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These days my signature dish is my Vegan Sushi Salad. It is the perfect dish to feed a crowd for potluck Shabbat lunches; I made it to serve a large family that included a couple of vegans for a chesed meal, and it was my top of mind suggestion to two friends who asked me the same week for something to mix up their usual Shabbat lunch routines. They both declared it a hit with the their families and their kids’ friends. Keep in mind, some of these people were not looking for a vegan meal!
Like the memes I post about non-Jews fretting about Thanksgiving (you know, what we do every week for Shabbat), I love to hear my favorite podcasting sisters fret about how hard it is to entertain and give their tips. Elizabeth Craft and Gretchen Rubin are both sisters and writers. They host a podcast together, Happier, and Elizabeth Craft hosts Happier in Hollywood with Sarah Fain. They’re both smart, witty, and will make you happier in work and life. I highly recommend both podcasts. One of their “happiness hacks,” is to develop a signature dish. That way, when someone is having a potluck, you always know what you’re bringing.
You definitely don’t have to choose just one signature dish. My other go-to is my rainbow veggie platter. That’s even better because there isn’t any cooking involved and many hosts find it helpful when they’re having a large crowd. (An updated blog will be forthcoming.)
If you haven’t yet made my Vegan Sushi Salad (from my cookbook), now is the time! It is super easy and a real crowd pleaser.
Layered Vegan Sushi Salad
Source: The Healthy Family, Healthy You Cookbook
Serves 8-10
Layered, Vegan Sushi Salad
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If you don’t have my cookbook, and therefore have not made my Sushi Salad, now is the time! It is super easy and a real crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
Salad
2 cups (dry) Sushi rice (Brown, if possible. You can also layer brown and white.)
2 cups English cucumber, julienned (approximately 2 English cucumbers)
2 cups carrots, julienned
1 sheet Nori (seaweed), cut into strips, about 3 inches long and half an inch wide. (You can also use seaweed snacks)
1 avocado, diced
1 recipe Sesame Sticks (see below)
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds (You can use black, white or unhulled tan sesame seeds or a combination.)
Dressing
¼ cup low sodium tamari (or soy sauce, coconut aminos or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
¼ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Sesame Sticks
Each package of tofu serves 4
1 package extra firm tofu (Preferably high protein. Otherwise, you should probably press it).
2 Tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos (or tamari or low sodium soy sauce)
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
Cook the rice according to the directions on the bag. Let cool. Place the cooked rice in the bottom of a large glass bowl and pat down to make an even surface. Set aside.
Julienne (or dice) the cucumbers and carrots and place in a small bowl. Set aside.
Pour the tamari up to the ¼ cup line of a liquid measuring cup. Add the vinegar so that you have liquid up to the ½ cup line. Add the syrup and oil. Stir to combine.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix. Place the vegetable mixture over the sushi rice and pat down to make an even layer.
Place the sesame sticks in the bowl in an even layer.
Cut the nori into strips, 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Sprinkle the nori evenly on top of the salad. Dice the avocado and sprinkle that around. Then sprinkle the sesame seeds over the whole bowl.
Sesame Sticks
Heat oven to 425. Cut the tofu into approximately 14 sticks. You can do this by cutting through the block horizontally and then making 7 vertical cuts. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Space out the sticks on the paper.
Mix the liquid aminos and sesame oil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon over each stick, letting the liquid drip down the sides. Bake for 20 minutes. Take the tray out of the oven and flip the sticks over. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Notes
You can also dice the tofu into squares if you choose.
- Category: Main Meal
Keywords: Vegan Sushi Salad