Seaweed-studded brown rice is topped with fresh vegetables, then drizzled with a spicy sesame sauce to make a hearty, filling, plant-based meal that tastes just like sushi! This recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegan, and is easily customizable to suit everyone’s sushi preferences. 
I pride myself in being able to make just about any of my favorite foods at home, usually with healthier, fresher ingredients than would be found in the average store or restaurant. It’s actually becoming a problem, because every time Kevin and I go out to eat he is disappointed that his meal isn’t as good as what I could have made at home (I guess there are worse problems to have). Sushi is the only exception to this, and it’s really because I don’t usually have nori at home, so it seems more convenient to buy sushi. But, wait, I’m paying $15 for a handful of rice, a few slices of avocado, and some seaweed? Something’s not right here. 
Enter sushi bowls. Instead of paying an unnecessary amount of money and fussing over rolling actual sushi, I just topped a big bowl of rice with my favorite sushi fillings and drizzled it with a sauce full of spicy flavors like ginger, garlic, soy, and lime. Problem. Solved. Bonus: instead of eating just a few little rolls, you get a bowl full of sushi that fills you up and leaves you satisfied. 
The key to making this taste like sushi, and not just a bowl of rice and veg, lies in the rice. I started with a blend of sprouted brown and red rice, though any short-grain brown rice will work here. To the cooked rice I added thinly sliced scallions, finely diced roasted seaweed, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and a drop of maple syrup. The rice itself tastes so much like sushi, it would be delicious as is with some thinly sliced avocado and a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. Of course, I wasn’t going to stop there. I loaded these bowls up with cucumber, carrots, asparagus, scallions, and cilantro, and added a perfectly creamy, spicy sauce to drizzle on top. 
Sushi feels like a special meal, but it’s really so simple when you serve it in a bowl. I preferred eating it closer to room temperature, though didn’t complain when I was eating leftovers cold for lunch all week. If you love sushi, this recipe is for you. Feel free to swap in/out whatever vegetables you like, and even get creative with extra proteins! I considered crispy baked tofu, but ended up loving this simple veggie version as is. Raw or grilled fish, shrimp, or whatever keeps you coming back for more sushi is welcome here. If you try out sushi bowls at home, let me know! Leave a comment below or tag me #bakedgreens on Instagram so I can see your favorite sushi toppings! Happy weekend, Friends!
Vegetable Sushi Rolls with Sesame Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 cup brown rice*
- 2 cups water
- a drizzle of olive oil
- 8 small sheets of roasted seaweed snacks finely diced (or 2 8x8 sheets nori)**
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce***
Sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 inches fresh ginger
- 1 lime zest and juice
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup tahini
- water to thin (1-3 tablespoons)
Toppings
- 1 bunch asparagus about 15-20 stalks
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 large carrot
- 1/2 a seedless cucumber
- sesame seeds cilantro, and scallion, to garnish
Instructions
- 1. Cook rice: Put rice, water, and olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to simmer for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, turn off heat and let rice steam in the pot, with the lid on, for 10 more minutes. Add all remaining rice ingredients, stir, and let sit uncovered at room temperature until you're ready to eat.
- 2. Make sauce: Use a microplane grater/zester to zest the lime into a small bowl, then grate the garlic and ginger with the same microplane. Alternately, finely chop the garlic and ginger and add them to the bowl. Add all remaining ingredients, except water, and stir to combine. Stir in water, 1T at a time, until desired consistency is reached. I used all 3 T. You could also do this in a blender or food processor, I just didn't want to dirty another dish.
- 3.Prepare toppings: slice all vegetables as thinly as possible. I prefer the raw crunch of fresh asparagus, but if you prefer it cooked, I suggest blanching it for 2 minutes in boiling water.
- 4. Assemble sushi bowls: divide the rice among 4 bowls, top each with vegetables, and a drizzle of sauce. Sprinkle on sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and scallions. Eat immediately, or store leftovers in fridge. Leftovers keep for up to 5 days, but vegetables begin to soften the longer they sit with the sauce.
Notes
**I used a package of roasted seaweed snacks, as it was what I had on hand, but you could also buy nori sheets (what you'd use if you were actually rolling sushi). Both are readily available in most major grocery stores.
***I prefer liquid aminos over soy sauce, but both work fine here. Check to be sure your soy sauce is gluten free if you are serving this to someone with an allergy.