Vegan Sushi Recipes: Creative Plant-Based Rolls and Tips

These vegan sushi rolls, filled with avocado, cucumber and carrot, are simple enough for a beginner to make. With only a handful of ingredients and basic tools, you can prepare them at home and enjoy a fresh, light meal.

Note: Traditional sushi often includes fish, so strictly speaking this is a vegan variation of maki rolls. Many restaurants call similar preparations “vegan sushi” or “vegan maki,” and this recipe recreates that familiar, vegetable-forward roll.

Making vegan sushi at home is easier than it seems. The process is straightforward and requires only a few ingredients and minimal equipment. If you enjoy avocado-and-cucumber rolls you’ve had at restaurants, you’ll find this version equally satisfying and quick to put together.

Maki is a very popular style of roll served in restaurants in the U.S., and this vegan version focuses on fresh vegetables wrapped in nori with seasoned sushi rice. If you follow the steps below, you can make delicious rolls in under an hour.

What Do You Need To Make Vegan Sushi

• Sushi rice (seasoned)
• Nori sheets (roasted)
• Cucumber
• Carrots
• Avocado
• Bamboo mat (makisu)
• Sesame seeds (black or white)
• Soy sauce or tamari, wasabi and thinly sliced pickled ginger (gari) for serving

Gathering the right ingredients and a few tools makes the process much easier. Sushi rice is the foundation, nori provides the wrapper, and a bamboo mat helps you roll tightly. If you don’t have an Asian grocery nearby, these items are commonly available online or at larger supermarkets.

If you want a quick way to cook perfect sushi rice, an electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot works very well. Cook 1 cup of raw sushi rice to yield about 2 cups of cooked rice; season the warm rice with rice vinegar, salt and a little sugar, then let it cool to room temperature before assembling rolls.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Prepare the sushi rice and allow it to cool to room temperature. Cook 1 cup raw rice to yield about 2 cups cooked rice; season with rice vinegar, salt and sugar, then mix and cool.

2. Place a nori sheet on the bamboo mat with the shiny side down. Wet your fingers to prevent rice from sticking and spread about 3/4 of the cooled sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving about an inch free on one edge.

3. Arrange thin strips of cucumber, carrot and avocado lengthwise across the rice in the center. Keep the vegetable strips thin so the roll is easy to close and slice.

4. Tuck your fingers under the filling and lift the bamboo mat to begin rolling. Roll firmly and evenly so the roll is compact. The first pass determines how tight the roll will be—aim for a snug roll without squeezing out the filling.

5. Once the roll is closed, press down gently with the bamboo mat to shape it. Remove the mat and finish sealing the seam by rolling the nori to the end.

6. Using a very sharp knife, slice the roll into pieces. Dip the knife blade lightly in water and wipe it clean between cuts to keep slices neat. Repeat to make additional rolls; this recipe yields about two rolls with the amounts listed.

7. Arrange the slices on a platter, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve with soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free option), wasabi and thinly sliced pickled ginger.

Tips & Notes

• Use freshly made, room-temperature sushi rice for best texture and flavor.
• Slice rolls with a very sharp knife. Wipe and wet the blade between cuts to get clean slices.
• Cut vegetables thinly; a mandoline or sharp knife makes this easier.
• Try other fillings: bell pepper, asparagus, radish, jalapeño, mango or marinated tofu all work well.
• If using tofu, pan-fry or bake it with soy sauce, ginger and garlic (and a touch of sweetness if desired) before slicing into strips—this adds much more flavor than using raw tofu.

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