The seaweed dressing on this vegan sushi bowl is seriously the fishiest thing I've tasted since going vegan. In this recipe, I'll show you how to enjoy yours, with or without the flavours of the sea. I love that this dish gives me all the feels without the fiddling, rolling and careful cutting of a legit sushi roll.
The vivid sea aroma comes from the kelp powder and it's honestly a little scary how convincingly fishy it tastes. Kelp powder is currently untested and unlisted in the Monash app. Dried kelp/kombu is classified as a concentrated source of FODMAPs with no safe serving listed. If you're in the elimination phase of a low FODMAP diet then feel free to substitute it with dried nori instead.
I was never a big fan of raw fish or sushi in my omnivore days, so when I did eat sushi, which was quite rare, I always opted for the veggie versions anyway. This means that since going vegan, sushi has never been a make or break dish for me. If I'm totally honest the few times I have made veggie sushi it felt like a chore, so this, throw it in a bowl and call it a day method, is much more appealing to me.
Many elements of this fish-free sushi can be prepped in advance;
- The seaweed dressing can be whisked together and kept in a jar in the fridge for at least a few days.
- I personally would never go to the effort of cooking the rice fresh just for this meal but it's a great recipe for using up leftover cooked rice or grains.
- The pepper can be grilled and peeled the day before or subbed with pre-grilled pepper from a jar.
- The tomato can be peeled and deseeded a day or so ahead of time.
- The hardy raw veggies such as the carrot, radish, and spring onion greens can be chopped, grated or spiralized and stored in sealed containers in the fridge for up to a week.
I love this type of dish for using up all sorts of odds and ends. If you want the authentic sushi bowl feels then obviously stick to the more classic sushi vegetables as I have here. If you're not overly worried about it then call it a salad bowl and chuck in all those leftovers lurking in the back of the fridge. It's also a great way to eat the rest of that leftover avocado before it dies a death, oh wait, no sorry, it's been open 90 seconds, too late!
Recipe FAQ's
Which type of rice should I use?
Traditional sushi uses short-grain sushi rice to help it stick together around the filling and hold its shape as you roll. As we are eating this as a sushi bowl we don't need the stickiness of classic sushi rice. This means we can use any cooked rice or low FODMAP grain we have available.
To preserve the sushi flavours of this dish I recommend using rice or grains cooked in water, vegetable broth or green tea.
If using leftover rice ensure it has been cooled quickly and stored correctly, in a sealed container in the fridge. For food safety and texture I prefer to use leftover rice within 3 days. If my leftover rice is likely to last any longer than this then I would freeze it rather than store it in the fridge.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes. You just need to swap the soy sauce for your preferred gluten-free substitute.
Are the edamame beans in this suitable on a low FODMAP diet?
Yes. Shelled edamame beans have a FODMAP safe serving of 90g/½ cup. If you don't tolerate edamame beans or prefer to leave them out then you can add tofu as an alternative source of protein. I'd recommend marinating the tofu in half of the seaweed dressing, overnight if possible.
I don't want my vegan sushi bowl to taste fishy, what else can I use as a dressing?
The kelp powder gives a very intense fishy/sea aroma. If you think this may bother you then you can substitute with toasted nori which is slightly sweeter and milder.
If you want to avoid the sea taste altogether then you could switch the seaweed powders for a green powder or a blend (the type used in smoothies) containing wheatgrass, spirulina, matcha etc. This will give the same deep, umami flavour without the fishy aroma. If you tolerate heat you could also add a tiny pinch of wasabi powder to suit your taste.
Leave out the kelp and green powders and this dressing transforms into a light and simple peanut satay-style sauce.
FODMAP Notes
This recipe was edited in May 2022 to reflect the changes in the Monash app to the low FODMAP serving size and FODMAP category of red and green bell peppers and tomatoes. Please note the updated recipe switch from red to green bell pepper in order to keep this suitable for the elimination phase.
Something that's likely to catch people out is that green peppers now contain fructan whilst red peppers are listed as fructose-containing. This change is the main reason I swapped the original red bell pepper from this recipe for green. This helps to avoid stacking issues with the vine tomato, based on the new values for each.
Wherever I've listed portions such as 1 large, a handful, etc these foods are FODMAP free or low FODMAP and can be eaten according to appetite or availability. These quantities when put together make one large sushi bowl. Feel free to increase or reduce these veggies according to tolerance, appetite, preference or availability.
FODMAP Servings
As written, including the optional toppings, this recipe is low FODMAP at 1 serving. This recipe contains approx:
- 1+½ Fructan serving - 90g edamame = 1 serving + 37g green bell pepper = ½ serving
- 0 GOS
- 0 Mannitol
- 1 Sorbitol serving - 30g avocado = 1 serving
- 1+½ Fructose serving - 69g vine tomato = 1 serving + 1 tablespoon peanut butter = ½ serving
- 0 Lactose - All my recipes are vegan and therefore free from dairy and lactose. Yay!
* Always refer to the Monash app for current safe serves and FODMAP categorisations.
FODMAP Ingredient Notes
Avocado
Low FODMAP at 30g. Servings of 45g or more contain moderate to high amounts of sorbitol. I always advise weighing your low FODMAP portions on a food scale rather than using the volume or count measurement. This especially applies to an ingredient such as avocados that differ dramatically in size and weight.
Bell pepper (green)
Since the 2022 update, green bell pepper is now listed with a low FODMAP serving of 75g. It becomes moderate for fructans at 250g and high for fructans at 310g.
Previously, green bell peppers have always been considered higher in FODMAPs than other colours. However, following retesting not only has the portion size increased dramatically but the FODMAPs they contain have also changed. Green bell pepper is now listed as fructan containing, whereas it used to be considered to contain high amounts of the polyol - sorbitol in 80g servings.
Some people have non-FODMAP reactions to the capsaicin content. Reduce or omit depending on your tolerance.
Edamame beans
Low FODMAP at 90g. Servings of 210g or more contain moderate amounts of fructans. This refers to the frozen variety with the beans already podded from their shells. Confusingly the accompanying photo in the Monash app shows the complete edamame including pod, however, no safe serving is listed for the fresh pods.
Peanut butter
Listed in the Monash app as Low FODMAP at 50g and containing fructose. However, U.S versions are listed as FODMAP safe at 32g and containing Fructans and GOS. If you're in the U.S and in the elimination phase of the diet you may wish to omit the optional sesame seeds to allow for the extra fructans in the peanut butter. As I am based in the U.K I class my peanut butter as fructose-containing.
Soy sauce, dark
Despite containing wheat, soy sauce is listed as low FODMAP at 42g or 2 Tbsps. This is likely due to the fact that the overall wheat content does not come close to a safe wheat serving. Always double-check that your soy sauce is free from high FODMAP ingredients such as garlic and onion.
Whilst soy sauce is FODMAP safe it is unsafe for coeliacs and anyone with a wheat allergy or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. Wherever soy sauce is listed, simply substitute with your preferred alternative.
Tomatoes, vine/truss
In early 2022 the low FODMAP safe serving of vine tomatoes was reduced to 69g after they were found to contain moderate levels of fructose. This is a significant decrease from their previous listing of being FODMAP free and could be eaten freely. Vine tomatoes have now been retested and found to contain moderate levels of fructose at 75g servings and high levels of fructose in servings of 93g or more.
If you've been eating larger amounts of vine tomatoes without symptoms then there's no need to reduce your intake based on these new findings. If you have experienced symptoms or are new to the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet then stick to the new serving size as stated in the current version Monash app.
Be aware that older recipes may be using outdated values calculated prior to the 2022 update.
Shopping Tips
- PB Fit peanut butter powder (225g). This is the brand that I use, it's the only one I've ever tried but I really like it. I bought mine on offer at Aldi so it's worth shopping around. Ideal for getting the perfect consistency for dressings and marinades.
- Cutetonic organic kelp powder 100% pure (500g). This is the brand I use. It's well priced for the quantity of 500g but if you're not sure you'll use it regularly it may be more sensible to go for a smaller pack size. It has a concentrated, umami sea flavour that may be a bit off-putting if you've been eating a fish-free diet for a while.
- Ocado toasted sesame oil (500ml). I much prefer the aroma of toasted sesame oil rather than light sesame oil. I usually buy mine at my local supermarket but it can sometimes be difficult to find.
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Free From
- Celery free
- Garlic free
- Gluten free (If soy sauce alternative is used)
- Mustard free
- Wheat free (If soy sauce alternative is used)
- GOS free
- Mannitol free
Please always double-check your ingredients to ensure your products, brands and version is "free-from" if required. Where we list free from FODMAPs please be aware we are referring to free from excess FODMAPs as defined by low/high FODMAP limits in the Monash app and not a true allergy-safe definition of "free-from". Most plant foods will still contain some level of FODMAPs but in amounts that are considered to be tolerable for most people on the low FODMAP diet.
Recipe
Vegan Sushi Bowl
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Cook mode
Ingredients
Seaweed Dressing
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter powder or regular peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce - Gluten-free alternative if required
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice - Approx ½ a lime
- ½ teaspoon kelp powder - Replace with nori powder or flakes if in elimination
- 1 pinch black pepper - To taste
- 1 tablespoon water or plant milk - To loosen up dressing to a pourable consistency.
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup - Optional, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon wasabi powder - Optional, to taste
Sushi Bowl
- 37 g green bell pepper
- 69 g vine/truss tomato
- 90 g / ½ cup edamame beans - Frozen, beans only without pods
- 150 g / 1 cup leftover cooked short-grain rice
- 50 g / 1 medium carrot
- 50 g / 1 handful radish
- 50 g / ⅓ medium cucumber
- 2 large handfuls of greens - I used a mix of rocket, watercress & spinach
- 30 g avocado - optional
- 15 g spring onion greens - optional
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds - optional
Instructions
Seaweed dressing
- Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and set aside. 1 Tbsp peanut butter powder or regular peanut butter, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, ½ tsp kelp powder, 1 pinch black pepper, 1 Tbsp water or plant milk, Test and add in optional 1 tsp maple syrup and ⅛ tsp wasabi powder to taste. The dressing can be made up to 48 hours ahead.
Mise en place prep
- Grill/broil 37 g green bell pepper until the skin is blackened. Pop the hot pepper in a glass jar and close the lid. Leave for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the steam should have loosened the skin. Peel away the skin and finely slice the pepper flesh. You could also use grilled peppers from a jar if preferred, but check for high FODMAP ingredients, such as garlic.
- Slice a shallow crisscross into the base 69 g vine/truss tomato. Pop the tomato in a heat-safe jug and cover with boiling water. Leave for 3 minutes. Drain the water and plunge the tomato into cold running water until cool enough to handle. The skin should peel away easily from the flesh. Quarter the tomato. Remove and discard the seeds. I do it this way for effect, as I feel the tomato flesh resembles more of a sushi salmon texture like this. If preferred, you can skip this step and just chop the whole tomato to minimise waste.
- Boil 90 g / ½ cup edamame beans according to packet instructions, approximately 5 minutes.
- Finely slice, grate or spiralize 50 g / 1 medium carrot, 50 g / 1 handful radish, 50 g / ⅓ medium cucumber and 2 large handfuls of greens. To save time, all of the prep up to this point can be done a day ahead and stored in the fridge.
- If not using 150 g / 1 cup leftover cooked short-grain rice, cook ½ cup of dried rice according to packet instructions. Once the rice is cooked, drain it in a sieve and run it under cold running water, agitating the rice to ensure it cools quickly and evenly.
Assemble the salad bowl
- Arrange the salad vegetables in a bowl on the cooked, cooled rice and a bed of greens.
- Add in optional toppings of 30 g avocado, 15 g spring onion greens, and 1 tsp sesame seeds. Drizzle over the seaweed dressing and serve immediately.
Recipe Video
Notes
- 1 cup = 250 ml
- 1 tablespoon = 15 ml
- 1 teaspoon = 5 ml
Recipe Video
Did you like the seaweed flavour?
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