Description

These Vegetarian Sushi Rolls feature perfectly seasoned sushi rice combined with fresh cucumber, carrot, creamy avocado, marinated tofu, and tangy pickled red onion, all wrapped in nori sheets and enhanced with a spicy mayo drizzle. This recipe guides you through making authentic sushi rice, assembling the rolls, and tips for perfect slicing and storage, resulting in a vibrant, wholesome sushi experience that’s ideal for a satisfying meat-free meal.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Sushi Rice

2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice (3 rice cooker cups; 540 ml; yields 6⅔ cups (990 g) cooked rice)
2¼ cups water (540 ml)
1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (5 g; 2″x 2″; optional)
⅓ cup seasoned rice vinegar (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 (or vegan mayonnaise for vegan option)
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)
2 avocados
splash lime juice
6 sheets nori (dried laver seaweed)

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Instructions

Prepare Sushi Rice: Rinse the uncooked Japanese short-grain rice until water runs almost clear. Place rice in rice cooker with water and a piece of kombu. Let soak 20–30 minutes, then cook. Discard kombu after cooking.
Season and Cool Rice: Transfer rice to a wooden sushi oke or lined baking sheet. Pour seasoned rice vinegar over rice while hot. Using a rice paddle, gently slice rice at a 45-degree angle to incorporate vinegar without breaking grains. Fan the rice vigorously while slicing to cool and remove moisture. Cover with damp towel to keep moist.
Make Pickled Red Onion: Thinly slice red onion, place in jar or bowl, cover with seasoned rice vinegar, and set aside to pickle.
Make Spicy Mayo: Whisk together Kewpie mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, and a splash of lime juice. Set aside.
Prep Vegetables and Tofu: Halve cucumbers lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and slice into long strips. Julienne the carrot. Cut fried tofu cutlet into slabs then long sticks.
Prepare Avocado: Halve and pit avocados carefully. Cut quarters and remove skin. Slice lengthwise and brush with lime juice to prevent browning.
Assemble Sushi Rolls: Place one nori sheet shiny side down on bamboo rolling mat. Spread 1 cup (150 g) sushi rice evenly, leaving a ½ inch strip at the top edge uncovered. Spread a thin line of spicy mayo about 1½ inches from the bottom edge. Layer cucumber strips, avocado slices, tofu sticks, pickled red onion, and carrot strips evenly across the rice.
Roll Sushi: Carefully lift the bottom edge of the mat, folding nori over fillings tightly. Continue rolling firmly until roll is sealed. Squeeze bamboo mat to shape sushi tightly. Wrap finished roll with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
Slice and Serve: Using a very sharp knife, cut sushi roll in half, wiping knife clean with wet cloth between cuts. Then slice halves into quarters, and quarters into halves to yield 8 pieces per roll. Arrange on platter and serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.
Storage Tips: Keep leftover sushi rolls in a cool place up to 8 hours. For overnight storage, cover with a thick kitchen towel to keep rice cool but not cold. Leftover sushi rice can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in fridge and gently microwave to room temperature before use.

Notes

Always use Japanese short-grain rice for best sushi texture; other rice types will not hold together well.
Remove cucumber seeds to avoid excess moisture in rolls causing sogginess.
Use a bamboo rolling mat and wet your fingers when handling rice to prevent sticking.
For even slices, clean the sharp knife between cuts with a wet cloth.
Fanning the rice while mixing vinegar is crucial to shine and texture of sushi rice.
Kombu is optional but adds a subtle aroma and umami to the rice during cooking.
For vegan sushi, substitute Kewpie mayonnaise with vegan mayo.
Do not refrigerate sushi rolls directly as rice hardens; keep cool but not cold for best texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 sushi roll
Calories: 280
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 490mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 7g
Cholesterol: 0mg