When Emily Mariko’s viral recipe took over social media, I knew I had to make a veganized version of this dish. The results exceeded all my expectations. This vegan salmon rice bowl will blow your mind!

Vegan Salmon Rice

As a full-time vegan blogger, I love veganizing popular trends. When the entirety of TikTok was losing their minds over Emily Mariko’s viral salmon rice recipe, I just KNEW I had to try to make a plant-based version! It ticks all the boxes of a good meal – it’s simple, filling, and delicious.

I was also excited to add this recipe to the list of vegan alternatives to seafood dishes I created in the past. I hope you enjoy my vegan salmon rice as much as you enjoyed the vegan coconut shrimp and vegan ahi tuna.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • The reason everyone loved Emily Mariko’s original recipe is that it’s so simple yet delicious. A lot of the prep is hands-off. You just need to be patient while your tofu “salmon” marinates, the rest only takes a few minutes!
  • The combination of the flavors is honestly INSANE! When I set off to veganize this recipe, I expected it to be tasty, but the results totally blew me away.
  • If you miss fishy flavors, this is a great plant-based recipe to satisfy those cravings.
  • It’s a great way to use up leftover rice. And if you do, it counts as another Scrappy Cooking recipe, right?
  • You can customize the dish with your favorite sides and toppings.

How to Make This Recipe

For this recipe, you’ll need to press your tofu. If you’re not sure how you can watch my video on how to do it. After your tofu is pressed, slice it in half to create thinner blocks.

Then, carefully score lines in it with a pairing knife.

Combine carrot juice, soy sauce, miso paste, paprika, garlic powder, rice vinegar, and nori to create your marinade. Transfer your “salmon” to the container with the marinade. Allow it to stew in the marinate for at least two hours.

Vegan Salmon Rice

Heat a non-stick frying pan with a bit of olive oil, basting with the marinade until the tofu is seared on all sides. Add a little sesame oil over low heat at the end to give your “salmon” extra umami flavor.

Serve over cooked rice with sriracha, vegan mayo, and soy sauce. Mash everything together with a fork. To eat, wrap little nori sheets around your vegan salmon rice and enjoy. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Vegan Salmon Rice
Vegan Salmon Rice

Hack It!

  • The rice you use for this recipe can be freshly cooked or you can microwave some leftover rice. If you’re doing the latter, you could use the same technique as Emily – add an ice cube into the middle of the rice and cover it with baking parchment to retain moisture.
  • You can add extra sides and toppings to make the dish pop! The original recipe features sliced avocado and kimchi, but the sky is the limit! You could add some fresh cucumber, grated carrots, sesame seeds, peanut sauce, and more!
  • You can use store-bought vegan mayo or make your own.
  • If you can’t have soy, you can still enjoy a variation of this vegan salmon rice bowl. You can either use soy-free tofu (like Burmese tofu or pumpkin seed tofu) or make some carrot salmon lox. Instead of miso paste, use some sauerkraut or kimchi juice. And don’t forget to use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce!
  • You can adjust the amount of Sriracha to taste, especially if you prefer spicy food!

Store This Recipe

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you used leftover rice, it’s best to consume it the same day. Make sure to reheat thoroughly before eating.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

If you love simple recipes from whole-food ingredients, you’re going to love the PlantYou planner! It’s a digital meal planner with a database of over 500 healthy plant-based recipes. With a new meal plan dropping every single week, you can customize your weekly menu to feature your favorite dishes and ingredients. You can even adjust the number of servings, and the planner will autogenerate a shopping list to reflect that!

For the last two years, I also worked very hard on creating a great resource for plant-based cooking. And I am happy to announce that the PlantYou cookbook is now available to preorder! It will feature over 140 recipes for every occasion, including meals, desserts, salad dressings and more!

Vegan Slamon Rice

The Recipe: Vegan Salmon Rice Bowl

A vegan take on the viral TikTok recipe from Emily Mariko
5 from 4 ratings
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Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinating time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 375 g firm tofu, 1 block, pressed, cut in half and scored

"Salmon" Marinade

  • 1 ½ cup carrot juice
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp miso paste
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 nori sheet, crumpled

For Cooking

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil

To Serve

  • 8 mini nori sheets
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 2 tbsp vegan mayo
  • 2 tbsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste

Equipment

  • knife
  • chopping board
  • Large container
  • frying pan
  • Microwave, rice cooker, or pot

Instructions 

  • After your tofu is pressed, slice it in half, and carefully score lines in it with a pairing knife.
  • Make your marinade with the listed ingredients, and transfer your “salmon” to the container. Allow it to marinate for at least two hours.
  • Pan fry in olive oil, basting with the marinade until seared on all sides. Add a little sesame oil over low heat at the end.
  • Serve over cooked rice with sriracha, vegan mayo, and soy sauce. Eat wrapped in mini nori sheets. 
Calories: 619.7kcal, Carbohydrates: 69.6g, Protein: 26.1g, Fat: 25.8g, Saturated Fat: 3.2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5.7g, Sodium: 2233mg, Potassium: 672.2mg, Fiber: 4.2g, Sugar: 8.5g, Vitamin A: 33992.5IU, Vitamin C: 26.8mg, Calcium: 304.9mg, Iron: 4.3mg
Cuisine: American, Asian
Course: dinner, lunch
Author: Cat Gavriusova
Vegan Salmon Rice Bowl