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two chopsticks taking a sushi roll

Vegan Sushi

Making vegan sushi at home is delicious, fun, and much cheaper than in any sushi restaurant! A vegan sushi recipe with step-by-step pictures everyone can follow!
Author : Aline Cueni
5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time :20 minutes
Rice Preparation :1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time :1 hour 45 minutes
Servings : 8 Sushi Rolls
Calories : 204kcal

Ingredients
 

Sushi Rice

  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) sushi rice
  • 2 ⅓ cups (560 ml) water
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

Sushi Rolls

Serving

Instructions
 

Sushi Rice

  • Place the sushi rice in a large bowl and wash the rice under running cold water until the water comes out clear. → Move the rice in a circular rotation using your hand to speed up this process.
  • Carefully discard the water (use a sieve if you want) and generously fill the bowl with fresh cold water. Let the rice soak for 30 minutes.
  • Drain over a sieve, place the rice in a rice cooker, add 2 ⅓ cups of water, and switch on the rice cooker.
  • Once cooked, switch off the rice cooker (unplug if necessary, don't leave it in the "warm" mode) and leave the rice for another 30-45 minutes in the rice cooker with the lid on. → This step can be skipped if in a hurry, but it does make a distinguishable difference!
  • Meanwhile, add rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, switch off the heat, and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
  • Place the sushi rice in a large bowl, pour over the hot vinegar mixture, and toss until well combined. Cover with a damp tea towel and let it cool to room temperature before using it to make the sushi rolls.
  • → For more tips and a detailed visual recipe guide with step-by-step pictures, please visit my other blog post: How To Make Sushi Rice

Sushi Rolls

  • Place one sheet of nori (glossy side down) on a plastic wrap. Spread a layer of cooked sushi rice onto the nori, leaving out approx. 1 inch (2 cm) at the bottom and 2 inches (5 cm) at the top. → For thicker sushi rolls, only leave out 1 inch at the top (makes less than 8 sushi rolls, but thicker ones).
  • Place a thin line of cream cheese, followed by cucumber, avocado, and tomato strips onto the lower third of the rice. Top with cilantro or sesame seeds. → Mix and match the fillings as you like.
  • Transfer onto a folded tea towel and roll it up into a tight sushi roll. → Check out the blog post for the visual guide with step-by-step pictures!
  • Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  • Cut the rolls with a sharp knife into thin (or thick - as you like) sushi rolls. → For a nice and clean cut, and to prevent the nori from tearing apart, wet the knife under running tap water from time to time. Tip: The two ends are always kind of ugly! Eat them as a snack while preparing sushi!
  • Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled sushi ginger.

Notes

  • Leftovers & Make Ahead: The best way to store sushi is to wrap each sushi roll (uncut) into plastic wrap and refrigerate. Eat within one day.
  • Filling: If you don't like something on the list, just swap it out with tofu, bell pepper, watermelon "tuna", chickpea "tuna," carrot, or any other plant-based ingredients. I love to fill each sushi roll a little different to have some variety on my plate.
  • Wasabi: The powder version is what's served at quality sushi bars and is more intense than paste, yet also more expensive. Either one is delicious. Make sure to prepare the powder at least 15 minutes prior to serving, as the flavor develops over time (follow the package instructions).
  • Aline's Dipping Tip: If you, by any chance, have sweet soy sauce at home, mix it 1:1 with regular soy sauce for dipping. So delicious with the vegan cream cheese filled sushi rolls!
  • Dislike Nori? Try out this sushi version with rice paper! 
  • Bamboo Sushi Mat: If you have a bamboo mat at home, you can omit the plastic wrap & towel and roll the sushi directly onto the mat.

Nutrition

Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg