Why is this recipe so popular?
Emily Mariko wrecked the Internet when she posted her salmon rice bowl recipe on TikTok. So many people joined in the trend and recreated the recipe with their own twist. Naturally, I was super curious about this food trend. Therefore, after seeing the recipe on my TikTok For You Page, I decided to recreate it using a plant-based ingredient - tofu in place of salmon.
The reason the Salmon Rice Bowl was so popular was that it uses leftover ingredients to create an easy and yummy meal. The ice cube and seaweed hack were also what makes it so interesting. The combination of sushi rice, sriracha, mayonnaise and seaweed also reminds me of a deconstructed sushi bowl, while being less time-consuming and easier to make. Additionally, as Emily Mariko is part Japanese, she was showcasing a dish that was close to her heart, which draws people in. All in all, all these reasons make the recipe irresistible to many. This recipe was my first one to go viral on @veggieanh Instagram and helped me gain many followers. This dish signifies an important milestone for me!
Tofu as a plant-based alternative for the "Salmon" Rice Bowl (TikTok trend)
The plant-based substitution of the salmon in this recipe is the powerful flavor absorber - tofu. In this recipe, I marinade tofu in a teriyaki sauce, using soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar and some additional ingredients. This marinade makes the tofu a wonderful competitor to salmon!
If you tried my version of Tofu 'Salmon' Rice Bowl, please leave me a review on this blog post or tag me on IG (@veggieanh). I would love to see your creations!
Print📖 Recipe
Tofu 'Salmon' Rice Bowl
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
Vegan version of the famous Emily Mariko salmon rice bowl using tofu. It is easy to make and assemble, making it a quick and yummy lunch.
Ingredients
Salmon 'Tofu'
- 400 g firm or extra firm tofu
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 nori sheet
Other ingredients
- 2 servings cooked rice (jasmine or sushi rice works here)
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 cucumber
- kimchi
- 1-2 nori sheet
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
- sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the tofu 'salmon'
- Cut the tofu block into quarter. Score the tofu using two chopsticks so that the marinade is absored better.
- Season the tofu with the marinade ingredients. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Fry the tofu pieces with some oil, let them sit and get browned before flipping.
- When both sides are golden, pour in the remaining marinade and use a spoon to pour the marinade on the tofu.
- When most of the sauce is evaporated, remove the tofu from the heat.
Assemble the Rice Bowl
- Add the tofu to the plate. Mash finely with a fork, then put in the cooked rice.
- Mix the rice and tofu together, then drizzle on top sriracha and mayo. Mix well.
- Top with the avocado, cucumber, kimchi, sesame seeds and nori sheet. Enjoy by putting the ingredients on the nori like a sushi!
Notes
You can use leftover rice for this by microwaving with an ice cube and baking paper on top for 1 minute. If you cook new rice, this step is not needed.
All the toppings are customizable, feel free to swap them with ingredients you have already had in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Fusion, Japanese
Keywords: comfort food, easy to make, tofu, vegan
Alanna Scarle says
This recipe is DELICIOUS! It’s super simple and quick to make, we’re certainly going to be adding it to our weekly meal plan. I didn’t have any tofu to make this recipe so I substituted it for tempeh and cut them in to small pieces, it worked a treat! I look forward to trying this again with tofu.
★★★★★
Veggie Anh says
Thank you so much for the review <3
León Plaga De Angelis says
I relly love this recipe, I maked a picnic with my friends and they relly love it.
★★★★★
Veggie Anh says
Thank you for your review! I'm glad you and your friends loved it!
Kristin says
This was bomb. You did that with that tofu marinade! 👏🏾
★★★★★
Veggie Anh says
Thank you so much for the review!
Nick says
I've made this so many times and everyone in my family loves it! Thank you
★★★★★
Veggie Anh says
Thank you so much for the review, I'm happy you and your family enjoyed it 🙂
Marianna says
Love this recipe. One of my faves
★★★★★
Veggie Anh says
Thank you so much for your review! Glad you enjoyed it!
Aysh says
Loved this recipe! Thank you
★★★★★
Veggie Anh says
Thank you so much for your review. I really appreciate it!
Munna Hossen says
Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe. I plan to make this recipe in this week by following you. Thanks for sharing!