Recipes 3 min read
Make-Ahead Scattered Sushi Bowls (Lazy Sushi)
I’m excited to share one of my long-time favorites: Lazy Sushi Bowls, also known as Scattered Sushi. It’s one of those ideas I’ve been making for years but only now got around to posting. Simple, flexible, and endlessly adaptable, this dish is more a formula than a strict recipe—perfect for busy weeknights, casual dinners, and picnics.
Traditionally, chirashizushi (scattered sushi) is a bowl of seasoned sushi rice topped with sashimi and garnishes. My Lazy Sushi Bowls riff on that concept while keeping preparation easy and ingredients approachable. I prefer cooked or canned seafood and an assortment of toppings—many of which you may already have in the fridge. Typical components include seasoned sushi rice, Asian marinated cucumber (or cubed English cucumber), pickled carrots, flaked canned tuna, cooked shrimp, avocado, small cubes of cream cheese (a playful nod to a Philadelphia roll), torn nori or furikake, pickled ginger when available, soy sauce, wasabi paste, and toasted sesame seeds. You don’t need every item—this is meant to be built with whatever you have or prefer.
Lazy Sushi Bowls (a.k.a. Scattered Sushi)
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Sushi Dressing:
- 1 cup plain rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons raw or granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
For each serving of Lazy Sushi:
- 1/4–1/2 cup uncooked short-grain rice (sweet brown rice or short-grain white)
- 1 tablespoon Sushi Dressing (see above)
Optional:
- 1/4 of a ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, cubed, tossed with a little rice vinegar to prevent browning
- 1/4 cup sweet-and-spicy pickled carrots or 1/2 carrot, grated or peeled into thin strips
- 1/4 cup Asian marinated cucumber or about 2 tablespoons finely cubed English/seedless cucumber
- 1/2 of a drained can of Albacore tuna, flaked
- 2–4 pieces fully cooked shrimp, tails removed
- 3–4 small cubes of cold cream cheese (about 1/4-inch)
- Thinly sliced green onions, to taste
- Wasabi and soy sauce, to taste
- Torn or cut nori or furikake, to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds, to taste
Instructions
To Make the Sushi Dressing:
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Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Warm gently until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour into a jar and refrigerate; the dressing will keep for up to one month.
To Prepare the Lazy Sushi Bowls:
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Cook rice according to package directions (a rice cooker works well). Transfer hot rice to a large bowl, fluff gently, and pour on the appropriate amount of Sushi Dressing. Fold the dressing in carefully so you don’t mash the grains. Cover the surface with damp paper towels to keep the rice from drying and let cool to room temperature.
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When the rice is cool, divide among bowls and let everyone top their rice with the ingredients they like.
To Pack for Lunch or a Picnic:
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Pack the seasoned rice in a container with a tight-fitting lid and leave extra headspace for toppings. Store refrigerated items like cream cheese, avocado, and seafood in separate chilled containers. Keep the rice cool but not cold while transporting (a cooler works well) and assemble just before eating.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your creations!
Lazy Sushi Bowls are healthy (especially with brown rice), portable for lunches, and indispensable when feeding a crowd with varied tastes. They’re a simple, customizable way to enjoy sushi flavors without fuss—one of those home-cooked “unicorn” dishes everybody loves.
