How to Make Vegan Sushi

It’s been a long day. You’re tired from work. You forgot to prep for dinner, and your family is hungry. You could just cop out and order takeout—no judgement, I’ve been there many times before, or you could try to make this simple, easy, and healthy vegan sushi. 

I love this recipe because it’s easy, convenient, and still so yummy.  It may seem intimidating. I mean sushi is almost synonymous with fancy, but if you have all the right ingredients and tools, it takes less than twenty minutes to prepare a healthy, nutritious meal for you and your family.  

Another great thing about this recipe is that you can customize it however you like. Say you’re not the biggest fan of microgreens. Well, that’s okay. You don’t have to use kale. You can substitute for spinach, romaine, kale, or whatever else your heart desires. And you’ll still have an easy weeknight dish.  

Vegan sushi for the win

Ingredients:  

• Seaweed wraps 

• Cucumber

• Carrot

• Microgreens

• Rice, preferably sticky sushi rice  

• Soy sauce 

• Wasabi 

• Pickled ginger

• Small dish of water

Everything you need to make the best vegan sushi

Note:  

You will also need a sushi rolling mat—I really like this bamboo one from Target that’s cheap and sustainable. Plus, it includes a rice paddle which really helps flatten the rice onto the seaweed. However, you can use saran wrap in a pinch. 

Directions: 

 The first thing you’re going to do is cook your rice. How long you need to cook it typically depends on the type of rice you use and the brand, so be sure to double check. However, the general rule is to bring water to a boil in a pot and then cook for roughly 17 minutes. And typically, you’ll use two cups of water for every one cup of uncooked rice.  

While your rice is cooking, wash your carrots, cucumber, and kale. And then cut the carrots and cucumber in long strips that are roughly the length of the seaweed wrap.

Allow your rice to cool for ten to twenty minutes. It cools faster in the fridge, so if you’re in a rush that might be the better option. Remember to place your seaweed on the rolling mat before putting the rice on it. Then, scoop and flatten your rice to cover the entire length of the seaweed wrap. I recommend using a rice paddle to flatten the rice, but you can also use the back side of a spoon.  

After you’ve flattened your rice, place your carrots, cucumber, and microgreens on the rice. You’re going to place them across the width of the wrap at the edge closest to you, so you can easily roll your sushi. Now, begin to roll your wrap. Start at the edge with the vegetables and slowly roll your wrap using the mat. After each small movement, make sure to press tightly to ensure that your roll stays together. 

#miamivegan

Next, dip your fingers in a little bit of water and use the water to seal the wrap. Essentially, the water from your fingers will make the seaweed stick to itself when you complete the final “roll”. 

Now, you’re ready to cut and serve your sushi. After I’ve cut my roll, I always like dipping my rolls in soy sauce and topping them with wasabi and ginger, but it’s up to you. 

Also, remember that you can add anything you want to your roll. Want to make a southwestern roll? Then maybe try avocado, red bell pepper, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeno? Or maybe your neighbor just gave you twenty pounds of mango; you can also add that to your roll. Whatever ingredients you have in your fridge, just know it doesn’t take a lot of effort or ingredients to make delicious vegan sushi. 

One of my favorite vegan dinners