Somewhere, in the deep recesses of my kitchen drawers, lies a sushi rolling mat. I have used it once, about five years ago, during my first and last attempt at rolling sushi at home. I made some lumpy rolls that day and deemed sushi rolls to be far too much work to make at home.

To buy vegetarian sushi at restaurants (when it’s not on happy hour), though, is to spend way too much money on rice and cucumber. I definitely appreciate the skill involved after my own endeavor, but when do I want to spend ten dollars on rice and cucumber? Very rarely. Veeerrrrrry rarely indeed.

Homemade sushi bowls are the answer to my sushi conundrum. There’s no rolling involved, which means they’re much easier to make. You can get more creative with toppings, too, since you aren’t limited to options that roll up well. Best of all, these fresh but hearty bowls keep me fueled for hours.

These sushi bowls start off with rice, of course, mixed with toasted, crumbled nori (the green seaweed casing for sushi rolls) and some vinegar, soy sauce and sweetener. I opted for brown rice, which is part of the reason why these bowls fill me up. Then, I topped the rice with edamame for protein, creamy avocado slices, short cucumber matchsticks and carrot ribbons, made with my vegetable peeler.

The real kicker is the spicy mayo sauce drizzled on top, made with Sir Kensington’s mayonnaise and some sriracha. It transforms the bowl from “tasty health bowl” to, “I want to eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner and oh man I can because it’s healthy” territory.

Sir Kensington’s mayonnaise offers a perfectly creamy, tangy base, and I rest easy knowing that it’s made from free-range eggs and non-GMO sunflower oil. Mayonnaise is really just egg yolk whipped with oil and a splash of vinegar, so you can taste the difference in Sir Kensington’s mayo. It’s definitely a superior product, and how cute is that jar?! You can shop for Sir Kensington’s mayonnaise (and ketchup and mustard!) on their website or at your local Whole Foods.

Veggie Sushi Bowls Author: Cookie and Kate

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 4 servings 1 x

Category: Entree

Method: Stovetop

Cuisine: Japanese ★★★★★ 5 from 31 reviews This recipe tastes like veggie sushi rolls, but in simplified bowl form! The spicy mayo sauce really takes it to another level. Feel free to play with the toppings to make this bowl taste like your favorite roll. There are a few steps involved, but each one is super simple. Recipe yields 4 sushi bowls, which keep well for leftovers (for best results, slice the avocado just before serving). Scale 1x 2x 3x Ingredients Rice and seasonings 2 cups brown short-grain rice, rinsed well

brown short-grain rice, rinsed well 1 (8 by 8-inch) sheet dried nori

(8 by 8-inch) sheet dried nori 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

rice vinegar 1 ½ teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce

reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce 1 tablespoon sugar or agave nectar

sugar or agave nectar ½ teaspoon salt Spicy mayo sauce ⅓ cup Sir Kensington’s mayonnaise

Sir Kensington’s mayonnaise 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha or chili-garlic sauce, to taste Everything else 2 cups frozen edamame, preferably organic

frozen edamame, preferably organic 2 large carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler

large carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler 1 avocado, sliced into long strips

avocado, sliced into long strips 1 small cucumber

small cucumber Recommended garnishes: sesame seeds (preferably black) and pickled ginger Instructions To cook the rice: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once the water is boiling, pour in the rinsed rice and give it a stir. Boil the rice for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and drain the rice. Return the rice to the pot and cover the pot. Let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. To prepare the rice seasoning: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the rice vinegar, tamari, sugar and salt. Warm the mixture, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and toss with rice once it’s done steaming. To toast the nori: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm the sheet of nori until it’s become crisp enough to crumble easily, flipping halfway, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and tear it into quarters. Crumble each piece into very small pieces in your hands over the rice and drop it into the pot. Stir the nori into the rice and set the rice aside to cool. To cook the edamame: Bring a pot of water to boil, then add the frozen edamame and simmer just until the beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. To prepare the spicy mayo sauce, whisk together the mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl until well blended. Add more sriracha if you’d like a spicier sauce. To prepare the cucumber, slice it in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them. Then slice the halves into 2-inch long pieces and slice them into matchsticks. Divide the rice between four bowls. Top with edamame, carrots, avocado and cucumber. Drizzle chili-mayo sauce on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with pickled ginger on the side. Notes Make it gluten free: Be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce (tamari is typically gluten free, but check the label to be sure). ▸ Nutrition Information The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post was created in partnership with Sir Kensington’s and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!