10 Minute Crunchy Shrimp Sushi Bowl

This easy sushi bowl recipe is the perfect way to satisfy your sushi craving! Packed full of tangy rice and loaded with your favorite toppings, you'll want to make this for an easy dinner every day of the week. Add this one to your weekly meal prep for the best lunches ever!

What Is a Sushi Bowl?

In short, a sushi bowl is a deconstructed version of your favorite sushi rolls but in bowl form. Think of a burrito bowl, but for sushi.

Start with a layer of homemade sushi rice, and then add your shrimp, cucumber, seaweed, avocados, diced cucumbers, and more. Don’t forget the creamy sriracha mayo and crumbled nori sheets!

Why You'll Love Homemade Sushi Bowls

I'm in love with homemade sushi bowls and can't stop making them! They taste just like the California rolls I like to get at my local sushi place, but without the high price.

Especially since this healthy sushi bowl recipe uses frozen cooked shrimp for protein, the only thing you need to cook is the tangy sushi rice! While the rice cooks, you can prep the shrimp, toppings, and creamy mayo sauce.

You'll be able to enjoy all of your favorite delicious sushi flavors in just a handful of minutes. It really doesn't get any easier than that!

Sushi Bowl Recipe Ingredients

• 2 cups sushi rice (can sub white rice)
• 3 cups water
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoon cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb of medium-cooked frozen shrimp
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 4 small packages of seaweed snacks
• ½ cup mayo
• 3 tablespoon sriracha
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• sesame seeds for topping
• fried onions for topping
• green onion for topping

How to Make Deconstructed Sushi Bowls

1. First, start defrosting the shrimp according to the package.
2. Then prepare the sushi rice by rinsing it in a strainer a few times, then combine it with the water in a saucepan.
3. Turn to medium-high heat and boil, then reduce the heat and cover the small saucepan.
4. Cook for another 15-20 minutes on low until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
5. Once it's cooked, set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt.
6. After the rice has cooled a bit, stir well to incorporate the vinegar mixture into the rice.
7. The shrimp should be defrosted now. Dice it into bite-sized pieces.
8. To assemble the bowls, add a scoop of sushi rice and top with diced cucumber, avocado, and chopped shrimp.
9. Whisk together the mayo, sriracha, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Drizzle on top of the bowls.
10. Top with sesame seeds, a sprinkle of fried onions, and green onions.
11. Serve with the seaweed snacks crumbled on top or scoop your bowl onto a seaweed sheet and enjoy!

How To Make Sushi Rice

There's nothing quite like sushi rice, is there? It's tangy from the rice vinegar and a little sweet from the sugar. You don't have to be a sushi master to make tasty this sushi rice recipe at home.

To cook sushi rice on the stovetop:

1. Wash 2 cups of rice in a strainer a few times.
2. Add it to a saucepan filled with 3 cups of water.
3. Cover it with a lid and turn up the heat to medium-high.
4. When it starts to boil, turn off the heat and let the rice finish cooking from the residual heat.
5. While the rice is cooling, mix your rice seasoning of rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. 
6. Add this mixture to the partially cooled cooked rice and mix thoroughly.

Sushi vs. Poke Bowls - What's the Difference?

The meal-in-a-bowl concept is popular regardless of the type of food, but is a sushi bowl the same as a poke bowl? Not quite.

Poke bowls are a Hawaiian tradition, and feature marinated raw tuna served over a bed of rice topped with lots of fresh veggies and flavorful sauces.

Sushi bowls are a twist on the Japanese sushi tradition. Layer sushi rice with your favorite sushi ingredients like nori sheets, crab meat or shrimp, and your favorite fresh vegetables in a bowl. 

Both recipes are similar in concept and even ingredients, but the seasonings and sauces take each recipe in a different direction.

Tips and Tricks For a Great Bowl

Balance your proportions - Sushi rolls are the perfect bite! Add a flat layer of rice as a base for your toppings to ensure each bite is flavorful.

Substitute the right rice for your diet - This deconstructed sushi bowl can be adapted to any diet! Feel free to use brown rice for more fiber or even cauliflower rice for a low-carb meal.

Get creative - I love this sushi bowl recipe exactly as it is, but it can also be used as a base template for you to adapt. Swap out the shrimp for crab meat or salmon. Add in shaved carrots or red cabbage for even more crunch.

How To Store Sushi Bowls

My favorite thing about this healthy sushi bowl recipe is that it can be eaten cold or warm. This makes sushi bowls ideal for meal prep!

For your sushi bowl meal prep, set out all your meal prep containers and load them up following the instructions above. This recipe makes enough for four servings, so that's almost enough for an entire week of lunches in one recipe.

Plan on eating your leftovers within five days. Consider cutting the avocado to order or tossing it in lime juice to avoid browning. I like to store the spicy sriracha mayo in little containers to add right before eating.

FAQs

Are sushi bowls healthy?

This sushi salad bowl recipe is an easy healthy dinner. It includes rice as the starch, shrimp as the protein, and fresh avocado and cucumber for added nutrients. Feel free to add loads of vegetables for even more nutrition and fiber.

By making your spicy mayo sauce and rice seasoning at home, you control the quality and quantity of ingredients used in this sushi bowl recipe. 

What rice to use for a sushi bowl?

If you want your sushi rice bowls to taste like real sushi, take a little time to hunt down real sushi rice. Japanese short grain rice is known for being extra sticky, making it perfect for rolling sushi or making these sushi bowls. Look for rice labeled as sushi rice or for the term Japonica rice.

If you can't find sushi rice, substitute either medium or long-grained white rice. They aren't a perfect substitution, but they're pretty close.