It was the moment that left foodies quaking in their boots: In May 2022, Bon Appétit, the consummate purveyors of culinary excellence, questioned the future of the sushi industry in an article titled, “Can Sushi Survive?” Months later, many people who plan their lives around shows like “Top Chef” and “The Final Table,” or James Beard Foundation events have yet to recover. Hyperbole aside, the sushi industry in America, which nets $27.5 billion annually, is struggling due to the rising cost of eels and other oceanic animals. This fall from grace coincides with the crippling environmental impact of fishing. The shift is bad news for people who think animals are delicacies. However, this is excellent news for vegans and those active in the animal rights movement. The sushi industry has been made to rethink its menus, giving way to the hottest new trend in Japanese food: vegan sushi.

To eat a vegan sushi roll is to experience taste and texture on a new level. Each roll is crafted with sticky rice flavored with mirin, a Japanese cooking wine with sweet and savory notes. The rice enrobes various vegetable combinations, ranging from potatoes and avocados, as well as shitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots, to cucumbers and carrots. Each roll is covered with seaweed, which is vegan – despite its sea origins – then rolled in sesame seeds for the perfect punctuation of umami flavor. As the traditional sushi industry struggles to stay relevant among fickle customers who refuse to eat cheaper varieties of fish, vegan sushi has emerged as an alternative and as its own genre of culinary mastery. It is also devoid of mercury and other metals that are harmful when consumed in high quantities.

Daniel Pauly, Ph.D., a world-renowned fisheries expert, explained to Bon Appétit that the sustainability of the sushi industry is in question. “The word sustainable has become the equivalent of good or ethical, but it’s difficult to encounter a situation where you’re not getting into one [ethical] problem or another,” he said. “Humanity is living at the edge, and it’s very hard not to fall.”

Pauly’s observance is an astute one. The plant-based meat industry has grown exponentially over the past few years. Good Food Institute estimates that the market is worth a reported $1.4 billion. With plant-based food sales outpacing revenue growth of overall foods, it’s safe to say that people are willing to pay a pretty penny for rice and vegetables, despite what detractors might think.

Vegan sushi is on the rise in Japan, but also in the United States. Restaurants are using plants to craft visually stunning creations that are a nod to fish without any harm being done to sea animals. Eggplants and gourds make popular substitutes for sashimi and take away the fear factor of eating raw flesh – a common fear of people who don’t quite have a taste for sushi. Vegan sushi gives a new class of foodies something to rave about while allowing the fishing industry to reexamine its future as nature and human behavior take care of the rest.

Source: Fig, Bon Appétit, Good Food Institute