Last Updated on July 19, 2022

[エリンギのお魚風にぎり寿司]

My King Oyster Mushroom “Fish” Nigiri Sushi is one of my favorite sushi I’ve ever made and the best of all, vegan sushi never looked so real! King oyster mushroom is cooked to perfection for the “fish” look and the satisfying texture. This vegan “fish” nigiri is topped with onion, scallions, Hawaiian salt, wasabi and a surprising taste from lime! It’s a must recipe to try out for all vegan sushi lovers and to impress non-vegan sushi lovers!

King Oyster Mushroom For Sushi

When it comes to food, it’s not all about the taste but also the texture that we crave and enjoy!

King oyster mushroom (or trumpet mushroom) is a type of mushroom that has a perfectly satisficing chewy texture. They’re typically quite large and have a long and thick stem. King oyster mushroom doesn’t really have that umami flavor you may look for in other mushroom such as maitake or shiitake. However, because of the pleasantly chewy texture, it’s perfect for grilling as well as to make vegan imitation of “seafood.”

For example, you may have eaten vegan “scallops” which have the look & the texture of real scallops. That’s also made with king oyster mushroom. You just need to score the mushroom to mimic the look of the real scallops but the texture really resemble the real ones. While king oyster mushroom “scallops” are great, it just doesn’t have the unexpected WOW factor…but my King Oyster Mushroom “Fish” Nigiri Sushi does!

Luckily, the length and the shape of king oyster mushroom is perfect for making vegan “fish” for nigiri-style sushi!

What’s Nigiri?

Nigiri is a one of the styles of sushi. The most common sushi style (outside of Japan) would be the roll which is the one wrapped with seaweed. Then, nigiri comes next.

The word nigiri [握り or にぎり] is a variation of the word nigiru [握る or にぎる] which is an action verb of “to grasp”, “to hold” or “to mold” in the case of sushi making. Nigiri is a perfect way to show case the beauty of the topping  called sushi-neta [寿司ねた] in Japanese.

As a side note, the word “topping” for sushi may not even be a proper description, at least that’s how I feel. The word “topping” may sound like a connotation of something additional rather than a main component. However, the “topping” is the main part of nigiri sushi!

King Oyster Mushroom “Fish” Nigiri Sushi FAQs

As, this vegan king oyster mushroom “fish” nigiri sushi got extremely popular (thank you everyone for sharing!), there are some common questions that have been asked. Here are my answers to them!

#1 Is it easy to make?

Yes, definitely!

#2 What’s the trick?

You just to need to score the mushroom in the certain ways (see the recipe and instructions below.)

#3 Does the king oyster mushroom resemble the flaky texture of fish?

Not really…

#4 Does it taste like fish?

Not at all!

#5 Does it smell like fish?

Nooo way!

#6 Can I modify the seasonings and toppings?

Yes, however I highly recommend to keep some of the original toppings such as onion and lime!

#7  If you really are vegan why would you even think of replicating “fish”?

I didn’t create this sushi for the intention of satisfying the craving of fish. You can simply treat this as an edible “food art” for the look of the sushi that everyone is familiar with. Don’t we all eat with our eyes first?

If you have any other questions,  let me know in the comments below! I’ll be happy to answer them!

Be sure to check out the “Step-by-Step Instructions (w/ Photos)” after the Printable Recipe!

Print Recipe

5 from 88 votes

King Oyster Mushroom “Fish” Nigiri Sushi

My King Oyster Mushroom "Fish" Nigiri Sushi is one of my favorite sushi I've ever made and the best of all, vegan sushi never looked so real! King oyster mushroom is cooked to perfection for the "fish" look and the satisfying texture. This vegan "fish" nigiri is topped with onion, scallions, Hawaiian salt, wasabi and a surprising taste from lime! It's a must recipe to try out for all vegan sushi lovers and to impress non-vegan sushi lovers!

Yield: 12-16 nigiri

Total Time includes the time for preparing Sumeshi (Vinegared Sushi Rice.) Click the link for the recipe.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings: 2

Author: Plant-Based Matters

Ingredients

Vinegared Sushi Rice

• 2 servings Sumeshi (Vinegared Sushi Rice)

King Oyster Mushroom “Fish”

• 4 large pieces king oyster mushrooms (about 12 oz)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari adjust to taste
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil adjust to taste

Suggested Toppings & Condiments

• thinly sliced yellow onion (or red onion)
• thinly sliced scallion
• thinly sliced lime with the peel on cut into tiny pieces (about the size of pinky nail)
• a pinch of coarse Hawaiian salt (or any good coarse sea salt)
• soy sauce or tamari optional
• wasabi optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• First, prepare Sumeshi (vinegared sushi rice) using my recipe. Alternatively, use your favorite go-to vinegared sushi rice recipe.
• While rice is cooking, start preparing the king oyster mushroom “fish.” Trim off the top and the bottom of the mushrooms to make into about 4 in (10 cm) length. Next, slice them lengthwise into 0.3-0.5 in (8.5 -10 mm) thickness rectangles. Also, trim the sides if you like. Then, score diagonally on both sides of each sliced mushroom. Be sure not to go too deep otherwise it will break apart.
• Cook the mushrooms. Heat up a frying pan at medium to medium high heat (non-stick surface would be recommended for preventing from sticking.) Pour neutral oil and cook the mushrooms about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Try not to move them too much for better coloring. Remove from the pan and lay them flat in a single layer on a large plate or something similar. While still warm, season with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Set aside to marinate until the sumeshi (vinegared sushi rice) is done.
• Once the sumeshi is done (it should be cooled down to resembling the body temperature), start assembling. Damp your hands and grab a small amount of rice in one hand. Toss and roll gently to form an oval shape (don’t squeeze!) Place a dab of wasabi (optional) and the marinated mushroom “fish” on top. Shape it again with a gentle pressure. Repeat the process.
• To serve, top it with onion, scallion, and a lime slice, a tiny pinch of Hawaiian salt, along with soy sauce (or tamari) and wasabi on the side (optional.)

Notes

Sumeshi (Vinegared Sushi Rice)

• Sumeshi (Vinegared Sushi Rice) is a must for this recipe! I highly recommend using my recipe for an authentic sushi tasting experience!
• My sumeshi recipe makes 2-3 servings by default which makes about 30 small nigiri. You will need about a half of the sumeshi to make this King Oyster Mushroom “fish” Nigiri Sushi recipe which should make about 12-16 nigiri by default.

 

King Oyster Mushroom

• King oyster mushroom (trumpet mushroom) is a type of mushroom that’s meaty and thick.
• Choose large pieces for this recipe: 5 in length (12 cm) or larger so you can trim down to at least 4 in (10 cm.)
• Don’t discard the trimmed down parts! You can save it for another meal.

 

Tips For The “Fish”

• Trim down the king oyster mushroom to about 4 in (10 cm) length then slice it to about 0.3-0.5 in (8.5 -10 mm) thickness to much the size of nigiri sushi.
• Score diagonally to mimic the look of “fish.” When scoring, don’t go too deep! It will fall apart.
• When cooking, get a good grill mark by not moving too much. This is important for the visual effect of the “fish.”
• See the photos on the blog for more details!

 

Toppings & Condiments

• Lime is the key topping for this nigiri I highly recommend not skipping it!
• Onion and/or scallion slices adds a nice accent to each bite.
• I use coarse Hawaiian salt for a pretty red color. Alternatively, use other coarse sea salt or smoke sea salt.
• The sushi should have enough flavor without using soy sauce as a dipping sauce. However, feel free to use it as an option.
• Use of wasabi is recommended. You can either place a dab between the rice and the mushroom during assembling (in step 4) or serve on the side.

 

Leftover Sushi Rice

• You may have some leftover rice which you can store in the refrigerator.
• Like any leftover rice, leftover sumeshi will harden especially in the fridge so store in airtight container and consume within 1-2 days.
• Optionally, you could make fried rice using sumeshi (yes, it will taste slightly sweet & vinegary.)

Did you make this recipe?Mention @plantbased_matters or tag #plantbased_matters!

Step-by-Step Instructions (w/ Photos)

1. First, prepare Sumeshi (Vinegared Sushi Rice) using my recipe. Alternatively, use your favorite go-to vinegared sushi rice recipe.

2. While rice is cooking, start preparing the king oyster mushroom “fish.” Trim off the top and the bottom of the mushrooms to make into about 4 in (10 cm) length.

Next, slice them lengthwise into 0.3-0.5 in (8.5 -10 mm) thickness rectangles. Also, trim the sides if you like.

Then, score diagonally on both sides of each sliced mushroom. Be sure not to go too deep otherwise it will break apart.

3. Cook the mushrooms. Heat up a frying pan at medium to medium high heat (non-stick surface would be recommended for preventing from sticking.) Pour neutral oil and cook the mushrooms about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Try not to move them too much for better coloring.

Remove from the pan and lay them flat in a single layer on a large plate or something similar.

While still warm, season with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Set aside to marinate until the sumeshi (vinegared sushi rice) is done.

4. Once the sumeshi is done (it should be cooled down to resembling the body temperature), start assembling. Damp your hands and grab a small amount of rice in one hand. Toss and roll gently to form an oval shape (don’t squeeze!)

Place a dab of wasabi (optional) and the marinated mushroom “fish” on top. Shape it again with a gentle pressure. Repeat the process.

5. To serve, top it with onion, scallion, and a lime slice, a tiny pinch of Hawaiian salt, along with soy sauce (or tamari) and wasabi on the side (optional.)

If you enjoy the recipe, please share, leave a comment below and tag us @plantbased_matters on Instagram! We appreciate your kind support 🙂