Vegan Spam Musubi with Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce
A recipe using vegan spam to make Hawaiian Spam Musubi! A totally meat-free swap for savory spam and rice musubi with homemade gluten free teriyaki sauce!
Servings: 4 -5 pieces
Ingredients
- 6 oz extra firm tofu about 1/2 of a standard 14oz block of tofu
- 2 cups freshly steamed white short grain Japanese rice*
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds feel free to use black, white or both
- 1-2 sheets of unseasoned nori
- pinch of salt
- teriyaki sauce
- 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce alternative of choice
- 2 tbsp water to thin as needed
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar
- 1/2 tbsp liquid smoke
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch optional, to thicken
Instructions
- Slice tofu into spam sized pieces. I started by cutting the block of tofu in half (to create two wider blocks, not longer blocks, if that makes sense!). Press the tofu using a tofu press, or allowing to sit, sandwiched between paper towels and a heavy book on top for pressure. Press for about 20-30 minutes, or longer if possible! This allows for better texture and more water to be released.
- Once tofu is pressed, slice into pieces about an inch thick, and shape rectangles into spam shape, roughly 2 inches by 4 inches and round off the corners if desired.
- Prepare the teriyaki sauce by whisking together all sauce ingredients and allow tofu to marinate in the sauce. Again, the longer the better, for maximum flavour absorption! I recommend at least 30 minutes to an hour, but if you'd like to, you can also let sit in the fridge overnight.
- When tofu is ready, you can choose to pan fry tofu with any remaining sauce, until golden brown, and all the sauce is absorbed. Otherwise, you can bake at 375F in the oven on a nonstick baking mat for about 10 minutes on each side, brushing with leftover marinade as you flip.
- Prepare nori strips by cutting into strips about 2 inches wide, and prepare rice by tossing in a large bowl with sesame seeds and a pinch of salt. Use a spatula to toss, being careful not to break the rice grains or mush the rice.
- To assemble, take about 1/2-2/3 cup of rice, and using your hands, press together firmly with moist hands to form an oval shape. You can also use a form/mold to do this. This will be your rice ball base! Top with a slice of vegan spam, and wrap with a nori strip. To finish, brush with any remaining gluten free teriyaki sauce.
Notes
Tips for Success
- The trick to making this vegan spam recipe work is to nail the tofu. The bulk of the recipe focuses on getting the texture and flavour right, so give your tofu time to marinate in the seasonings.
- Make sure you're using extra-firm tofu, not silken. It should be hard to the touch and shouldn't fall apart when you're working with it. This is important for texture, and shape.
- If you have a tofu press, I highly recommend one! But if not, follow the tofu pressing instructions in the recipe below.
- I recommend preparing the rice in a rice cooker for the best results.
Storage Tips
- Wrap leftovers in reusable plastic wrap alternative and place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.