The BEST Vegan Rice Balls Recipe
These BEST Vegan Rice Balls are a delicious and wholesome twist on traditional rice balls, combining perfectly cooked sushi rice with flavorful stir-fried tofu and a zesty, spicy sauce. Coated with furikake or sesame seeds and finished with a drizzle of vegan mayonnaise and fresh spring onions, these rice balls make a perfect snack or light meal for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 rice balls 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Vegan Japanese-inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Rice
- 200g short grain rice (sushi rice)
- 1 cup water (for cooking rice)
Tofu Filling
- 280g block extra firm tofu
- Drizzle of oil (for frying tofu)
Sauce
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- Handful of fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp gochugaru flakes
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Garnish
- Drizzle of vegan mayonnaise
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- Furikake seasoning or sesame seeds (optional, for coating)
Instructions
- Rinse the Rice: Place 1 cup of short grain rice into a saucepan and rinse under cold water. Drain and repeat this rinsing process three more times until the water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch.
- Cook the Rice: Add 1 cup of water to the rinsed rice in the saucepan. Place the pan over low to medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the Tofu: While the rice cooks, grate the extra firm tofu block using a cheese grater to create a shredded texture suitable for mixing.
- Stir-Fry the Tofu: Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a small drizzle of oil. Add the grated tofu and stir-fry for a few minutes, allowing it to start browning lightly.
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the light soy sauce, finely chopped fresh basil, gochugaru flakes, lime juice, sugar, minced garlic, and sesame oil until well combined.
- Combine Tofu and Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the frying pan with the tofu. Continue frying for a few more minutes until the tofu absorbs the flavors and turns a lovely golden brown color.
- Mix with Rice: Remove the tofu from heat and transfer it into a large bowl. Add the cooked rice and gently mix together until evenly combined.
- Form Rice Balls: Once the mixture has cooled enough to handle, take a handful of the rice and tofu mixture and form it into compact balls by pressing firmly with your hands.
- Coat the Rice Balls: Roll the formed rice balls in furikake seasoning. If furikake is unavailable, use sesame seeds or leave them plain.
- Serve: Arrange the rice balls on a plate. Drizzle with vegan mayonnaise and sprinkle with finely chopped spring onion and optional sesame seeds for garnish. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!
Notes
- Rinsing the rice multiple times removes excess starch and prevents the rice balls from becoming too sticky or gummy.
- Cooling the rice mixture slightly makes it easier to handle when forming rice balls.
- Extra firm tofu works best for texture and holds up well to stir-frying and mixing with rice.
- For a spicier kick, adjust the amount of gochugaru flakes to your taste.
- Furikake seasoning adds umami and crunch, but sesame seeds are a simple alternative if unavailable.
- These rice balls can be reheated gently in a microwave or steamed before serving.
Keywords: vegan rice balls, tofu rice balls, vegan snack, vegan appetizer, Japanese vegan recipe, tofu stir-fry, sushi rice recipe, homemade rice balls
Find it online: https://delishfamilyrecipe.com/the-best-vegan-rice-balls-recipe/
