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When lunch needs to survive a commute, a busy workday or simply an afternoon away from the kitchen, portability matters almost as much as flavor. In a video on his Yeung Man Cooking YouTube channel, Wil Yeung turns a handful of familiar sushi ingredients into a vegan sushi burrito, a substantial and delicious handheld lunch filled with seasoned rice, caramelized tofu, avocado and spicy mayo.
Yeung, a Hong Kong-born Canadian author of four cookbooks, focuses his cooking channel on plant-based food. In this episode, he prepares a finished burrito that has plenty of contrast, from fluffy rice and tender tofu to crisp vegetables and creamy avocado.
Read more: How To Make This Vegan Sushi Bake
Start with fluffy rice and caramelized tofu
Find more irresistible plant-based recipes from around the world on Wil Yeung’s YouTube channel.
Yeung begins with sushi or short-grain rice, using about one and a half cups. “I’m using sushi or short-grain rice, which is one of my favorites,” he says, describing the cooked grains as “plump and fluffy.”
He rinses and drains the rice two or three times “to get rid of the excess starch,” then adds an equal amount of water. Once bubbles begin appearing, he lowers the heat, stirs to release rice sticking to the bottom, and covers the pan for 15 minutes. He later switches off the heat and lets the rice cook for another 10 minutes.
For the tofu, Yeung pats dry a roughly 350-gram block of extra-firm tofu and slices it into half-inch slabs. He coats the pieces with toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, soy sauce and dark soy sauce, then presses and rolls the tofu through the mixture.
The tofu bakes for about 20 to 25 minutes. Once it comes out of the oven, Yeung says the slabs are “packed with delicious umami” and should have “a beautiful caramel color.”
He later explains what each part of the marinade contributes. The tofu has “this really nice umami since it was baked with the soy sauce,” he says, while the maple syrup gives it “cotton candy-like sweetness.” The dark soy sauce creates the caramel color, and there is also “that hint of toasted sesame oil fragrance.”
Fresh vegetables and quick spicy mayo
While the tofu bakes, Yeung prepares the fresh fillings. He cuts half a carrot into thin matchsticks and says it will “add natural sweetness and a nice crunchiness.” His main advice is simple: “Do your best to slice it thin.”
A mini cucumber is cut the same way. “The cucumber will add a nice refreshing bite,” Yeung says.
He also makes it clear that the vegetables are flexible rather than fixed. “The great part about this recipe is that you can really use any veggies you like,” he says, adding that the burrito makes “a great grab-and-go lunch or snack.”
Thinly sliced avocado adds what Yeung calls “a lovely buttery texture.” For the sauce, he combines plant-based mayonnaise, Sriracha and a little water, then whisks everything together. “This is a nice and easy way of making a spicy mayo,” he says.
Yeung transfers the sauce to a squeeze bottle because it makes it “nice and accessible” when he starts assembling the burritos. The cooked rice is seasoned with salt and rice vinegar, then mixed gently with a rice paddle. Yeung presses it against the sides of the bowl and lets it cool for a few minutes before moving on to the nori.
Rolling the vegan sushi burrito
Yeung starts each vegan sushi burrito with a sheet of toasted nori and a thin layer of rice. He dips his fingers in water as he works because it helps “prevent the rice from sticking to your fingers.”
He also leaves a little space at the top of the nori. “That will just make the roll look a little bit cleaner,” he says.
The fillings go into the middle: toasted white sesame seeds, two tofu slabs, carrot, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo and microgreens. Yeung then uses a sushi mat to tuck and roll the burrito, applying gentle pressure as he goes.
“The rice will stick to the nori, which ultimately will help it keep in place,” he says. Once rolled, the burrito can be wrapped in parchment paper so that it is “ready to go.”
The tofu quantity makes enough for around three burritos. Yeung also notes that any extra can be saved for another dish rather than used all at once.
Read more: This Deconstructed Sushi Bowl Is Completely Vegan
‘So tasty, so fresh’
After taking a bite, Yeung does not hold back. “That is so tasty, so fresh, just delicious,” he says.
He describes the rice as “chewy and nice and fluffy,” while the tofu stays tender. The cucumber and carrot bring crunch, the carrots add sweetness, and the microgreens provide freshness. The spicy mayo contributes “a small hint of spiciness” from the Sriracha.
For Yeung, though, the biggest advantage is how uncomplicated the dish is. “The best part about this recipe is that it’s so simple to put together,” he says, calling it “the perfect lunchtime companion whether you’re at home or on the go.”
He even jokes about how easy they are to eat: “I can definitely enjoy two or three of these in one sitting if I don’t pace myself.”
That combination of portability and simplicity is what makes the burrito useful for weekday lunches. As Yeung puts it, “It’s simple, delicious recipes like this that makes it so much fun and exciting to cook and dine in at home, or in this case, to take with you on the go.”
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