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    Home » Vegan recipes » Sushi

    Vegan Sushi Bowl with Air Fryer Ginger Tofu (oven directions included!)

    Last Modified: Apr 21, 2019 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Print

    Sweet-and-spicy Ginger Tofu is the star of this flavorful vegan sushi bowl. You can make the tofu in the oven or in the air fryer!

    vegan sushi bowls in different colored bowls on a black tabletop

    Vegan Sushi Bowls?

    You might be wondering if a vegan sushi bowl is even really sushi. That's a common question I hear about this recipe, and I have good news for you!

    1. Sushi doesn't have to include fish. That's a common misconception. Vegetable sushi is as much a thing as sushi made from animals, so don't worry!
    2. Sushi doesn't have to be rolled. Chirashi sushi, also called scattered sushi, was of my favorite dishes before I went vegan. Chirashi sushi is a bowl of sushi rice topped with fish and vegetables. In this vegan version, I simply stick to vegetables and tofu.

    My family loves a vegan sushi bowl. Often, we just wing it, piling tofu and our favorite veggies onto heaping bowls of Sushi Rice.

    Think of this recipe as a jumping-off point. Start with sushi rice and flavorful Ginger Tofu, then add your favorite sushi fillings to build your perfect bowl.

    What I love about a sushi bowl is that you can pick and choose your toppings. My kid, for example, hates cucumber right now. No problem! We just give him extra carrots. If cashews aren't your thing, leave them off, or substitute your favorite nut or seed instead.

    And so on, in that fashion.

    close-up of a vegan sushi bowl with tofu, carrots, pickled ginger, seaweed, cucumber, avocado, and cashews

    What really makes this recipe is the Ginger Tofu. It's the perfect blend of spice, sweet, and salt, and the marinade takes just a few seconds to make in your blender.

    While your Ginger Tofu marinates and cooks, prepare your sushi rice and prep those veggies. Supper can be on the table in under an hour.

    overhead photo of ginger tofu sushi bowls

    About that Seaweed

    For me, that seaweed taste is part of what sushi is all about. My husband tends to skip the seaweed in his sushi bowls, but my kid and I love it!

    You can slice up and toast whole nori sheets for your sushi bowl, but my favorite cheater's trick is to buy a pack of seaweed snacks instead. They come already toasted and ready to eat. Just sliced them in half, and pile them on.

    The other reason I like using seaweed snacks instead of nori sheets is price. Around here, a pack of nori costs around $7, and you get way more seaweed than you need. You can often get sushi snacks on sale for $1 per pack, and you only need a single package for this recipe.

    overhead shot of a Ginger Tofu Vegan Sushi Bowl

    How to Make the Ginger Tofu

    The Ginger Tofu is a snap to make, and you've got two options.

    To start, you just toss the tofu with the blender marinade in a large bowl, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Add the cornstarch to your bowl, toss again, and you can either bake or air fry that tofu to perfection.

    You will be shocked to hear that I tend to go for my air fryer.

    Either way, there is very little hands-on time involved in making this tofu, which leaves you plenty of time to make the rice and prep your other toppings while the tofu is cooking. Pile it all into a big ol' bowl, and you are ready to devour.

    Sweet-and-spicy Ginger Tofu over sushi rice with my favorite sushi roll fillings. You can make the tofu in the oven or the air fryer!

    Ginger Tofu Vegan Sushi Bowl - oven or air fryer directions

    Sweet-and-spicy Ginger Tofu is the star of this flavorful vegan sushi bowl. You can make the tofu in the oven or in the air fryer!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Air Fryer, Vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 485kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • 2" piece fresh ginger
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil - (optional, but recommended)
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch - (or potato starch)
    • 1 block extra firm tofu - pressed and cut into 1" pieces

    For the Sushi Bowls

    • 1 batch Pressure Cooker Sushi Rice - or 3 cups of cooked rice. If you don't have cooked rice on hand, start cooking the rice before you start marinating the tofu.
    • ½ cup carrot sticks
    • ¾ cup cucumber - sliced into ¼" thick half-moons
    • 1 Haas avocado - sliced
    • 1 .16 oz package of roasted seaweed snacks (.17 oz is also fine) - cut into thirds
    • ¼ cup pickled ginger - (optional)
    • ½ cup roasted cashews - (optional)
    • 1 green onion - chopped

    Instructions

    Make the Tofu

    • To make the marinade, combine the ginger, garlic, maple syrup, sesame oil, soy sauce, and vinegar in your blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
    • Oven Directions for the Tofu: Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large bowl with high sides, toss together the tofu and the marinade. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes, then drain off any excess marinade. Toss the marinated tofu with the cornstarch in the same bowl. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 30 minutes. No need to flip, unless you really want to.
    • Air Fryer Directions for the Tofu: In a large bowl with high sides, toss together the tofu and the marinade. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes, then drain off any excess marinade. Toss the marinated tofu with the cornstarch in the same bowl, then pour into the basket of your air fryer. Cook on 370 for 15 minutes, shaking after 8 minutes.

    Make the Sushi Bowls

    • Divide the sushi rice between your bowls. Top with the tofu, avocado, green onion, carrots, cucumbers, seaweed snack pieces, and pickled ginger. Sprinkle on the cashews, if you're using them, then top it all off with the green onion.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 485kcal
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!
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    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rebecca

      August 11, 2021 at 7:22 pm

      5 stars
      That is an amazing recipe! Can not wait to try it but I would also somehow add wasabi! You have such clever recipes thank you !

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        August 12, 2021 at 8:58 am

        Ooh adding wasabi is a great idea! Maybe whisk it into some soy sauce to drizzle on top? Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review.

        Reply
    2. Ricki

      November 04, 2018 at 12:48 pm

      So many of my favorite ingredients in one bowl! I'm a tofu lover (there, I said it!! lol) and enjoy it often. And the sauce will be easy to adapt to my diet. Going to try this one asap!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 05, 2018 at 8:03 am

        Hello, fellow tofu lover! I'm glad the sauce will be easy to adapt, too!

        Reply
    3. Cadry

      November 02, 2018 at 8:44 am

      5 stars
      I'm also not a fan of seaweed, but I love that I can easily leave it out of this bowl. And there are still SO MANY FLAVORS left!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 03, 2018 at 12:24 pm

        Thank you, Cadry! Dave has his without seaweed, too. It's a perfect meal for us, since we all have such different tastes in food.

        Reply
    4. Dianne

      October 29, 2018 at 4:56 pm

      5 stars
      I'm with you when it comes to seaweed. And cashews ARE my thing. I love everything about this bowl!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        October 29, 2018 at 5:43 pm

        Thank you, Dianne! Any excuse to bust out the cashews.

        Reply

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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