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–+ servings
Vegan sushi bowl with tempura mushrooms, rice balls and an avocado rose.

Epic Vegan Sushi Bowl Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Tracy Halasz

Ingredients

Basic Sushi Bowl Ingredients (for all options)

  • 2 cups cooked rice (sushi, basmati, brown)
  • 2-3 Persian cucumbers, julienne
  • 1-2 grated carrots
  • 1-2 avocado (sliced, diced, rose)

Optional Toppings and Ingredients for all Bowls

  • 1 cup edamame beans
  • pickled ginger
  • wasabi
  • sesame seeds, toasted
  • nori flakes (optional)

Mushroom Shrimp Tempura (vegan Dynamite Roll)

  • 3-4 king oyster mushrooms, shredded/pulled
  • 1 cup flour, ap or gf
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 - 1 ¼ cups soda water or ice cold water
  • oil for frying

Crabby Hearts of Palm (vegan California Roll)

  • 14 oz tin hearts of palm, whole
  • 2-3 tablespoons Vegenaise
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha
  • 1 - 1 ½ teaspoon old bay seasoning
  • pinch salt, to taste

Instructions

Rice, (white, brown)

  • Prepare the sushi rice (basmati, brown or quinoa) or use leftover rice!

Basic Sushi Rice Bowl Ingredients

  • Prepare the vegetables: julienne or matchstick the cucumbers, shred the carrots, and slice or dice the avocado.
    If you're feeling fancy, try an avocado rose!

How to Make an Avocado Rose

  • Easy but takes a little finessing: Slice avocado in half, remove pit, and skin.
  • Place cut side down and make thin slices across the avocado.
  • Pro Tip: Make sure you slice all the way through the avocado for each slice. Maintain the avocado shape as you slice it.
  • Cup your fingers over the avocado and gently slide the slices away from each other starting in the center. Fanning the slices into a long snake.
  • Start at one end and curl the avocado snake into itself until it's coiled into a circle (rose).
  • 'Open' the rose by gently pressing the top of the petals out.

Vegan Dynamite Roll Option

  • Start heating the oil in a medium size pan or skillet over medium heat (to ~350 - 360º F).
  • King Oyster Mushrooms - remove the caps and shred the stems by holding one end and pulling a fork through the length of the stem. Turn the stem and continue to shred until you've shredded the whole stem. Pull any bigger pieces apart.
  • OR for larger chunks, break the stems into long thin pieces instead of shredding.
  • Save the caps for another recipe or break into chunks and fry along with the rest.
  • Tempura Batter: sift all dry ingredients into a medium bowl. *Add 1 cup of cold water, stir, and then add more as needed to resemble thin pancake batter.
  • *Don't add the cold water to the dry ingredients until the oil is hot and the mushrooms are ready to go.
  • Check to be sure the oil is hot. If no thermometer, place drop of batter into the pan - it should sink down, bounce up, and then sizzle and bubble right away.
  • Once the oil is ready, add the first batch of mushrooms to the pan. Pro Tip: At least half the surface should be oil (don't overcrowd the pan).
  • After 2 or 3 minutes, gently flip the mushrooms (away from you) and cook the other side until golden and crispy.
  • Remove to cooling rack with paper towel below to catch the drippings. Immediately sprinkle with salt so it sticks to the hot tempura. Continue until all the mushrooms are cooked.
  • Remove all the stray bits of tempura from the oil before each new batch so you don't get burnt bits sticking to next batch.

Vegan California Roll Option

  • Hearts of palm vegan crab meat.
    Drain, rinse and pat dry the hearts of palm.
  • Cut into large chunks and add to food processor. Pulse a few times. Do not over blend.
  • Add the vegan mayo and sriracha, old bay, and salt. Pulse a few times.
  • Stir with a spoon, taste, adjust seasoning as necessary. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Vegan Sushi Dipping Sauces and Accompaniments

  • Make your choice of sauces (details in post) and accompaniments, eg. spicy mayo, soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, and toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

Tips for the crispiest tempura mushrooms: sift the dry ingredients, use ice cold water. Make sure the oil is hot. Don't overcrowd the pan. 
These sushi bowls are super fast to make especially if you have leftover rice or salad fixings.
The sauces all keep well in the fridge for up to a week (some longer) and are great to have on hand for Buddha bowls, grilled vegetables, tacos, tofu scrambles, etc.
Hearts of Palm - for best texture, use whole not sliced hearts of palm.
Leftover crabby hearts of palm makes a delicious sandwich: toasted sourdough, leafy greens, cucumber ribbons, hot pickled jalapenos, and avocado slices.
Managing your time: get the rice started (stove top or Instant Pot), prepare the veggies, one 'star' ingredient, and a couple sauces. By the time the rice is ready, so is everything else!
To make the dynamite roll stack: press the rice into a baking ring, add 2 layers of avocado around the outside edge (leaving a space in the center). Add a small pile of carrots in the space. Pour dynamite sauce over carrots in the middle space. Pile the tempura mushrooms on top. Drizzle with your favorite sauces, a sprinkle of green onions, sesame seeds, and pickled ginger. Enjoy!