How to Make Easy Vegan Sushi (like a pro!) | simplyceecee | vegan recipe (2024)

I'm a sushi lover, and vegan sushi is my jam. This easy vegan sushi recipe is simple, fresh, and healthy! With 4 incredible dipping sauces these veggie sushi rolls made with avocado, sweet potato, cucumber, and carrots are super yummy and nourishing.

Are you looking for an easy vegan sushi recipe that you can make at home? Well, look no further. Homemade sushi is surprisingly easy to make; and with just a few tips, you’ll be making sushi like a pro in no time.

Don't miss these vegan sushi bowls either for the days you don't feel like rolling sushi! It's packed with epic options and lots of sushi dipping sauce recipes like this spicy mayo (vegan)! Both are gluten-free friendly, oil-free, and everyone loves them - vegan or not!

Vegan Sushi Roll Ingredients

Some of the most popular types of sushi are the California Roll (the original inside-out roll), the Crunchy Roll, the Dynamite Roll, and Rainbow Roll. I love re-creating plant-based versions of these popular sushi rolls.

Here’s what you’ll need to make some of our favorite veggie sushi rolls:

• Rice – short grain Japanese sushi rice
• Nori sheets – dried seaweed sheets found in Asian markets, in the International Aisle at large grocery stores or online.
• Avocado – adds a wonderful, fresh creamy richness.
• Sweet potato – baked until sweet and tender with a crunchy crust.
• Cucumber – adds freshness and crunch. Usually cut into spears or thin sheets.
• Carrots – grate them for the perfect texture, sweetness and crunch.
• Dipping sauces – what’s sushi without sauce? At our house it’s a problem! See below for some tasty sweet, spicy, salty, umami, dipping sauce recipes.
• Sesame seeds – adds nuttiness and texture.
• Serve with wasabi, soy sauce, spicy mayo, eel sauce, pickled ginger and toasted sesame seeds.

Additional optional fillings: mushrooms, tofu, asparagus, beets, grilled eggplant, radish, beans or sprouts.

How to Make Perfect Sushi Rice

I stumbled across a foolproof rice-making technique while reading Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi. After so many rice disasters, I had to pinch myself with this method! It's so simple and reliable!!

1. Rinse the rice under cold water.
2. Soak the rice for 15 minutes.
3. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and rest for 15 minutes.
5. Transfer to a large bowl, stir in vinegar and mix thoroughly until rice is cool. Voilà, perfect rice!
6. Cover the bowl of rice with a damp cloth while making sushi rolls.

How to Roll Vegan Sushi Rolls - 2 ways

I’ve taken a lot of vegan (vegetarian) sushi classes from professional sushi chefs. They make it look so dang easy. Keep reading for step-by-step instructions for 2 rolling methods (traditional and inside out) using a bamboo mat.

Let's get into the details. First up inside out rolls . . .

1. Make the sushi rice.
2. Gather and prepare all the filling ingredients (slice avocado, grate carrots, cut cucumbers, etc.).
3. Cover bamboo mat with plastic wrap or bag (this is done for easy cleanup, I don’t cover mine).
4. Set out a small dish of water for dipping your fingers.
5. Lay the nori sheet (shiny side down) on the mat.
6. Dip fingers in water and spread and press the rice evenly over nori sheet covering the whole sheet with rice (don't make the rice too thick!). Sprinkle sesame seeds over the rice.
7. Flip the nori over and make a couple rows of veggies at the lower end (closest to you).
8. Take the filling all the way to the outside edges so the end pieces are full.
9. But, don’t overfill the rolls.

10. Starting with the lower edge, lift the bamboo mat up and over the sushi filling creating a log. (thumbs behind and fingers curled over the roll). Gently tuck the edge under with your fingers as you roll the sushi and squeeze along the length of the roll to secure the filling.
11. Then lift the mat and continue to tuck and roll the log (jelly roll style) until the sushi is rolled all the way through the end of the nori sheet.
12. Gently squeeze the finished log and remove the mat. Pro Tip remember to pull the mat out after each roll or you’ll end up with the mat rolled into the sushi!!!
13. Cover the roll in plastic wrap and chill in fridge while you roll the other sushi.
14. Remove the plastic wrap. Cut the roll in half, then cut each half in half, and repeat until you have 8 even slices.
15. Top with thinly sliced avocado, crunchy sweet potato shoestrings or a dab of Vegenaise topped with a pickled jalapeno or radish slice.

Method for Traditional Roll (nori on outside)

1. For a traditional sushi roll, follow the above instructions to #6 but leave an inch at the top end with no rice.
2. Place a couple rows of vegetables on the rice in the bottom third (closest to you) of the nori sheet. Make sure the filling goes all the way to the sides. Pro Tip: add a squirt of spicy mayo for extra flavor. Continue to roll following the directions above.
3. Cut the sushi roll into 8 even pieces as above.
4. Top with a dab of Vegenaise and a jalapeno or strawberry slice (or any topping you enjoy).

Tips for Making Vegan Sushi at Home

It's easy to make sushi at home, here's a few tips to guide you along the way:

• Time Management: Prepare the filling and sauces while the rice is cooking.
• Dry Rice: Keep the bowl of rice covered while you are making the sushi rolls.
• Sticky Rice: Dip your fingers in water before handling the rice to prevent it from sticking to you.
• Overfilling: Don't use too much rice or filling!
• Wipe the knife between each cut. Also Chef taught us to dip the tip of a sharp knife into water, tip the blade up and let the bead of water run down the sharp edge of the knife before cutting.
• Million Dollar Tip: Use a very sharp knife. Slice the roll in half and the halves in half and the quarters in half until you have 8 equal pieces. Remember: slice don’t saw the pieces.
• Sushi Rolling Tips: Use a bamboo mat to make rolling the sushi easier. They are inexpensive and widely available in supermarkets, kitchen stores or online. You can roll sushi by hand or using a clean kitchen towel if you don't have a bamboo mat.
• Gluten-free Option: Sub tamari for soy sauce.

Storage and Leftovers

Veggie sushi rolls are best served as fresh as possible! Same day ensures best texture and flavors. Because this sushi is made without fish though, the sushi can be stored for one day in the fridge with good success.

Sushi Dipping Sauces

Here's four of our favorite vegan dipping sauces for sushi. I like to drizzle a bit of each on every piece!

Spicy Mayo for sushi – this popular spicy mayo is an essential sushi sauce!

Spicy Soy Sauce – stir a blob of wasabi into your soy sauce.

Wasabi Mayo – stir a blob of wasabi and a few drops of soy sauce into Vegenaise.

Unagi Sauce (eel sauce recipe) – Not to worry, despite its name, eel sauce does not have eel in it!!! Delicious as a drizzle or brushed on zucchini, eggplant or mushroom slices while grilling (soooo tasty!). Kinda sweet, sorta spicy dipping sauce – a must for vegan sushi rolls. (recipe below)

More Vegan Recipes

More popular vegan recipes to try:

• Salad Rolls with spicy Thai peanut sauce
• Vegan Buddha Bowl - plus how to make a custom Buddha bowl.
• Vegan Dumplings - these vegetarian potstickers are incredible! Everyone LOVES them!
• Savory Green Pancakes - easy, healthy, delicious (gf version)

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This post was originally posted in March 2019 and updated in April 2021 with updated recipe instructions, photos, tips and tricks.