Muffin Tin Sushi Cups (Vegan + GF)

These Muffin Tin Sushi Cups are super easy to make, so adorable and full of healthy goodness!

I’ve been so into thinking up easier twists of well-loved recipes recently (hello Lazy Falafel). I haven’t posted many sushi recipes on my blog other than this Onigiri and this Onigirazu, so I got thinking about some new sushi recipes and wanted to make something with a fun new twist!

I was thinking about how cute things like Onigiri are, but how they can be quite time-consuming to make and potentially a little fiddly too. These Muffin Tin Sushi Cups have all the kawaii-qualities* of onigiri, without taking as much time or effort to make. Hurrah! They are also seaweed-free, which is a blessing for all those nori haters out there.

*kawaii = a very popular Japanese word that means cute

So what’s great about these Muffin Tin Sushi Cups is that instead of having to mould the rice with your hands like onigiri or having to use a sushi mat like for sushi rolls, the muffin cases will do the hard work for you! Just press some cooked rice into the muffin cases using either your hands or the bottom of a small glass, and you’ll have some pretty cute Sushi Cups on your hands.

The fun part is the filling! I wanted to make sure this vegan sushi would be delicious without fish, and experimented with various different fillings. My absolute favourite was this edamame paste inspired by this edamame pesto – it has a rich flavour and almost melts in your mouth in a way reminiscent of raw fish.

I used this edamame paste to fill half of the sushi cups, then filled the other half of them with chunks of creamy avocado. I then topped them with some finely sliced sweet red pepper and grated carrot, and finished them off with some seaweed flakes and black sesame seeds.

You can use whatever you want though. Other delicious fillings include:

• Chickpea “tuna mayonnaise”
• Vegan Egg Mayonnaise
• Chickpea “chicken mayonnaise”
• Cucumber
• Diced cooked beetroot
• Scrambled teriyaki tofu
• Miso Seaweed Salad

..or whatever else you like!

These Sushi Cups make a perfect easy yet filling and nutritious lunch or dinner, but are easily portable so would also be great for packed lunches or picnics too. You could even serve them to guests at a dinner party as they can look pretty fancy, especially if you serve them on a cake stand!

Looking for more easy, plant-based twists on your favourite recipes? You might like my:

• Lazy Samosa Lettuce Cups
• Lazy Falafel Lettuce Wraps
• Vegan “Crispy Duck” Lettuce Wraps

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Helpful tools to make these Muffin Tin Sushi Cups:

food processor

blender

hand-held stick blender

Muffin Tin Sushi Cups (Vegan + GF)

These Muffin Tin Sushi Cups are super easy to make, so adorable and full of healthy goodness! 

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: easy sushi, things to make with a muffin tin, vegan packed lunch idea, vegan sushi

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 12 sushi cups

Calories: 17kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

For the rice:

• 1 cup sushi rice (make sure you use sticky glutinous rice)1 cup sushi rice (make sure you use sticky glutinous rice)

For the edamame paste:

• 50 g (1/3 cup) edamame 50 g (1/3 cup) edamame
• 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or sub 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar) 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or sub 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar)

To fill the sushi cups:

• 1 avocado, peeled and diced1 avocado, peeled and diced
• 1/2 carrot, peeled and grated1/2 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced

To serve (optional):

• Black sesame seeds Black sesame seeds
• Seaweed flakes Seaweed flakes
• Shichimi (Japanese seven-spice powder) Shichimi (Japanese seven-spice powder)
• Tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free) Tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
• Wasabi Wasabi
• Pickled ginger Pickled ginger

Instructions

For the rice:

• Cook the rice according to instructions on packet 
• Lay out 12 muffin cases in a muffin tin
• Divide the rice between the 12 cases
• Press the rice down into each muffin case using either your hands or the bottom of a small glass - make sure either your hands or the glass are wet before you do this, so that the rice doesn't stick! 

For the edamame paste:

• Boil the edamame according to instructions on packet
• Add edamame to a blender or food processor (or hand-held blender) along with other ingredients and whizz until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary

To fill the sushi cups:

• Divide the edamame paste between 6 of the sushi cups - put about a heaped teaspoon into each one 
• Divide the avocado between the remaining 6 cups 
• Top half of the sushi cups with the grated carrot and the other half with the red pepper

To serve:

• Sprinkle the sushi cups with black sesame seeds, seaweed and shichimi if desired. Serve with tamari (or soy sauce), wasabi and pickled ginger!

Notes

Other delicious fillings include:

• Chickpea “tuna mayonnaise”
• Vegan Egg Mayonnaise
• Chickpea “chicken mayonnaise”
• Cucumber
• Diced boiled beetroot
• Scrambled teriyaki tofu
• Miso Seaweed Salad

Nutrition Facts

Muffin Tin Sushi Cups (Vegan + GF)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 17

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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