A Vegan's Guide to Sushi

It seems like everyone is talking about the Netflix documentary Seaspiracy lately. In case you haven't seen it, I will spare you the doom with this very simple summary and call to action:

The most impactful thing you can do to save our oceans is to stop eating seafood (fish, shellfish, cephalopods, etc). Going vegan doesn't only spare the species that are being harvested from our oceans (and the resulting bycatch), it can also significantly reduce the amount of plastic that is polluting our oceans. That is because, according to the documentary, the fishing industry is responsible for the vast majority of the plastic that makes up the garbage patches taking over the oceans.

It may sound counterintuitive, but sushi was crucial to my transition to veganism. Finding a conveniently located vegan friendly restaurant, especially one that is open late, can be challenging. Enter sushi.

Sushi can be found a lot of places: from gas stations and grocery stores to a range of dedicated, hybrid, casual, or upscale restaurants. Take Chicago, for instance. Even though I live thousands of miles from any ocean, I'm never more than a few blocks away from some sushi in my South Loop neighborhood.

I was big on seafood before I went vegan and had said that I could never give it up on several occasions. I missed sushi after giving up animal products and, based on my pre-existing notions that sushi had to be fish-focused, I didn't consider it as an option within my new lifestyle.

However, I decided to see what my options were upon ordering a thank you dinner for some sushi-loving clients. To my surprise and good fortune, I realized that nori (the seaweed wrap) provides sufficient briny ocean flavor to any sushi roll and that fish-free sushi still tastes like sushi. I had a revelation: the distinct taste that we associate with seafood is more attributable to a creature's habitat (the sea) than it is to the creatures themselves. Therefore, sea vegetables are a perfect seafood flavor substitute.

Sea vegetables like seaweed can provide key umami flavors and nutrients (like iodone) to any vegan diet. Even the simplest sushi roll is crafted to have a perfect balance of flavors and textures in each bite, being simultaneously satisfying and refreshing. Most sushi restaurants have several delicious staple vegan items on their menu. You just need to know what to order. Here are some of my suggestions:

Oshinko Roll - Broadly speaking, oshinko are pickled vegetables in Japanese cuisine. Oshinko rolls usually feature white or yellow pickled daikon. Sweet, sour, and savory: this might be my favorite vegan sushi option.

Avocado Roll or Cucumber Roll - These rolls are basic, but delicious. I've seen these on almost every sushi menu I've encountered. Cucumber and avocado are staples in any sushi restaurant's kitchen, so any sushi restaurant is likely able to accommodate you with these dishes even if they aren't listed on the menu. I used to live near a sushi restaurant outside of Boston that had a banana and avocado dessert roll. It sounds weird, but it was delicious.

Sweet Potato Roll - The sweet potato in this dish is usually deep fried in a tempura batter, adding a pleasant crunch to contrast the potato's creamy texture. Sweet, salty, and beyond satisfying. Who doesn't love tempura?

Inari (or Fried Tofu Skin Nigiri) - Inari sushi are fried and seasoned tofu skin pockets stuffed with sushi rice and often topped with pickles or vegetables. These might also be my favorite. Again, you can't go wrong with a little bite of something deep fried.

Mushroom - Soy marinated shiitake mushroom rolls are also found on a lot of (but not all) sushi menus. I recently had an amazing sweet king oyster mushroom nigiri. It was visually stunning and could easily be mistaken as a non-vegan item.

Konjac Salmon - I was underwhelmed by this one, but it is worth noting. This looks so much like the real thing that it is disconcerting, and is therefore making the rounds on social media (of note, Vegan Zeastar products). Konjac is a tuberous herb native to Asia that is supposed to have a fishy flavor, making it a key ingredient in vegan seafood. I believe the main ingredient in the 'salmon' is tapioca (or equivalent). It had a tapioca pearl texture and mild (or bland) flavor that hinted at fish (or shall I say, the sea). This is something that you will probably only find at vegan-focused sushi restaurants. I don't recommend it when there are so many better options.

Tomato Nigiri - The final rolls on this list are two more that are only found at vegan-specific spots. To my limited knowledge, they are not traditional. I had a spicy (cured) tomato nigiri from a vegan spot in Chicago that was superb. Visually, it looked a lot like a tuna. I was thrown off a bit by the flavor not matching the appearance (I had forgotten exactly what I ordered and wasn't sure what I was eating). However, tomato is an umami powerhouse, and this nigiri was a delight to eat.

Spicy Carrot Roll - I haven't personally tried the spicy carrot roll yet, but I will leave you with this inspiration a la vegan queen Tabitha Brown.

Finally, try to dine in or find restaurants with eco-friendly takeaway containers to further reduce your consumption of single-use plastics and protect our oceans.

Find me on instagram @britaplantbasedbruxa for more tips on incorporating plant-based meals into your routine. Try eating plant-based for your health, the animals, or the planet. Whatever your motivation, it is all connected, and we all benefit when one person tries to do better!