Sushi salad is a fun twist on a deconstructed sushi roll. All your favorite sushi ingredients in an easy sushi bowl. Start with a bed of sushi rice, add toppings like avocado, edamame, mango, and sweet potato, and then drizzle on the sushi salad dressing.
These sushi bowls are an easy variation on a traditional sushi roll. For more fun Asian inspired dishes, try Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing, Udon Noodle Soup, Chicken Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce, or Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- All the flavors of sushi with little of the work! Making homemade sushi rolls is fun, but it's time consuming. This simple sushi salad has all your favorite sushi ingredients in an easy to make and prep sushi bowl. It's an easy way to satisfy your sushi cravings!
- It’s vegan! This sushi salad has roasted sweet potatoes as a hearty addition instead of raw fish or other meat protein.
- Customizable. This is a great recipe for when everyone in the family likes a little something different. Put out the individual toppings and let everyone create their own sushi bowl! You can add salmon or chicken for extra protein.
Dana's Note: We’ve had this sushi salad on repeat all summer long. My kids especially like this meal because they get to personalize their own bowl. It’s easy to make ahead as well, so it’s great for meal prepping and making lunches to take to school or work. It's popular at shabbat and yom tov lunches since you can make it ahead of time.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the recipe card below for a complete ingredient list and measurements.
Jump to Recipe- Sushi rice - Sushi rice is made from a Japanese short grain rice. It is usually labeled “sushi” at grocery stores. Sushi rice has more starch than long grain rice, giving it a stickier texture. Other kinds of rice will work in a pinch.
- Produce - I use carrots, persian cucumbers, avocado, mango, spring onion, edamame beans, cilantro, and sweet potatoes for this deconstructed sushi bowl. You can change out the toppings to fit your family’s preferences. Other ideas are red or yellow bell peppers, baby spinach, radishes, red cabbage, napa cabbage, or jicama. Swap out mango for pineapple, or scallions for crispy onions. English cucumber will work instead of Persian.
- Furikake seasoning - This seasoning blend can contain white or black sesame seeds, nori, dehydrated soy sauce or mirin, or dried fish flakes. It adds a unique taste to your sushi salad! Find it online or at Asian markets. You can substitute with toasted sesame seeds and crumbled sheets of nori (dried seaweed). If you want to keep this vegan/vegetarian, make sure to use vegan furikake, as some varieties have dried fish flakes.
- Sesame oil - This oil is often used as a finishing oil and has a distinct nutty flavor.
- Rice wine vinegar - This vinegar is often used in Asian style dressings and sauces. It is also what gives sushi rice its sour flavor. I used plain rice vinegar. If you substitute with seasoned rice vinegar, cut the sugar and salt used on the rice in half.
- Fresh ginger - Ginger is sold in knobs in the produce section of the grocery store. You can substitute for ground ginger if needed, but ground ginger does not have the same flavor as fresh. Use ½ - 1 teaspoon of ground ginger in place of 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger.
Step by Step Photos
See the recipe card below for complete directions.
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Rice
Transfer rice to a baking sheet to cool. Spread out and pour seasoning over it evenly and mix.
Roast
Roast sweet potatoes until the edges are just starting to brown and the center is tender.
Mix
Add ingredients for the sushi dressing to a small bowl and whisk together.
Assemble
Add rice to a bowl and divide the toppings evenly. Top with dressing and furikake seasoning.
Top Tips
- When you season the rice, first spread it out on a board or sheet pan to help distribute the seasonings evenly and quickly so it will absorb while the rice is still hot. Use a gentle folding motion to mix. Leave the rice to cool.
- Fresh ginger stores well in the freezer. No need to defrost it. Just grate it frozen with a microplane or grater. It’s a great way to reduce food waste.
- For the most authentic taste, use sushi rice, and add the seasonings to it.
Variations
- Add a protein. You can add a variety of different proteins to this dish! Try chicken teriyaki, cooked salmon, or ahi tuna.
- Change up the veggies. Swap any of the vegetables or fruit out for your favorite. Other ideas are pineapple, radishes, jicama, bell peppers, napa cabbage, or red cabbage shreds.
- Make it spicy. Drizzle some sriracha or spicy mayo on top of the sushi rice salad for a little spice.
- Change the rice. You can make these into brown rice bowls. Although sushi rice gives it a more traditional sushi flavor and texture.
Make Ahead
The rice can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. If the rice clumps up, heat it up slightly in the microwave or flake it apart with a fork.
The sweet potato cubes can be roasted a day ahead then refrigerated.
The vinaigrette can be made the day before and refrigerated. The oil may turn solid, but will liquify once out of the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so. Mix again before serving.
Storage and Reheating
How to store: Store leftover rice separately if possible in the refrigerator. If making for meal prep, you can create individual serving bowls then store that way.
More dinner recipe ideas
Frequently Asked Questions
Sushi salad and poke bowls are basically the same thing. They are deconstructed sushi rolls in a bowl style meal. The typical sushi fillings are added as toppings on sushi rice.
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Recipe
Easy Deconstructed Sushi Salad Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 1 ½ cups uncooked sushi rice or Japanese short grain rice
- 1 ⅛ cups water
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar plain, see note
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Sweet Potatoes
- 1 sweet potato peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Dash of black pepper
Sushi Salad Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
Sushi Salad
- 1 medium carrot cut into matchsticks
- 1 Persian cucumber halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 large avocado cut into ½ inch chunks
- ½ cup shelled and cooked edamame about 3 ounces (I used the refrigerated kind from Trader Joe’s)
- 1 mango peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro loosely packed
- 4 teaspoons furikake seasoning
Instructions
- Make the sushi rice: Rinse sushi rice in a colander with cold water until the water runs clear. Soak rice in 1-⅛ cups water in a pot for 15-20 minutes. Then place the pot on the stovetop, and turn the heat to high. Let the water come to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is absorbed and rice is cooked but firm, about 20 minutes. In the meanwhile, mix rice seasoning of vinegar, sugar, and salt in a measuring cup and set aside. When rice is cooked, spread out the hot rice on a baking sheet, and pour vinegar mixture over it. Gently fold the rice to distribute the season evenly. Set rice aside to cool.1 ½ cups uncooked sushi rice, 1 ⅛ cups water, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Roast the sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 425ºF. Peel and cut the potato into 1-inch cubes, and place on a small baking sheet. Coat with oil, and season with salt and a dash of pepper. Roast until potato is soft and the edges just start to brown, about 20-25 minutes. Turn potato cubes with a spatula half way through cooking time for more even browning.1 sweet potato, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, Dash of black pepper
- Make the vinaigrette: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk. Or alternatively, place ingredients in a secured mason jar and shake.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce, 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- Assemble salad: Divide rice among four large individual bowls. Distribute the cucumber, avocado, carrots, mango, and sweet potatoes evenly. Top with green onions, cilantro, and furikake seasoning. Serve with reserved vinaigrette, and drizzled over each salad.1 medium carrot, 1 Persian cucumber, 1 large avocado, ½ cup shelled and cooked edamame, 1 mango, 2 green onions, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 4 teaspoons furikake seasoning
Notes
- To keep this vegan, make sure your furikake is vegan, as some can contain fish flakes.
- The sushi rice recipe is adapted from Marc Matsumoto of No Recipes.
- I used plain rice vinegar. If you substitute with seasoned rice vinegar, cut the sugar and salt used on the rice in half.
- Store leftover rice separately if possible in the refrigerator. If making for meal prep, you can create individual serving bowls and store that way.
- Make ahead: The rice, sweet potatoes, and vinaigrette can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. If the rice clumps up, heat it up slightly in the microwave or flake it apart with a fork. The oil in the dressing may solidify, but will liquify once out of the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so. Mix again before serving.
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