It took me a long time to try and fall in love with sushi. But, after numerous trips to Japan, I am a huge fan and seek sushi wherever I can. On occasion, though, I want the sushi flavor without having to make it or roll it at home. This is where sushi bowls and poke bowls come into play. Here are some of our favorite sushi bowl recipes, including tuna, salmon, vegetarian, and vegan recipe options.
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What Is A Sushi Bowl
First a little sushi nomenclature. The term sushi can include a lot of different options, including different types of maki, which are sushi rolls. Sushi rolls include maki (seaweed on the outside), uramaki (rice on the outside), and temaki (a handheld sushi roll). Sushi also includes nigiri and sashimi, a slice of fish with rice or without, respectively.
A sushi bowl is, essentially, all of the tasty ingredients of sushi, but in a bowl. Generally, this will include sushi rice on the bottom. The rice is topped with fish, vegetables, strips of seaweed, sesame seeds, and a dressing.
In Japan, there are different names for different types of bowls, including donburi and chirashi sushi. One of the most memorable times we ate something like this in Japan was during a trip to Sapporo. There, it was a bowl topped with Sapporo’s famous crab. But, we’ve also eaten donburi bowls, topped with tuna, sushi, and other fish.
Recipes For Sushi Bowls
Included in this recipe guide are a variety of different options for sushi bowls. Their common feature is rice in a bowl, topped with tastiness.
Some of these recipes can also be considered buddha bowl recipes, something I ate a lot of when we lived in Bali. To be considered a buddha bowl, generally, the bowl should include rice or grain, along with veggies, a protein, and a dressing. The protein can include fish, but more likely includes tofu or tempeh.
Some people consider this as lazy sushi – essentially all of the tastinesses of sushi without having to actually make a sushi roll. This is one of the best reasons to make a sushi bowl at home. Just layer the ingredients and eat!
Sushi vs. Poke Bowl – What’s The Difference?
It’s only been recent that the average sushi-loving person probably even heard of a poke bowl. It seems that poke bowls are gracing the menus of restaurants across the US and even Europe. I even ate a poke bowl at the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World. So, what is the difference between a sushi bowl and a poke bowl?
A sushi rice bowl includes layers of ingredients on top of sushi rice. Poke bowls include a mix of ingredients with rice. Sushi comes from Japan. Poke bowls come from Hawaii. Some people say poke bowls tend to include more ingredients than sushi or sushi bowls.
In the end, I don’t care what you call it. I simply love some of these bowl recipes, which are the perfect way to make a healthy lunch or dinner at home.
Learn more about sushi:
Sushi Eating Etiquette – How To Eat Sushi In Japan
How To Make Perfect Sushi Rice?
When making sushi bowls, it helps if you start with fabulous, perfectly cooked rice. Now, I am not expecting perfectly cooked sushi rice for these bowl recipes. This is, in part, because perfect sushi rice takes years to master. Proper sushi chefs say that what makes quality sushi is not necessarily the fish, but the rice.
Instead, it does help if you have well-prepared rice on the base of these sushi bowls. For that, I recommend a rice cooker. Not only does a rice cooker prepare perfect rice every time, but by preparing the rice in a rice cooker you don’t have to monitor it on a stovetop. This means you focus on preparing the remaining ingredients for the bowl recipe.
Learn more about Japanese rice here:
Best Japanese Rice Cooker – How To Make Japanese Rice At Home
Best Small Rice Cooker Reviews 2022 – Buying A Compact Rice Cooker
The Best Japanese Rice Recipes
Best Sushi Bowls To Make At Home
Watermelon Poke Bowl
These watermelon poke bowls are easy and refreshing! This is obviously not a traditional poke recipe, but it is super tasty and vegan. It’s also a fresh and healthy sushi bowl that is well balanced with the sweetness of the watermelon.
California Roll Bowl
A California Roll deconstructed into an easy-to-make meal in a bowl. It’s a satisfying combination of your favorite sushi fillings in a simplified form. And a California roll in a bowl is a perfect lunch or mid-week meal.
Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl
Full of fresh, healthy ingredients, this shrimp poke bowl is a feast for the eyes and your stomach. It’s a satisfying meal filled with lean protein, whole grain brown rice, fresh veggies, and topped with a Sriracha mayo that packs a spicy punch! Preparing a spicy tuna bowl at home is the perfect way to eat healthily, and save a few bucks.
Albacore Tuna Tataki Bowl
This quick and easy Albacore Tuna Tataki Bowl is full of your favorite Asian flavors. Skip the sushi restaurant and make this great meal in your own home!
Healthy Budget-Friendly Tuna Sushi Bowl
If you’re looking for a healthy, easy, and budget-friendly sushi-inspired meal, I’ve got you covered! This healthy homemade Tuna Sushi Bowl is made with canned tuna and the most cooking you’ll do is the rice!
Easy Sushi Bowl For Weeknights
This is how to enjoy delicious sushi at home in about 30 minutes. Perfectly seasoned bowls of sushi rice topped with fresh veggies, chives, avocado, sesame seeds and wild caught tuna fillets. Add even more sushi flavor with spicy, creamy sushi sauce or wasabi soy sauce.
Tuna Bowl With Avocado Wasabi Dressing
This tuna sushi bowl allows you to get your sushi fix at home! A quick and easy preparation with radishes, carrots, cucumber, seaweed, and avocado is then drizzled in a spicy avocado wasabi dressing.
Shrimp Poke Bowl
Full of fresh, healthy ingredients, this shrimp poke bowl is a feast for the eyes and your stomach. It’s a satisfying meal filled with lean protein, whole grain brown rice, fresh veggies, and topped with a Sriracha mayo that packs a spicy punch!
Baked Salmon Sushi Bowl
Delicious sushi bowl topped with baked salmon, carrots, cucumbers, seaweed, and avocados, drizzled with a sticky homemade sweet soy sauce. So delicious!
Spicy Salmon And Avocado Poke Bowl
Super nutritious and flavorful, this Spicy Salmon and Avocado Poke Bowl is a perfectly satisfying weeknight dish.
Vegetable Sushi Salad
Here’s a fun and economical way to enjoy the flavors of vegetable sushi but not the mess of making it — a tasty vegetable sushi salad featuring rice, avocado, carrots, cucumber, and nori. This is, essentially, a deconstructed sushi bowl, heavy on the salad and fresh vegetables.
Vegetarian Sushi Bowl With Chickpeas
Easy vegetarian sushi bowl made with cauliflower rice, mango and seaweed squares is an easy way to eat sushi.
Check out some of these other vegetarian recipes:
14 Tasty Vegetarian Korean Recipes
The Best Moroccan Vegetable Recipes
33 Of The Best Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes
Vegan Poke Bowl
This quick and easy bowl uses sushi rice and precooked beets for a bright snd colorful sushi bowl. The beets are marinated in a soy ginger sauce the bowl is topped with spicy vegan mayo. And the edamame also makes this a slightly crispy sushi bowl.
Vegan Sushi Bowl With Spicy Vegan Mayo
This vegan sushi bowl is everything you love about sushi, served up in a bowl and topped with spicy cashew mayo.
Low Carb Sushi Bowl With Cauliflower Rice
This Sushi Bowl Recipe is a trendy low carb sushi made in 15 minutes with seasoned cauliflower rice, cooked shrimp, avocado, veggies, and sriracha mayo. It’s low carb, keto, and gluten-free!