Best Vegetable Sushi Recipes

VEGETABLE SUSHI ROLLS FOR ALL AGES

Steps:

• For the rice:
• Mix together vinegar, sugar, and salt.
• Rinse the rice in colander and drain. Put the rice and water in medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to very low and simmer, tightly covered. (For a good seal wrap the pan's lid tightly with a small kitchen towel and cover the saucepan. Make sure the towel's edges are folded up well away from the heat.) Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat (don't uncover) and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss with the rice, using a wooden spoon. Spread it out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fan the rice continuously with a fan or magazine until cooled. Cover the rice with a damp towel.
• To assemble rolls:
• Place the sushi mat with the slats running crosswise directly in front of you on a clean work space. Lay a sheet of nori shiny-side down and lined up with the closest edge of the mat. Lightly moisten fingers with water, and evenly press about 1/4 of the rice onto the nori, with 1 1/2-inches uncovered at the far edge. Line up the fillings about 1-inch from the closest near edge, evenly across the rice. Leave 1-inch of rice uncovered at the far edge.
• Beginning with the near edge of the mat, tightly roll up the nori, rice, and fillings into a cylinder. Firmly tug on the rounded mat over the roll as you pull on the far edge of the mat to tighten the roll. Open the mat, dab unsealed edge of nori with a bit of water and roll the sushi forward to seal. Transfer the sushi to a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat with remaining rice and fillings.
• Cut each sushi roll, crosswise, into 8 pieces with a sharp wet knife.
• Serve with bowl of soy sauce for dipping.

VEGETABLE SUSHI

Steps:

• Make the rice. Combine the rice and 3 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. A rice cooker is the best way to get perfect sticky-firm rice, but if you don't have one, just use a saucepan. Fold in the vinegar. Combine the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the cooked rice to a large wooden bowl (traditionally, a wooden tub). Drizzle a quarter of the vinegar mixture over a wooden spoon or spatula onto the rice. Fold the rice gently with the spoon to cool it and break up any clumps; be careful not to smash the grains. Fold in the remaining vinegar mixture and let the rice sit 5 minutes. Spread the rice.
• Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. Place a half nori sheet rough-side up on the mat. Moisten your hands and scoop a handful of rice, slightly larger than a lemon, onto the nori. Press the rice to spread it evenly up to the edges of the nori, moistening your fingers as you go. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Prepare the vegetables. Peel the cucumber and slice into matchsticks. (Morimoto cuts the entire cucumber into a paper-thin sheet, then quickly slices it into strips-but he's had some practice.) Thinly slice the avocado, tomato and red onion; peel the tough ends of the asparagus. Add the filling. Carefully flip over the nori so it's rice-side down on the mat with the short end facing you. Spread a bit of wasabi paste in a line about one-third of the way up the nori-it's spicy, so use it sparingly. Arrange a few pieces each of lettuce, cucumber, avocado, tomato and onion in a tight pile in the lower third of the sheet. It's OK if the vegetables hang over the edges of the nori. Roll the sushi. Roll the sushi away from you with your hands, tucking in the vegetables as you go. Remove the mat from under the roll and place it on top. Press the roll into a compact rectangular log, using the mat to help you. Slice the roll. Cut the sushi roll into 4 to 6 pieces. Repeat with the remaining nori, rice and vegetables. Serve with pickled ginger and more wasabi. Photography by Rick Lew

HOMEMADE VEGETABLE SUSHI

Steps:

• Rinse sushi rice in cold water and drain. Place rice into a rice cooker and add 1 cup water. Seal and select setting according to manufacturer's instructions; cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Pour rice vinegar onto rice and toss to coat. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Cover a bamboo sushi mat in plastic wrap and place it on a cutting board. Place a sheet of nori on the covered sushi mat and cover it with cooled rice. Lay out 1/3 of the cucumber, carrot, and avocado on top, placing them across the bottom third of the sheet. Use the sushi mat to help roll the nori up. Repeat with remaining nori, rice, and vegetables. Use a sharp knife to cut each roll into 6 equal pieces.

VEGETABLE SUSHI

Steps:

• Place the rice and 3 cups water in a medium saucepan set over high heat. Cover, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, uncover, and sprinkle rice with 1/4 cup mirin. Replace lid, and allow rice to sit for 15 minutes. Transfer rice to a medium bowl, and let cool to room temperature.
• To make the rolls: Lay a sheet of nori on a bamboo sushi roller, and sprinkle with mirin. Spread 1 1/4 cups cooked rice on the nori, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on each long side. Spread 1/4 teaspoon wasabi paste in a horizontal strip across the middle of the rice. Place 4 to 5 carrot, red-pepper, celery, and scallion matchsticks on top of the wasabi paste. Cover with a layer of ginger. Lift the closest end of the bamboo roller up and over the vegetables so the 2 long edges of nori meet. Press the roll firmly inside the bamboo roller. Transfer roll to a plate, cover with a damp towel, and place in the refrigerator. Continue to roll sushi until all ingredients have been used.
• Remove rolls from refrigerator; using a sharp knife, trim ends and cut rolls into 8 equal pieces. Serve with pickled ginger and dipping sauce.

MISO-GLAZED CHICKEN BREAST WITH VEGETABLE SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine miso, sugar, broth, oil, and ginger. Add chicken; coat, cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Mix vegetables in a bowl with vinegar and salt; set aside. Heat oven to 375°. Place chicken on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Fold up edges of foil. Pour marinade over chicken. Bake 20 minutes or until cooked through. Combine rice with vegetable mix. Cool chicken for 5 minutes; slice each breast diagonally into 3 pieces. Serve chicken over rice with soy sauce on the side.

VEGETABLE SUSHI

Steps:

• Place the rice in a strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water is fairly clear, about 5 minutes. Shake the water out and allow the rice to dry in the strainer for 15 minutes.
• Put the rice in a pot with exactly 3 cups of water and cook covered over high heat until it starts to foam, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with 1/4 cup mirin. Replace the lid and allow the rice to steam for 15 minutes. Place in a bowl and cool to room temperature.
• To prepare the sushi, place a bamboo sushi roller flat on a table with the bamboo reeds horizontal to you. Sprinkle lightly with water. Place 1 nori sheet on top, smooth side down, and moisten lightly with mirin. With damp hands, press 1 1/4 cups rice flat on top of the nori, leaving 1 1/2-inch edges on the top and bottom, but pressing all the way to the sides. Make sure the rice is pressed even and smooth.
• Spread 1/4 teaspoon of wasabi paste in a horizontal stripe near the lower edge of the rice. Over the wasabi, lightly sprinkle the red onions in a horizontal stripe. Place strips of carrots in a horizontal stripe, on top of the wasabi and onions, and follow by piling the red and yellow peppers, scallions, and cucumbers on top, making a tight, straight bundle of vegetables. Place 1 layer of pickled ginger slices on top.
• To roll the sushi, pick up the near edge of the bamboo roller and hold it with the nori, then pull them up and over the vegetable bundle until the nori reaches the rice on the other side. Press the roller to make a round bundle, then roll the bundle to the far edge of the nori and press again to make a round bundle. (The nori should totally enclose the rice and vegetables in a round tube, but the ends will have rice and vegetables sticking out.) Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. Keep the rolls under a damp towel and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, slice off the ends with a very sharp knife and slice each roll into 8 equal pieces.
• Meanwhile, for the sushi dipping sauce, combine the wasabi powder and water to make a paste. Mix in the red pepper flakes, ginger, scallions, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Serve the sushi at room temperature with the dipping sauce.

VEGETABLE SUSHI ROLL

Steps:

• Make the rice. Combine the rice and 3 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. A rice cooker is the best way to get perfect sticky-firm rice, but if you don't have one, just use a saucepan.
• Fold in the vinegar. Combine the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the cooked rice to a large wooden bowl (traditionally, a wooden tub). Drizzle a quarter of the vinegar mixture over a wooden spoon or spatula onto the rice. Fold the rice gently with the spoon to cool it and break up any clumps; be careful not to smash the grains. Fold in the remaining vinegar mixture and let the rice sit 5 minutes.
• Spread the rice. Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. Place a half nori sheet rough-side up on the mat. Moisten your hands and scoop a handful of rice, slightly larger than a lemon, onto the nori. Press the rice to spread it evenly up to the edges of the nori, moistening your fingers as you go. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Prepare the vegetables. Peel the cucumber and slice into matchsticks. (Morimoto cuts the entire cucumber into a paper-thin sheet, then quickly slices it into strips-but he's had some practice.) Thinly slice the avocado, tomato and red onion; peel the tough ends of the asparagus.
• Add the filling. Carefully flip over the nori so it's rice-side down on the mat with the short end facing you. Spread a bit of wasabi paste in a line about one-third of the way up the nori-it's spicy, so use it sparingly. Arrange a few pieces each of lettuce, cucumber, avocado, tomato and onion in a tight pile in the lower third of the sheet. It's OK if the vegetables hang over the edges of the nori.
• Roll the sushi. Roll the sushi away from you with your hands, tucking in the vegetables as you go. Remove the mat from under the roll and place it on top. Press the roll into a compact rectangular log, using the mat to help you.
• Slice the roll. Cut the sushi roll into 4 to 6 pieces. Repeat with the remaining nori, rice and vegetables. Serve with pickled ginger and more wasabi.

MAX'S HOISIN AND VEGETABLE SUSHI ROLL

Steps:

• Sprinkle the rice with vinegar and mix lightly.
• Dip your fingers in water to keep the rice from sticking to your fingers as you spread it onto the nori.
• Spread enough rice thinly and evenly onto nori to cover completely while leaving about 1 inch of nori uncovered at one end (finishing end). Sprinkle rice with sesame seeds.
• Spread 1/2" wide line of hoisin sauce on top of the rice along the width of the rice and nori at the beginning end.
• Add julienned carrots, cucumbers, water chestnuts and avacodos on top of the hoisin sauce, in a row, end to end the width of the nori sheet.
• Dip fingers in water and wet the last 1 inch of the finishing end of the nori so it will seal - like the glue on an envelope.
• Make a tight "jelly roll" starting at the begining end. Let the roll sit for 5 - 10 minutes and then slice into 8 - 10 even sections. Letting it sit for a few minutes will make the wrapper easier to cut. Use a serrated bread knife to cut the roll.
• Accompany with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabe.

JAPANESE VEGETABLE AND RICE STUFFED TOFU: INARI SUSHI

Steps:

• Whisk the vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Combine the rice, water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Wrap the pan's lid tightly with a small kitchen towel and cover the saucepan. (Make sure the towel's edges are folded up well away from the heat.) Bring to a boil, lower the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Remove the rice from the heat (don't uncover) and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss with the rice, using a wooden spoon. Spread it out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fan the rice continuously with a fan or magazine until cooled. Cover the rice with a damp towel.
• Pour about 1 inch of water into a large saucepan and set up a collapsible steamer inside. Bring the water to boil, put the carrots and mushrooms in the steamer, cover, and steam until tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer the carrots and mushrooms to a large bowl, add the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, and stir to combine. Let cool.
• When the vegetable mixture has cooled, add the cucumber, pickled daikon, lime juice, and lime zest and toss to combine. Add the rice and, using a rubber spatula, lightly mix with the vegetable mixture.
• Set a small bowl of water beside you. Lightly wet your hands and form the vegetable rice into 12 small football-like shapes. Stuff the rice into the tofu pockets and press the sides together. Stuff a few tuffs of radish sprouts in the sides, if using. Stand the tofu packages up on a serving platter and sprinkle with the sansho. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce.
• Serving suggestions: Pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce.

AVOCADO & VEGETABLE SUSHI (GLUTEN-FREE & VEGAN)

Steps:

• Cook the rice:.
• In a saucepan place 3 cups cold water with 2 cups sushi rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
• Prepare seasonings and fillings while rice is cooking.
• Aim to have all the ingredients prepared and placed on separate plates and bowls ready to roll when the rice has been cooked and cooled.
• In a small bowl, mix together the 4 tablespoons rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. This will be used to season the rice.
• In a slightly larger bowl (large enough to dip your hands in), mix 1 cup of water with 2 tablespoons rice vinegar. This will be used to keep your hands and equipment moistened, and thus keeping the rice from sticking to everything, while you are making the rolls.
• Sprinkle a large tray or platter with this water and rice vinegar solution. This will be used for cooling the rice.
• Peel and slice the avocado. Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the slices to prevent them from browning.
• Slice the carrots and cucumber into matchsticks. Slice the mushrooms.
• Season and cool the rice:.
• When the rice has cooked add the sugar, vinegar and salt mixture to the saucepan with the rice and gently stir through. You can buy special rice paddles for this purpose, but a spoon or fork will suffice - just be careful not to break up the grains.
• Place the rice onto the moistened tray or platter. Spread it out. Take a magazine, piece of cardboard or similar and fan the rice with it (as you would you face on a hot day). Turn the rice occasionally and continue fanning until the rice has cooled to around room temperature.
• Make your rolls:.
• Position your bamboo rolling mat so as to roll away from you. Place one sheet of nori on your mat, shiney side down.
• Dip your hands in the water and vinegar solution. Take a ball of rice (about 1 cup) and place on the nori. Spread the rice by patting it over the 3/4 of the nori closest to your body. The rice should be around 6 mm (1/4") thick. Neaten the two edges of the rice that will be seen when the roll is finished. The 1/4 of the nori without the rice will be the section that seals the roll.
• Along the centre of the rice place your fillings.
• Now start rolling. Lift the edge of the mat closest to you. I use the mat to just start the roll, but you can use the mat for the whole of the rolling process. Once the roll is started, I pull back the mat and finish rolling (reasonably firmly) by hand, keeping the fillings tucked in as I go. Then I wrap the mat around the roll, and, with firm, even pressure, I run my hands along the mat, thus creating an even and well sealed roll. If the roll doesn't seal completely, I use a finger dampened in the water and rice solution to help it.
• Using a very sharp knife damped in the water and vinegar solution cut the rolls into the size desired - in half for longer rolls like those sold at many take away shops, or into 6 or 8 pieces for the smaller servings as shown in the photograph.
• I like to refrigerate my rolls for a little while as I like them cold and I find the nori tends to become less chewy. You can, however, eat them straight way. Serve with a little GF soy sauce or tamari and enjoy.
• Makes ten 10 cm (4") long rolls, thirty 3 cm (1 1/3") long rolls or forty 2.5 cm (1") rolls.