Your Waffle Maker Is The Perfect Tool For A Sushi-Inspired Meal

As delicious as sushi is, it's much easier to order it out at a restaurant than to make it at home. Although homemade sushi can make for a fun project if you've got some time on your hands, you'll still need to get a bamboo sushi mat and seaweed sheets, and it may take a little practice to roll everything up neatly. But if you want all the flavors of a sushi roll with much less technique, TikTok's got you covered. All you need is a waffle maker to whip up a yummy, sushi-inspired meal.

A cross between sushi and crispy rice, the viral sushi waffles of TikTok use cooked sushi rice that's been crisped up in a waffle maker on the highest heat setting. The rice is typically seasoned similarly to sushi rice with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt. If you have a mini waffle maker, your device is the perfect shape to make small crispy rounds, but if you have a bigger version, you may want to cut your finished rice waffles into quarters so they're easier to eat. Then you can top them with any sushi-inspired toppings you like, such as raw or cooked fish, veggies, sauces, and seasonings.

If you want your waffles to resemble sushi as much as possible, top them with all the ingredients in your favorite roll. Whenever you're planning on eating raw fish, make sure you buy a sushi-grade version. Then top your crispy rice with diced tuna, salmon, yellowtail, or whatever type you prefer. For extra flavor, toss the fish with minced onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, or sesame seeds first. If the thought of raw food makes you squeamish, you can make this trendy meal using cooked salmon — just marinate it in the same flavors and flake it with a fork once it comes out of the oven. If you're a California roll fan, use imitation crab, which is pre-cooked.

Once your fish is ready, add toppings inspired by your favorite sushi. If you love tuna avocado rolls, for instance, arrange avocado slices between the waffle and the fish. Or for easier eating, mash your fruit and use it as the glue to hold all your toppings on the rice. If you love Philadelphia rolls, spread cream cheese on your waffle and top it with smoked salmon. Feel free to experiment with adding sliced cucumber, jalapeño, mango, or scallions. Sesame seeds, pickled ginger, and seaweed strips make perfect final touches — and don't forget yummy sauces like Kewpie mayo, soy sauce, and sriracha. There's no time-consuming technique involved here, yet you'll still get a slew of delicious sushi flavors.