Vegan Sushi Recipe: How to Make Healthy Vegetable Rolls - Dr. Axe

Vegan Sushi Recipe: How to Make Healthy Vegetable Rolls

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Vegan sushi - Dr. Axe

Many people wonder: Is sushi healthy? It really depends, but homemade sushi, like my vegan sushi recipe I share here, certainly can be.

As you know, sushi is one of those meals that can either be really good for you or surprisingly unhealthy. While it starts out as a nutritious option, it can quickly go astray. Low-quality fish, a heavy hand on the white rice and a dousing of sodium-laden soy sauce mean that sushi is often a food to avoid.

That is until now. This vegan sushi recipe will completely transform how you think about sushi.

Key Ingredients

While even some vegan sushi recipes can contain unhealthy ingredients, we only use the healthiest vegan sushi ingredients in this vegetable sushi roll recipe.

You won’t miss the fish with this ultra good-for-you version. Instead of the suspicious fish you find at some sushi joints and certain sushi roll recipes (goodbye, imitation crab meat), you’ll have loads of veggies wrapped in nori, a type of seaweed, and cauliflower rice replacing the heavy grain.

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What is vegan sushi made of? Here are the main players in this vegetarian sushi:

  • Cauliflower: High in fiber, carotenoids, polyphenols and essential vitamins, cauliflower is a powerful cancer-fighting food that also fights inflammation and supports hearth and digestive health.
  • Nori: As a healthy seaweed, nori provides several minerals, including iodine, and can support digestion, cholesterol levels, blood sugar and thyroid health.
  • Cucumber: One of the most hydrating veggies around, cucumber is high in antioxidants and nutrients but low in calories. As such, it’s great for detoxification, hydration and weight maintenance.
  • Carrot: As a huge source of vitamin A, carrots support eye, heart, oral, skin and brain health.
  • Shiitake mushrooms: As a medicinal mushroom, shiitake is an immune-booster that is also high in vitamin D. As such, this type of mushrooms is great to combat obesity, heart disease and more.
  • Avocado: A true superfood, avocado is loaded with healthy fats and supports healthy vision, combats cancer cells, boosts weight loss, reduces inflammation and so much more.
  • Alfalfa sprouts: High in vitamins K and C, along with many vital minerals, alfalfa sprouts are good for bone health and possess powerful anti-aging properties.

This vegan sushi is a terrific option whether or not you are vegan — it’s light and fresh, requires no heat making for a perfect summertime option and is prepared quite easily. Get your vegan sushi on!

Vegan sushi ingredients - Dr. Axe

How to Make Vegan Sushi

Making sushi can be a snap, including this vegetable roll recipe.

Begin by adding the cauliflower to a food processor and pulsing until it’s reached a rice-like consistency. This low-calorie, vitamin-rich vegetable makes eating this vegan sushi guilt-free.

Place the cauliflower rice in a bowl, and pat down with a paper towel to remove the extra moisture. Set the rice aside for now.

Now add the almonds to the food processor, pulsing until finely chopped. Combine them with the cauliflower rice, adding bee-free honey and salt and giving it all a good stir.

Vegan sushi process - Dr. Axe

Next, place a sheet of the nori seaweed on either a sushi rolling mat or a flat surface, and add 1/3 cup of “rice” to the nori, leaving about an inch rice-free around the edges. You’ll need that space to roll the sushi later.

Add the rest of your fillings to the vegan sushi — yum! Then, using your hands, fold the nori up and over the filling, rolling tightly. Wet the nori with a little water to seal it shut.

Vegan sushi recipe - Dr. Axe

Cut the roll into smaller pieces with a knife, wiping it down with a damp towel between slices so the knife doesn’t stick to the roll. Serve with liquid aminos, a vegan-friendly soy sauce alternative.

This vegan-friendly sushi is pretty easy to make and so delicious! As you get more familiar with the process, you can even start to get creative with your fillings.

I love making a double batch of these vegan sushi rolls to chow down at lunchtime. I hope you love them as much as I do!

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Vegan sushi - Dr. Axe

Vegan Sushi Recipe: How to Make Healthy Vegetable Rolls


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  • Author: Dr. Josh Axe
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This vegan sushi recipe will transform how you think about sushi. Instead of fish, it contains veggies wrapped in nori and cauliflower rice.


Ingredients

Scale

Sushi Rice:

  • 1 large head of cauliflower (makes about 6 cups cauliflower rice)
  • ¼ cup almonds
  • 1 tablespoon vegan honey
  • A dash of Himalayan salt

Filling:

  • 8 sheets of nori
  • 1 cucumber, julienned
  • 1 carrot, peeled and washed, julienned
  • 4 shiitake mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
  • 4 green onions, washed and chopped
  • 1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1½ cup alfalfa sprouts

Dipping:

  • Liquid Aminos

Instructions

  1. Place the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until rice consistency.
  2. In a large bowl, add cauliflower rice and pat with a paper towel thoroughly to remove moisture. Set aside.
  3. Add almonds to food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
  4. Add almonds to cauliflower rice and add bee-free honey and salt, mixing until well-combined.
  5. Place a sheet of nori on a sushi rolling mat or flat surface, add ½ cup of cauliflower rice leaving about an inch around the edges, add filling ingredients.
  6. Using your hands, fold the nori up and over the filling and roll tightly, wetting the top edge of the nori with a little water to seal it.
  7. Cut the roll into little pieces wiping your knife with a damp towel between cuts so it doesn’t stick to the roll.
  8. Dip in Liquid Aminos.

Notes

  • If you aren’t vegan, you can use regular honey in place of the bee-free honey if you choose.
  • In place of nori, other seaweeds also can work, such as kelp, wakame or kombu.
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 0 min
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: By hand
  • Cuisine: Asian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 roll
  • Calories: 113
  • Sugar: 5.7g
  • Sodium: 46mg
  • Fat: 6.4g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.9g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5.5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 13g
  • Fiber: 5.2g
  • Protein: 4.2g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg

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11 Comments

  1. Nu on

    Hi Dr Axe, made this last night for my Kenyan family who don’t like sushi and guess what, they liked it! I modified a bit by lightly toasting the cauliflower and almonds before combining them, and finishing with lime juice, dash of Himalaya salt, white pepper and chopped cilantro. I also mashed the avocado in tonnes of ginger and garlic. One thing to note is that it’s helpful to place the ‘wetter’ ingredients at the start of the roll as shown in your video, and that the filling should ideally get as close to the edges (but not the top and bottom ends) as possible. Also, a food processor is helpful but if one doesn’t have it, fine chopping by hand or grating works fine too. Thanks for a gorgeous, healthy recipe!

    Reply
  2. Sarah on

    Looks delicious! What brand of Nori do you use? I am concerned about eating anything from China because of all the pollution and practices that are not regulated. Do you know of a brand that is grown in the Atlantic perhaps?

    Reply

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