Recipe: Garden Inspired Sushi Bowls

I love sushi. I could eat a truckload of rolls at once. But, it’s expensive. Even the grocery store stuff has a price tag that makes me cringe. While I love treating myself to a sushi dinner once in a while, I realized that what I love about this food is how fresh it tastes. I love that I can recognize the ingredients and feel good about what I’m putting in my body. 

So I decided to create my own spin on sushi at home. This recipe doesn’t require fancy tools or techniques and makes for a quick, healthy dinner when I’m busy but craving whole foods. Sushi bowls have become a well-loved dinner in my home, even my sushi-hating husband enjoys them! 

Sushi Bowls

Cheaper than take-out and easier than rolling your own sushi, these bowls are nutritious and easy to make. Some of the ingredients are also easy to grow right in your garden. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry sushi rice (I use Calrose, a medium-grain variety)
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 small carrot
• 1 green onion
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 cup cooked shelled frozen edamame
• Rice vinegar
• 1 avocado
• Spicy mayo (for topping) (you can buy this or make your own by mixing mayo with sriracha) 
• Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
• Faux-crab (Pollock) (omit if vegetarian)
• Soy sauce (optional)

Directions

Cook rice. I use a rice cooker to cook my rice, but cooking it on the stovetop works just as well. Follow packaging instructions. Once cooked, add a splash of rice vinegar to season the rice.

Use a vegetable peeler to ribbon the carrot. Cut up cucumber into small cubes. Thinly slice green onion. Cut up avocado into cubes.

Roughly chop the faux-crab.

Assemble. Divide rice into bowls and top with 1/4 cup of Panko. Add cucumber, carrots, edamame, avocado, and faux-crab. Drizzle spicy mayo on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. Add a splash of soy sauce for added seasoning, if desired. 

Enjoy!

These simple bowls are the perfect idea for a healthy, satisfying weeknight dinner. You can even make simple swaps depending on the veggies you have on hand or in your frugal garden. Just because you’re on a budget, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy sushi in one form or another! Most of the ingredients above are easy to find and if purchased in bulk can be used in a multitude of recipes.