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VEGAN SUSHI BOWL + DYNAMITE SAUCE

This deconstructed vegan Sushi Bowl features antioxidant rich forbidden black rice, cool cucumbers, crunchy carrots, creamy avocado and sprouts, drizzled with a creamy dynamite sauce for a healthy lunch or dinner!

top down view of vegan sushi bowl topped with creamy dynamite sauce with items surrounding.

Sometimes it’s just easier to throw your sushi ingredients into a bowl, which was just the case for me here!

Make attempt at making vegan sushi rolls did not go over very well so I opted to make deconstructed sushi bowls, saving the sushi roll for later.

Sushi bowls are much easier to make and just as healthy and delicious as their rolled version. With just a few colorful veggies, rice and drizzle sauce, it’s a new favorite. And the pickled ginger takes it over the top!

I think you’re going to love your veggie sushi in a bowl as much as I did!

What is Black Rice?

Black rice (aka purple, fortune, Emperor’s or forbidden rice) is highly nutritious and a grain that we could all benefit from adding to our meal rotation. It’s slightly more nutritious than brown rice and can be used in place of other colored rices, even in dessert recipes.

Its main attribution over brown rice is the concentration of anthocyanin antioxidants in its dark color. The power of these antioxidants can be compared to that of blueberries and other dark colored fruits and vegetables.

Its flavor and texture is about the same as brown rice and the nutritional profile is similar as well. With it’s nutty texture and softly sweet undertone, it’s one of those ingredients I use on occasion and thought it would be perfect for this sushi bowl.

top down view of ingredients used to make vegan sushi bowl recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need

I kept the vegetables simple here, but you can make your sushi bowl your own by changing up the vegetables to whatever you have accessible in your area or on hand.

  • rice – use your favorite, I’ve used black rice here
  • carrots
  • cucumber
  • avocado
  • alfalfa sprouts – or sprouts of choice, pea shoots would be great too
  • radish
  • nori sheet
  • sesame seeds – white, black or toasted
  • pickled ginger – pref natural, without coloring
  • tahini – sub with soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • lemon or splash of apple cider vinegar
  • sriracha, sambal oelek or chili garlic (or your favorite hot sauce)

Optional variations:

  • julienned bell peppers
  • enoki mushrooms or pan seared sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • shredded purple or green cabbage
  • pea shoots
  • cubed crispy tofu or edamame for protein
  • wasaba

top down view of small bowl with freshly made creamy dynamite sauce.

How To Make a Vegan Sushi Bowl

  • Make the dynamite sauce. Whisk together the tahini, sriracha, lemon juice and water in a small bowl.

side angle view of freshly made vegan sushi bowl before adding creamy sauce with items surrounding.

  • Cook your rice or grain of choice.
  • Prep the tofu, if using (I simply pan-fried mine).
  • Assemble the sushi bowl by adding grain, veggies, and optional add-ins to your serving bowl (shown above).

side angle view of creamy dynamite sauce being poured over freshly made sushi bowl.

  • Pour dressing over top, and enjoy!

Altogether, this is an easy to throw together vegan sushi bowl that you can enjoy whenever the craving strikes!

Top Tips

  • For the nori, I cut a triangle and added it to the side of the bowl, but it would be better to cut a portion of a sheet into 1 inch thin strips and sprinkle on top, making it easier to eat.
  • As well as being so simple to put together, the dressing can double as a dip or dressing making it versatile for other uses.
  • Sushi bowls make for great meal prep and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 – 4 days.

Serving Suggestions

Vegan sushi bowls are filling on their own, but you may like to serve it with a little something on the side. Here are a few of my favorite options:

side angle view of vegan sushi bowl topped with creamy dynamite sauce with items surrounding.

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you try this sushi bowl recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

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VEGAN SUSHI BOWL + DYNAMITE SAUCE

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5 from 1 review

Vegan Sushi Bowl featuring nutritious black rice, veggies and spicy creamy dressing for a light and healthy lunch or dinner! Great for meal prep too!

  • Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 25 min
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 2 - 3 1x
  • Category: Entree
  • Cuisine: Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup black rice (or rice of choice *see notes)
  • just under 1 cup water or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cucumber, chopped
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts, or sprouts of choice
  • 3 radishes, thinly sliced
  • nori sheet, cut into strips, optional
  • pickled ginger, optional
  • sesame seeds, to garnish

Dynamite Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) tahini
  • 1/4 cup water, + more as needed
  • juice of 1/2 small lemon or splash of apple cider vinegar
  • 23 teaspoons sriracha, sambal oelek or chili garlic (or your favorite hot sauce)
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

Black rice: Rinse rice well under cool running water using a fine mesh sieve. In a small saucepan, bring rice and water to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 25 minutes without disturbing. When done, remove lid and let rest about 10 minutes, fluff with fork. Please check your package for cooking directions just in case, this was mine.

Dynamite sauce: In a small bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients together, cover and set aside. Add more water to thin your dressing, add more tahini to make it thicker.

Assemble sushi bowl: To serve, add 1/3 of the rice into your serving dish and arrange the prepared vegetables over top or to the side. Drizzle with dynamite sauce and add a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy your deconstructed sushi bowl in all its creamy gloriousness!

Serves 2 – 3

Store: Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 – 4 days.

Notes

*If using a different rice, other than black rice, cook according to package directions using 1/2 cup of rice.

If you don’t have tahini on hand, use any vegan mayo of choice, about 1/2 cup + a tablespoon or so of water to thin if needed. Omit the lemon/vinegar juice.

Change up the vegetables using colored bell peppers, pan seared julienned shiitake mushrooms, shredded purple or green cabbage, peas shoots, etc.

Add in cubed tofu or edamame for added protein.

Updated: Vegan Sushi Bowl was originally published in September 2014. It has been retested and updated with new photos and helpful tips in March 2020.

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13 Comments

  1. Super recipe, trying it tonight…One question, though.
    Can this sauce keep in the fridge? and for how long?

    1. Julie | The Simple Veganista says:

      The sauce will last up to 6 – 7 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy the sushi bowl!

  2. where is the nori?? its hard to eat if not softened by something warm (like the rice in a traditional sushi roll)…

    1. julie@thesimpleveganista says:

      The nori is cut into strips, can even be julienned, and does soften once mixed with the warm rice and creamy dressing.

  3. genevieve @ gratitude & greens says:

    This looks amazing and your dynamite sauce sounds incredible!

  4. Millie | Add A LIttle says:

    Looks amazing Julie – I always make a dressing just like the sauce, so perfect on anything!!

  5. yes — what they all said. this looks great. tantalizing photography!

  6. Deryn @ Running on Real Food says:

    That sauce! I must try that soon. Gorgeous photos, as always, I love the look of this! Will be trying soon for sure :) Thanks for sharing!

  7. The Vegan Cookie Fairy says:

    YUM! This looks right up my alley. I've had sushi ingredients languishing away in my cupboard for far too long but I'm just too lazy to make sushi rolls (and wary, too; half of my rolls end up looking like a massacre).

  8. JMyers666 says:

    Yes to all of this.

  9. Victoria Caulfield says:

    Yuuum! That looks amazing!

  10. The Yogi Vegetarian says:

    That sauce looks awesome, just my kinda thing, thanks for sharing :)

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