinated tempeh (add nut butter) or portobello mushroom stir-fry. Hope that’s helpful!
Ina S says
Another hit from Minimalist Baker – there’s really no reason to go anywhere else for recipes these days! Thank you!
Aw, so kind, Ina! Thank you for the lovely review! xoxo
Rachel Jablon says
So delicious! I made this last night and it was a huge hit (and so simple to make). The tofu is bursting with flavor and I love the gingery bite from the pickled carrots. As someone whose biggest takeout craving is sushi, this deconstructed bowl definitely hit the spot!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed this one, Rachel. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
PC says
Do you have to press the tofu at all? Thanks!
We didn’t find it necessary! But you certainly could, if preferred.
Abbey Fraser says
Loved this recipe! So flavorful and fun! Every bite was different and it wasn’t challenging to make. Thank you will definitely make again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Abbey! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Bal says
I made this dish for dinner tonight and it is delish!! It’s going to be in our weekly meal rotation. Thank you for sharing!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Bal. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Serendipity says
Sounds great! What to do about the pickled ginger: I can’t seem to find anything really delicious without the terrible ingredients (aspartame, white sugar etc). Any good brands you’d recommend or …do you a have a recipe!?!
Hi, we like The Ginger People brand, but it does have organic cane sugar. We don’t have a recipe for it, but that’s a great idea. The bowls will still be delicious if you leave it out!
Mim says
I discovered sushi bowls last year at the beginning of the pandemic. Craving sushi, but restaurants closed, so I made this almost exact sushi hack. Except I was out of sushi rice so I used oat groats! Once you add the tofu, cuke, avo and pickled ginger it totally tastes like sushi, even without the rice. I make a version of this weekly and now prefer it with oat groats over rice. In Variations we like…Daikon radish fresh or dried (kiriboshi pickled in sweet rice vinegar), sprouts, shredded turnip or zucchini, bok Choi, perilla, cilantro, mango, edamame….whatever!
Amazing – love all the variety! Thanks for sharing, Mim!
Lee Kaplan says
I just attended a class called Sushi 101 at my local kitchen supply store. I need a LOT of practice. In the meantime, this is “sushi deconstructed”. I can roll with this (I know, bad pun).
Ha, love it! Let us know if you give this one a try, Lee!
Renske Verweijen says
Loved this recipe. Easy to make, very tasteful. Added broccoli for some extra veggies
We’re so glad to hear it, Renske! Thanks so much for sharing!