This Vegan Onigirazu Sushi Sandwich puts a fun and delicious spin on traditional sushi rolls. If you’re a sushi lover looking for a convenient, handheld option, think of it as a rice sandwich. Then let’s make a tofu onigirazu with mushrooms, carrots, avocado, cucumbers, and spicy mayo!
🥪 Upgrade Your Packed Lunch with a Sushi Sandwich!
I love the endless possibilities of making onigirazu sandwiches. You can fill them with your favourite sushi or sandwich ingredients, such as pickled vegetables, teriyaki tofu, a vegan chicken patty or a rainbow of veggies.
These vegan onigirazu aka sushi sandwiches are ideal for on-the-go meals, whether in a lunchbox, on a hike, or at a picnic. For more tasty portable lunch ideas, try my vegan Japanese Egg Salad Sandwiches! 😋
📖 What Does Onigirazu Mean?
Onigirazu means “not shaped into a ball” in Japanese. The name reflects its difference from traditional onigiri, hand-shaped rice balls. Instead, onigirazu is made by layering rice and fillings on a sheet of nori and folding it into a flat, sandwich-like shape.
Onigirazu is like the tasty offspring of sushi and a sandwich and let me tell you, it’s a complete game-changer! 😮💨 The first time I tried one of these rice sandwiches, I couldn’t believe how delicious they were. I kept thinking, “Why haven’t I made these before?” They’re just so tasty! 😍
Recipe Ingredients
The photo below shows all the ingredients for the recipe with helpful notes for guidance.
Seasoned Sushi Rice – Please refer to the detailed instructions in this blog post How To Make Sushi Rice (Stovetop or Rice Cooker).
Nutritional Yeast – Adds a savoury, cheesy flavour, available at major grocery stores in the natural food aisle or bulk food stores.
Tofu – Use extra firm tofu for its substantial texture, satisfying bite, and excellent ability to hold its shape.
Shiitake Mushrooms – Use my recipe for marinated simmered mushrooms in a sweet soy sauce glaze. Warning: they’re dangerously good! 🤤
Nori Sheets – Find dried seaweed sheets, known as nori, at Asian markets or in the international aisle of your grocery store.
Spicy Mayo – I love the Flying Goose Brand of vegan spicy mayo. Alternatively, you can make your own using just two ingredients: vegan mayo and sriracha sauce.
🌟 Level Up Your Onigirazu Sushi?
Here’s some filling inspo: Think mashed chickpea salad, teriyaki tofu, or vegan tamagoyaki. Don’t forget to play around with vegetables and sauces to create your perfect sushi rice sandwich.
📸 Visual Guide: Making A Onigirazu Sushi Sandwich
Scroll down to find the recipe card for detailed step-by-step written instructions.
Preparing Sushi Rice
Make a batch of seasoned sushi rice and let it cool to room temperature before starting the sushi sandwiches.
Preparing Ingredients
While the rice cools, prepare the simmered shiitake mushrooms, veggies, and tofu. Thinly slice the cucumber and avocado, and shred the carrots.
Slice the tofu into 1/4-inch slabs. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high, and pan-fry the tofu until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Reduce heat, add soy sauce and nutritional yeast, cook for 1-2 minutes.
Assemble Onigirazu
Place a nori sheet on a large piece of plastic wrap. Arrange sushi rice in the center, shaping it into a square 45-degree angle/diamond. Layer on the fillings of your choice, then add more rice. Top with a small square of nori, fold and tightly wrap with plastic.
🌟 Struggling To Keep Your Onigirazu Sushi Sandwich Intact?
Here’s the trick: Layer your ingredients evenly and flat on the nori sheet to prevent anything from moving, then tightly wrap in the plastic.
👩🏻🍳 Jazz’s Tips
- Use a water bowl – Dip your fingers in water before handling sushi rice to prevent it from sticking to you.
- Layering technique – Layer the rice and filling ingredients evenly on the nori sheet to ensure a well-balanced and sturdy onigirazu.
- Slice diagonally – Before wrapping the onigirazu, pay attention to how you position the veggies, like sliced avocado and mushrooms, because you’ll want to cut it crosswise to display the inside layers nicely.
- Leftover hack – Got leftover seasoned sushi rice in your fridge? It’s perfect for making onigirazu. Just cover the rice with plastic wrap or a damp towel, microwave in 30-second intervals until warm and it’s ready for sushi sandwiches.
How To Store
Wrap your onigirazu sushi sandwiches tightly in plastic wrap to keep them fresh and prevent them from drying out. Store them in the refrigerator and enjoy them within 2-3 days for a convenient meal or snack option later on.
🍣 Hungry for more sushi? Explore my go-to vegan sushi recipes listed below!
- Tofu Crunch Roll w/Teriyaki Sauce
- Veggie Caterpillar Sushi Roll
- Kappa Maki (Cucumber Sushi Roll)
- Vegan Futomaki Roll (Maki Sushi)
- Sweet Potato Sushi Roll (Fun Hack)
- Vegan Spicy Tuna Roll (Tomato)
- Vegan California Roll (Shredded Tofu)
- Avocado Roll (Creamy + Buttery)
Vegan Onigirazu Sushi Sandwich
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 1 recipe seasoned sushi rice
Tofu
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 350g extra firm tofu
- 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp nutritional yeast
Onigirazu
- 1 recipe simmered shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 2 ripe avocado, sliced
- 6 nori sheets
- spicy mayo
- sesame seeds
Instructions
Sushi Rice
- Make a batch of seasoned sushi rice and let it cool to room temperature before starting the sushi sandwiches.
Tofu
- Slice the tofu into 1/4-inch slabs. Pat dry with a paper towel. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high. Pan-fry the tofu until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Reduce heat, add soy sauce and nutritional yeast, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Onigirazu
- While the rice cools, you can make the simmered shiitake mushrooms and prep the veggies. Slice the cucumber thinly. Use a box grater to shred the carrots and thinly slice the avocados.
- Begin by laying a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Next, place a sheet of nori, shiny side down, rough side facing up, on top of the plastic wrap.
- In the center of the nori, add a layer of sushi rice, approximately 1/3 cup, pressing it down and shaping it into a square at a 45-degree angle or diamond shape using slightly wet hands.
- Layer on the tofu, mushrooms, cucumber, carrots, avocado, spicy mayo, sesame seeds, and another layer of rice, about 1/3 cup, pressing down gently to compact the ingredients.
- Take a second piece of nori and cut it into a square that matches the size of your fillings. Place it on top of the rice and fold the sides of the nori over the filling. Firmly wrap the entire sushi sandwich with plastic wrap and gently squeeze it to seal everything together.
- Allow the onigirazu to rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together. Then, unwrap and cut it in half. Serve with spicy mayo or soy sauce for dipping, if desired.
Notes
- Step-by-Step Photos – Follow along with my visual guide included in the blog post to ensure every part of the recipe is crystal clear.
- Storage – Wrap your onigirazu sushi sandwiches tightly in plastic wrap, refrigerate, and enjoy within 2-3 days.
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