Vegetarian Sushi Rolls

Making Vegetarian Sushi Rolls at home is surprisingly easy and affordable. It only requires simple tools and perfectly cooked vinegared rice. Once you get the techniques down, you‘ll be ready to roll in no time.

I’ve shared quite a collection of sushi on Just One Cookbook, but today I’m going to show you how to make vegetarian sushi rolls at home. Light, tasty, and colorful, these sushi rolls are going to satisfy everyone. I’ll walk you through the ingredients, variations you can make, and the important tips in sushi-making, so you’d be making them regularly!

A Quick Note on Sushi Rolls

In Japan, we categorize sushi rolls based on their thickness, instead of dietary categories. (You can read our Ultimate Sushi Guide.) Although you’ll find sushi rolls with vegetable fillings such as cucumber rolls and kanpyo rolls, we don’t typically label them vegetarian as we enjoy a wide variety of ingredients, particularly in sushi.

However, with an increasing number of international visitors to Japan, you might see more vegetarian and vegan-friendly sushi appearing in Japan.

When making your own sushi rolls at home—be it vegetarian or non-vegetarian, the most important thing is to learn the proper way to make sushi rice. I’ve selected fillings that are easy to find and do not involve additional preps (like deep-frying). You can be as creative as you like, but let’s get the basics covered today.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easier than you think! For newbies, you might need some practice to achieve good-looking sushi rolls. But trust me, it takes just a few trials to pick up the skill.
• Versatile. You can fill your sushi rolls with different vegetables and ingredients—uncooked or cooked, unseasoned or seasoned.
• Great portable snack, lunch, and picnic. Sushi rolls are great for bringing outside of your home. Pack them in a bento box or ojubako (Japanese lacquered box).
• A crowd-favorite for parties and potlucks. It’s easy to impress a crowd when you show up with a tray of these fun and colorful sushi rolls. Plus, they are made with familiar ingredients that most people enjoy. No wonder they are one of the popular party food items in Japan!

Ingredients for Vegetarian Sushi Rolls

• Japanese short-grain rice
• Kombu (dried kelp) – Optional. If you already have it in your pantry, I recommend using it. If you end up buying kombu, you can make Vegan Dashi (Japanese soup stock) from scratch and make Vegan Miso Soup!
• Mizkan Seasoned rice vinegar (aka “Sushi Vinegar”) – There are two types of rice vinegar: seasoned and unseasoned. I used Mizkan Seasoned Rice Vinegar this time as they are specifically blended for sushi and it’s convenient. If you prefer to use unseasoned rice vinegar, here’s how to make Sushi Vinegar.
• Dried nori seaweed – There are many brands of nori, but if you can afford it, I’d say go with the most expensive (ideally imported) nori you can find on the shelf. I found it hard to compare the quality of nori with the ones we can get in Japan. The standard is vastly different. Please do not consider getting the value pack or cheap nori; or else, you end up with gummy nori seaweed…
• Vegetable fillings: Red onion, cucumber, carrot, avocados, fried firm tofu (tofu cutlet).
• Spicy mayo: Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and sriracha sauce.
• Garnishes: soy sauce, wasabi, Sushi Ginger, and white sesame seeds.

How to Make Vegetarian Sushi Rolls

1. Make sushi rice by cooking the Japanese short-grain rice, and then seasoning it with Mizkan Seasoned Rice Vinegar.
2. Make quick red onion pickles by marinating thinly sliced red onion with Mizkan Seasoned Rice Vinegar.
3. Make spicy mayo by combining Japanese mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, and lime juice.
4. Cut all the vegetables and fried tofu into long strips.
5. Place the nori seaweed on the bamboo sushi mat, spread the sushi rice, and place the fillings toward the bottom of nori. Then, roll up the sushi mat and seal the edge.
6. Slice each sushi roll into 8 pieces. Continue making the rest and serve with soy sauce and wasabi.

More Vegetarian Sushi Filling Ideas

Don’t feel limited by your filling options just because you’re vegetarian or vegan. There’s plenty of room to get creative! I included more ingredient ideas below, and you just need to pick 2-3 items that give you contrasting colors, flavors, and textures. Change up the pairing and you’d have a brand-new sushi roll!

• Daikon radish sprouts or microgreens
• Marinated beet (cut into sticks)
• Shiso leaves (julienned)
• Roasted/grilled shiitake mushrooms, portobello, or other types of mushrooms (sliced)
• Red cabbage (thinly sliced)
• Bell peppers (cut into long strips)
• Roasted/grilled/pan-fried sweet potatoes (cut into long sticks)
• Kimchi or other pickled vegetables such as takuan (pickled daikon)

Where to Buy a Sushi Making Kit

If you want a full kit that has everything you need to make sushi at home, I recommend the JapanBargain Sushi Making Kit. It comes with a hangiri and is my favorite sushi making kit. It’s just $26.99 at Amazon and comes with three mats and three rice paddles, so you can make multiple rolls at once.

Cooking Tips

Tips for Perfect Sushi Rice

While it’s hot, pour the measured seasoned sushi vinegar (or sushi vinegar) over the rice. With a rice paddle, gently “slice“ the rice at a 45-degree angle to incorporate the sushi vinegar mixture and separate the chunks of rice. Do not stir or mix the rice because the grains may break and the rice will become mushy.

While using this slicing motion, vigorously fan the rice with a paddle fan or another type of fan. This cools the rice and takes away the excess moisture. Fanning makes the rice shine and keeps it from becoming mushy. Then, gently flip the rice in between slices.

Repeat this slicing, fanning, and flipping process until the rice is cooled to the temperature of human skin. Keep the sushi rice covered with a damp towel (or paper towel) for a few hours at room temperature.

Tips for Rolling the Sushi Rolls

First, place the nori sheet, shiny side down and long side vertically, on top of the bamboo sushi rolling mat. Next, put 1 cup (150 g) of sushi rice on the nori sheet. Gently and evenly spread the rice with a rice paddle or your fingers, leaving about a ½ inch (1.5 cm) strip of nori along the top edge farthest away from you. You don’t spread the rice to the top edge because after you roll, the sushi rice could come out from the seam and it won’t look pretty. Be sure to spread the rice in an even layer; otherwise, your sushi roll will look uneven.

Next, add your filling ingredients. If you are a beginner, place the filling ingredients at about one-third line from the bottom edge; in other words, move up the filling slightly toward the middle line compared to mine (see below). Be careful not to overfill your sushi roll.

Lift the bottom edge of the sushi rolling mat with your thumb and forefinger of both hands. Press your other fingers down on the filling to hold the ingredients in place. Then, roll the nori sheet over the filling tightly and firmly until the bottom edge of the nori reaches the rice on the other side of the filling.

Firmly hold the rolled portion of the bamboo mat in place with one hand. With your other hand, pick up the other end of the bamboo mat at the top edge. Now, pull the two sides against each other to tighten the roll. Release the top edge of the rolling mat and finish rolling.

Place the bamboo mat over the rolled sushi and tightly squeeze. Cover the finished sushi roll with plastic wrap so it doesn‘t dry out. Continue rolling the rest of the sushi rolls. Keep them in a cool place under plastic wrap (NOT in the refrigerator) until you are ready to slice and serve.

Storage Tips

For leftover sushi rolls, keep them in a cool place for 8 hours. To refrigerate them overnight, cover them with a thick kitchen towel, so the rice will stay cool but not become cold.

If you have leftover sushi rice, my recommendation is to put it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to a month. You can defrost it overnight in the fridge, and then microwave to room temperature (not hot). Rice gets hard and dry in the refrigerator, but if you really want to refrigerate it, cover the container with a thick kitchen towel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are vegetarian sushi rolls gluten-free?

This recipe is! Make sure to dip the sushi rolls in gluten-free soy sauce.

How can I make this vegan version?

Japanese mayonnaise contains eggs, so you have to use eggless vegan mayonnaise to make spicy mayo.

Can I use rice that’s not Japanese or short-grain?

No, please do not use another type of rice. Japanese short-grain rice is naturally stickier and holds in place when you roll it up into a sushi roll. You will likely have difficulties in making sushi rolls when you use other types of rice.

How about brown rice?

The Japanese do not typically use brown rice for making sushi or sushi rolls. Some home cooks use it but I’d say brown rice in sushi form is still rare in Japan because it does not taste well with sushi ingredients.

If you have seen brownish rice in high-end sushi restaurants outside of Japan, it could be due to akazu or red vinegar on regular white rice. You can read more about brownish sushi rice in this post.

What to Serve with Vegetarian Sushi Rolls

• Soup – Sushi is always served with a type of miso soup. Keep it simple with Vegetable Miso Soup or make this hearty Kenchinjiru that has lots of root vegetables.
• Salad – How about Spinach with Sesame Sauce and Harusame Salad with glass noodles?
• Sides – Edamame or flavorful Spicy Edamame is a good start! You can also prepare Roasted Kabocha, Kinpira Gobo, or Simmered Taro.

Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe

• Wooden sushi oke or hangiri (container) – I used this mini hangiri sushi party set
• Bamboo sushi rolling mat – You can find it on Amazon.
• Non-stick rice paddle – I use this standing one that I love.

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Vegetarian Sushi Rolls

4.64 from 11 votes

Making Vegetarian Sushi Rolls at home is surprisingly easy and affordable. It only requires simple tools and perfectly cooked vinegared rice. Once you get the techniques down, you‘ll be ready to roll in no time.

Print Pin

Prep Time: 45 minutes mins

Rice Cooking Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 sushi rolls

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the Sushi Rice

• ▢ 2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice (3 rice cooker cups; 540 ml; yields 6⅔ cups (990 g) of cooked rice)
• ▢ 2¼ cups water (540 ml)
• ▢ 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (5 g; 2 inches x 2 inches, 5 cm x 5 cm; optional, but it will give a nice aroma!)
• ▢ ⅓ cup seasoned rice vinegar (sushi vinegar) (if you only have unseasoned rice vinegar, make my Homemade Sushi Vinegar)

For the Pickled Red Onion

• ▢ ½ red onion
• ▢ ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar (sushi vinegar)

For the Spicy Mayo

• ▢ ¼ cup Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise (for vegan, use vegan mayonnaise)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
• ▢ splash lime juice

For the Sushi Rolls

• ▢ 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers
• ▢ 1 carrot
• ▢ 1 deep-fried firm tofu cutlet (atsuage) (I use this Organic Tofu Cutlet)
• ▢ 2 avocados
• ▢ splash lime juice
• ▢ 6 sheets nori (dried laver seaweed)

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

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Instructions

 

Before You Start…

• Before You Start: You must use Japanese short-grain rice or your sushi will fall apart. Please note that ¾ measuring cup of uncooked Japanese rice is 1 rice cooker cup (150 g, 5.3 oz) and yields roughly 2¼ cups (330 g, 11.6 oz) of cooked rice. One sushi roll requires 1 US cup (150 g) of sushi rice.
• Gather all the ingredients.
  

To Make the Sushi Rice

• Rinse 2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice until the water is almost clear (you can learn how to properly rinse the rice in my post on How to Make Sushi Rice). Put the well-drained rice in the rice cooker inner pot and add 2¼ cups water to just under the 3-cup line for White Rice. If your rice cooker has a Sushi Rice mode, add water up to that line. Place 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) on top of the rice (optional) and let the rice soak in the water for 20–30 minutes. Then, start cooking. If you don‘t have a rice cooker, cook the rice in a pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe with the amount of water I specified in this recipe. Tip: Since we‘ll be adding sushi vinegar to the steamed rice, cook the rice a little bit on the firm side. To achieve this, use a rice-to-water ratio of 1 to 1 for sushi rice (instead of 1 to 1.1 or 1 to 1.2 for regular steamed rice). While the rice is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
  
• When the rice is cooked, discard the used kombu (or repurpose it to make simmered kombu). If using a wooden sushi oke (also called hangiri), moisten it by running water over it and drain well. You can also use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Transfer the cooked rice to the sushi oke and spread out the rice evenly so it will cool faster.
  
• While it’s hot, pour ⅓ cup seasoned rice vinegar (sushi vinegar) over the rice. With a rice paddle, gently “slice“ the rice at a 45-degree angle to incorporate the sushi vinegar mixture and separate the chunks of rice. Do not stir or mix the rice because the grains may break and the rice will become mushy. While using this slicing motion, vigorously fan the rice with a paddle fan or another type of fan. This cools the rice and takes away the excess moisture. Fanning makes the rice shine and keeps it from becoming mushy. Then, gently flip the rice in between slices. Repeat this process until the rice is cooled to the temperature of human skin. Keep the sushi rice covered with a damp towel (or paper towel) for a few hours at room temperature. To keep it for a longer time, see the To Store section below.
  

To Make the Pickled Red Onion

• Thinly slice ½ red onion and transfer it to a glass jar (or bowl). Add ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar (sushi vinegar) or until they are just covered. Set aside until you prepare the other ingredients.
  

To Make the Spicy Mayo

• In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp sriracha sauce, and splash lime juice and mix it all together. Set it aside.
  

To Prepare the Other Filling Ingredients

• Cut 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon. Then, slice each half into 4 long strips. Tip: Seeds contain moisture; therefore, we discard them to avoid excess moisture inside the sushi rolls.
  
• Using a julienne peeler, peel 1 carrot to make julienned strips. If you have a regular vegetable peeler, peel thinly, then cut the sheets into long, thin julienned strips.
  
• Cut 1 deep-fried firm tofu cutlet (atsuage) into slabs. Then, cut the slabs into long sticks.
  
• When everything else is ready, cut 2 avocados in half lengthwise around the seed. Twist the two halves until they separate. Now, if you‘re new to removing the avocado pit, at this point, slice the avocado in quarters lengthwise, then twist it off the seed. If you have removed the pit before, follow my step below.
  
• I usually use my knife, but you must be very careful not to cut your hand if you use this method. First, hold the avocado half in your palm, preferably with a folded kitchen towel to protect your hand. Next, carefully and very gently tap the heel of your knife into the pit with just enough pressure that the knife embeds in it. Then, hold the avocado firmly as you twist the knife and the pit in a counter direction. The pit will come out smoothly. Alternatively, you can slice the avocado in quarters lengthwise, then twist it off the seed.
  
• Cut the avocado halves in half (so now you have avocado quarters) and remove their skin.
  
• Cut each quarter in half lengthwise. Sprinkle splash lime juice from the leftover lime over the cut avocado pieces to prevent them from changing colors.
  

To Roll

• Prepare one of 6 sheets nori (dried laver seaweed) with the sushi rice: First, place the nori sheet, shiny side down and long side vertically, on top of the bamboo sushi rolling mat. Next, put 1 cup (150 g) of sushi rice on the nori sheet. Gently and evenly spread the rice with a rice paddle or your fingers, leaving about a ½ inch (1.5 cm) strip of nori along the top edge farthest away from you. If you‘re using fingers, wet them with water occasionally so the rice doesn‘t stick. Tip: You don’t spread the rice to the top edge because after you roll, the sushi rice could come out from the seam and it won’t look pretty. Be sure to spread the rice in an even layer; otherwise, your sushi roll will look uneven.
  
• Next, add your filling ingredients. First, spread a thin strip of spicy mayo in a straight line across the width of the nori sheet about 1½ inches or so from the bottom edge. Next, line up 2–3 cucumber strips on top of the mayo, followed by 3 avocado slices and 2–3 tofu sticks. For a balanced roll, make sure the ingredients are evenly spread out across the width of the nori sheet. Tip: If you are a beginner at sushi rolling, place the filling ingredients at about the one-third line from the bottom edge; in other words, move up the filling slightly toward the middle line compared to mine. It will be easier to lift and roll over the filling if there‘s no filling on the bottom quarter of the nori sheet. Also, place the loose ingredients away from the bottom edge—on the side of the filling that‘s closer to the middle—so they don‘t fall down or move when you roll.
  
• Put some pickled red onion on the avocado slices (the vinegar will help prevent discoloration of the avocado). Then, place several julienned carrot strips evenly next to the avocado slices. Tip: Be careful not to overfill your sushi roll. These ingredients are just an example of what you can put into your roll. If you decide not to add an ingredient, you can replace it with a different filling or skip it all together, in which case you‘ll end up with a thinner role.
  
• Now, take a breath and roll your sushi. Lift the bottom edge of the sushi rolling mat with your thumb and forefinger of both hands. Press your other fingers down on the filling to hold the ingredients in place. Then, roll the nori sheet over the filling tightly and firmly until the bottom edge of nori reaches the rice on the other side of the filling (left image).
  
• Firmly hold the rolled portion of the bamboo mat in place with one hand. With your other hand, pick up the other end of the bamboo mat at the top edge. Now, pull the two sides against each other to tighten the roll. Release the top edge of the rolling mat and finish rolling.
  
• Place the bamboo mat over the rolled sushi and tightly squeeze. Cover the finished sushi roll with plastic wrap so it doesn‘t dry out. Continue rolling the rest of the sushi rolls. Keep them in a cool place under plastic wrap (NOT in the refrigerator) until you are ready to serve.
  

To Serve

• Using a very sharp knife, first cut the sushi roll in half. For every slice or every other slice, wipe the knife with a wet kitchen cloth so that you can cut your sushi roll cleanly.
  
• Then, cut each half roll in half again. Cut the quarters in half once more so you have 8 pieces per roll.
  
• Arrange your Vegetarian Sushi Rolls on a plate and serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger on the side.
  

To Store

• For leftover sushi rolls, keep them in a cool place for 8 hours. To refrigerate them overnight, cover them with a thick kitchen towel, so the rice will stay cool but not become cold.

  If you have leftover sushi rice, my recommendation is to put it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to a month. You can defrost it overnight in the fridge, and then microwave to room temperature (not hot). Rice gets hard and dry in the refrigerator, but if you really want to refrigerate it, cover the container with a thick kitchen towel so the rice will stay cool but not become cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 501 kcal · Carbohydrates: 68 g · Protein: 11 g · Fat: 17 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 7 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 9 g · Trans Fat: 0.02 g · Cholesterol: 4 mg · Sodium: 141 mg · Potassium: 538 mg · Fiber: 8 g · Sugar: 2 g · Vitamin A: 1956 IU · Vitamin C: 11 mg · Calcium: 96 mg · Iron: 4 mg

Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: sushi

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 29, 2023. It was republished with more information on July 14, 2024.