These are the vegan Japanese rice dishes I cook most often and keep coming back to. They're a mix of familiar classics and simple, flavour-packed recipes I actually make at home. You'll find sushi, donburi, and everyday rice dishes, all plant-based, full of umami, and designed for real kitchens rather than special occasions.
These dishes are proper feel-good food, with plenty of umami, crunch, and colour. So grab your chopsticks or a spoon, no judgment here, and let's dig in.
Jump to:
- 1. Vegan California Roll
- 2. Mountain Vegetable Rice (Sansai Gohan)
- 3. Yaki Onigiri (Vegan Grilled Rice Balls)
- 4. Chahan (Japanese Fried Rice)
- 5. Vegan Uramaki Sushi (Inside-Out Roll)
- 6. Vegan Beef Donburi (Japanese Rice Bowl)
- 7. Aubergine Katsu Curry
- 8. Caterpillar Roll (Avocado Sushi Roll)
- 9. Mushroom & Teriyaki Tofu Donburi
- 10. Vegan Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)
- Other popular recipes
1. Vegan California Roll
A sushi staple turned plant-powered! This vegan California roll is packed with creamy avocado, crunchy cucumber, and a zingy vegan crab-style filling. Rolled in sushi rice and finished with vegan caviar, it's fresh, satisfying, and perfect for lunch, dinner, or a cheeky platter. We love how easy it is to customize, and it's always a hit!
2. Mountain Vegetable Rice (Sansai Gohan)
This one's a bit of a hidden gem. Sansai Gohan, or mountain vegetable rice, is a traditional Japanese dish that celebrates the wild flavors of nature. We use a mix of seasoned pre-boiled mountain vegetables, cooked gently with soy sauce, mirin, and kombu dashi. It's earthy, savory, and totally moreish.
3. Yaki Onigiri (Vegan Grilled Rice Balls)
If you've never tried yaki onigiri, you're in for a treat. These grilled rice balls are crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and brushed with a sweet-savory soy glaze that caramelizes beautifully in the pan. They're the ultimate vegan Japanese comfort food and just so simple and satisfying.
You can shape them by hand (just wet your hands to keep the rice from sticking) or use an onigiri mold for that classic triangle look. Either way, they're easy to make and seriously addictive once you get that golden crust going.
4. Chahan (Japanese Fried Rice)
Quick, cozy, and incredibly tasty, vegan chahan is our go-to for turning leftover rice into a proper meal. This Japanese-style fried rice is cooked with garlic, scallions, and sesame oil, then tossed with colorful veggies and tofu scramble. It has a classic eggy texture but is completely plant-based, of course.
Chahan is perfect for using up what's in the fridge. Sweetcorn, carrots, mushrooms, or diced bell peppers all work a treat. It comes together fast, makes minimal mess, and always hits the spot.
5. Vegan Uramaki Sushi (Inside-Out Roll)
Sushi lovers, this one's for you. Our vegan uramaki is an inside-out roll packed with flavor and color-featuring takuan (pickled daikon), sautéed mushrooms, creamy avocado, vegan caviar, and a drizzle of homemade vegan Kewpie mayo. It's rich, fresh, and absolutely gorgeous on the plate.
A proper showstopper, this one's perfect for dinner parties, date nights, or anytime you want to level up your sushi skills. Don't worry-it's easier to make than it looks, and the results are well worth the effort.
6. Vegan Beef Donburi (Japanese Rice Bowl)
This one's a proper bowl of comfort. Vegan beef donburi is all about thin slices of plant-based beef cooked with soft onions in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce, then piled over a big bowl of hot rice. Simple, satisfying, and packed with flavor.
It's the kind of thing you can throw together on a weeknight, but it still feels like a bit of a treat. Add some spring onions on top and maybe a little pickled ginger if you've got it-job done.
7. Aubergine Katsu Curry
Crispy, golden slices of panko-coated aubergine served with a rich, silky Japanese curry sauce-this aubergine katsu curry is pure comfort food. It's bold, warming, and ridiculously satisfying over a big mound of steaming rice.
We love how the aubergine turns beautifully soft inside while keeping that crunch on the outside. It's a great one for weekends or whenever you fancy something a bit more indulgent, but still easy enough to pull together with pantry staples.
8. Caterpillar Roll (Avocado Sushi Roll)
This one's is inspried by our visit to IMA sushi at Exmouth market, London. The vegan caterpillar roll is all about that beautiful layer of sliced avocado on top, giving it that signature "caterpillar" look. Inside, you've got a tasty mix of teriyaki mushroom, cucumber, and pickled daikon. These are wrapped in sushi rice and nori, then finished off with a drizzle of homemade vegan mayo. A few sprinklings of vegan caviar later and you have yourself something special.
The result is fresh, creamy, slightly sweet, and bursting with texture. All in all, it's a brilliant choice when you want something that looks impressive but is still totally plant-based.
9. Mushroom & Teriyaki Tofu Donburi
This donburi bowl is a proper weeknight winner. Steaming rice topped with juicy mushrooms, crispy-edged teriyaki tofu, and a glossy sauce that brings it all together. It's simple, filling, and packed with flavor without needing loads of fuss.
You can mix and match toppings depending on what you've got-edamame, pickled ginger, a sprinkle of sesame seeds. It's a flexible, satisfying bowl that comes together in under 30 minutes.
10. Vegan Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)
Onigiri are a classic Japanese snack-simple rice balls with tasty fillings, wrapped in a strip of nori. This vegan version keeps all the charm of the original, with plant-based fillings like miso eggplant, umeboshi (pickled plum), or even spicy tofu.
Also, they're super portable, easy to shape by hand or with a mold, and great for packed lunches, picnics, or a quick bite between meals. Once you get the hang of making them, you'll always want a batch in the fridge.
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