Making vegan sushi loaded with veggies is fun and delicious! My family has been making vegan sushi for years (this post is from 2013) and it’s still a favorite. 

A child picks up a piece of homemade vegan sushi with chop sticks.

Last week the girls and I visited our local Japanese market, Nikka. We had planned on making sushi for dinner, but really I had no clue what I was doing. All three of us loved perusing the shop, looking at the variety of rice crackers, Pocky and koala cookies, rice, bento box supplies… I could go on and on.

Eventually, after throwing some “necessary” items like kids chopsticks into our basket, we got back on track and got what we came for: sushi rice, nori, and rice vinegar. We had so much fun making sushi at home, and an easy sushi recipe is perfect for hot summer days when you don’t want to turn on the oven, and crave fresh healthy ingredients. 

A bowl of sushi rice on a kitchen counter.

How to Make Sushi

There are three important components of homemade sushi: 

  • Nori. Dried seaweed sheets can be found at many grocery stores in the Asian section, or in Asian markets. 
  • Sushi Rice. Sticky and seasoned, this recipe for sushi rice will create a roll that holds together nicely and tastes great. However, you can use other types of rice such as brown rice, or even quinoa. 
  • Filling. You can get creative, or check out some of our favorite ideas below. 

A child places thinly sliced vegetables on top of a sheet of nori covered with sushi rice.

Top a sheet of nori with about 1/8″ of cooked sushi rice. Be sure to leave a border along one long edge. 

Top with your fillings, but place them toward one long end. 

A little girl makes vegan sushi by rolling a sushi roll on a bamboo mat. Vegetables can be seen in the foreground on a cutting board.

Use your bamboo sushi mat or just your hands to wrap the long end closest to the fillings up and over, rolling like a log. Wet the border-end with a little water to help adhere. 

Use a very sharp knife to cut the roll crosswise into roughly 3/4″ slices. Enjoy right away or refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Don’t forget to serve with soy sauce. 

A beautiful photograph of a vegan sushi roll filled with cucumber, avocado, and bell pepper.

Vegan Sushi Filling Ideas

A close up photo of avocado sushi.

More Vegan Asian Recipes You’ll Love

Yield: serves 4

Vegan Sushi

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Wondering how to make delicious sushi at home? There's no need for raw fish with this easy Vegan Sushi recipe filled with veggies. For extra protein, serve alongside our favorite crispy sesame tofu or tempeh, or with some edamame.

A large platter filled with vegan sushi rolls.

Ingredients

  • 1 package Nori (seaweed sheets) 
  • 1 batch prepared Sushi Rice
  • 1 red bell pepper, julienned
  • 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/4" strips lengthwise
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
  • Soy sauce, for serving (I prefer Bragg Liquid Aminos) 
  • Wasabi, for serving. Optional. (prepared from powder)
  • pickled ginger, for serving, optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare your sushi rice according to the linked instructions. This will take about 30-40 minutes, but you can start preparing your vegetables while the rice steams.
  2. Lay 1 piece of nori on the sushi mat. Wet your hands or a spoon with a little water and press a thin layer of rice over the nori, leaving a 1/2" border on one long side. I found using the back of a large spoon or measuring cup worked well to make an even layer. 
  3. Lay your fillings along the top long side of the rice, as my daughter is doing in the photo above. 
    Using the sushi mat, lift the top long edge of the nori and rice over the fillings and continue to roll tightly. When you get to the end, wet the 1/2" edge without rice to help the nori stick to itself. 
  4. Use a sharp chef's knife to slice the log crosswise into rolls. Serve with soy sauce or liquid aminos and wasabi, if desired. 

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 215Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 564mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 6gSugar: 7gProtein: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your favorite calculator.