Meow Recipes: Crunchy Roll Bowls

Crunchy Roll Bowl with spicy mayo drizzled on top.

This is a fan favorite recipe that’s part of our Fall 2022 SOS Series! View the full series.

This is one of my most favorite things to eat.

It’s a block of tofu, nicely browned in teriyaki sauce, served on a bed of sticky rice with edamame, cucumber, avocado, jalapeño, a handful of crushed-up crunchy onions (seriously, trust me) and buried under a thick drizzle of extra teriyaki and spicy mayo.

And just like that, you’ve been transported to your favorite strip-mall sushi joint, eating a crunchy roll in bowl form, without the nervousness that accompanies raw fish and / or the work involved in rolling.

Just everything good about a crunchy roll, plus veg-focused and easy to make.

Ingredients in bowls for Crunchy Roll Bowls - rice, cucumber, edamame, tofu, avocado, sauce.

These Bowls Are Easy As 1-2-3

In true SOS fashion, this is going to be a weeknight win.

First, you’ll prep your ingredients: press and cube your tofu, slice your cucumbers, prep/cook your edamame, slice up that avocado.

Then, it’s time to cook! Get your rice going in a rice cooker, and then just fry up your tofu quick in a pan and add the sauce (storebought for ease! more on that below).

Assemble your bowls and that’s literally it. LITERALLY IT.

Make It Your Own

As with any bowl, there are tons of opportunities for customization here: different protein, different sauces, different vegetables.

Teriyaki chicken? Some pan-fried shrimp or salmon? Thinly sliced carrots? A listtle sushi ginger on top? The world is yours.

I used a storebought teriyaki sauce because that’s where I’m at in my life right now. I used the Soy-Vay brand – it’s tasty, sweet and savory, and has a little bit of sesame going on with it. But if you have the time and energy to make your own sauce, please invite me to your house for lunch because that… sounds really yummy.

New To Tofu?

If you’re new to tofu, let me introduce you! We have a whoooooole post about how to cook it that will officially make you a tofu-lover.

And from there, you can enter the big wide world of delicious tofu with my favorite recipes:

Firecracker Vegan Lettuce Wraps (a top POY recipe!)
Tofu and Brown Rice Lettuce Wraps (more lettuce wrap love!)
Spicy Sesame Zoodles with Crispy Tofu (crispy = yes)
Spicy Sofritas Tofu (like Chipotle but better)
Coconut Curry Ramen (sweet, sticky, delicious tofu)

Watch How To Make This Recipe:

Common Questions About Crunchy Roll Bowls

How can I make this recipe soy-free?

We’d recommend substituting another favorite protein for the tofu (chicken, salmon, shrimp, mushrooms, etc) and pea pods for the edamame.

Is this recipe meal prep-friendly?

Definitely! We’d just recommend adding the cucumber, jalapeño, spicy mayo, and crunchy fried onions right before eating.

Can I make the crunchy fried onions myself?

Sure! It just takes a little bit more work. Here’s a recipe we like for making homemade crunchy fried onions.

This recipe was inspired from the Crunch Bowl that I had at a little strip mall place called Aloha Poke! Which was inspired from an American fan-favorite – the crunchy roll. Crunchy rolls usually contain tempura shrimp, avocado, and “crunchies” which are fried tempura flakes – in general this is a far cry from traditional Japanese sushi, but they have their own wonderful qualities such as usually containing no raw fish and being just really fun and delicious to eat. Personally… I love them, and I love having the option to now eat them in bowl form at home!

Crunchy Roll Bowls

5 from 61 reviews

Author: Lindsay
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Print Recipe

Description

Crunchy Roll Bowls! A block of tofu, nicely browned in teriyaki sauce, served on a bed of sticky rice with edamame, cucumber, avocado, jalapeño, and a handful of crushed-up crunchy onions, buried under a thick drizzle of extra teriyaki and spicy mayo.

Ingredients

Units

1 block extra firm tofu
1 cup rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen shelled edamame
1 cucumber, finely diced
1 avocado, cut into chunks or slices
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
swish of neutral oil
1/2 cup teriyaki or savory-sweet Asian-inspired sauce (I used the store-bought Soy Vay brand – you could also make your own)
1/2 cup crunchy fried onions, crushed (like the kind you put on green bean casserole from the store!)
spicy mayo (see notes)

Instructions

Video

Prep the tofu: Press the water out of the tofu.
Make the rice: Cook rice according to package directions.
Prep the edamame: Cook edamame according to package directions.
Cook the tofu: Cut the tofu into cubes. Heat a little oil over medium high heat. Add the tofu and fry until golden brown. Add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of sauce – just enough to coat the tofu – and stir fry again until golden brown.
Serve: Assemble bowls with rice, tofu, more teriyaki sauce, edamame, cucumber, crunchy onions, and spicy mayo.