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Close-up of vegan sushi rolls filled with rice, avocado, and mushrooms, arranged in a row on a brown rectangular plate with dipping sauce in the foreground.

Vegan Sushi

Vegan sushi feels impressive but is surprisingly doable once you’ve got the basics down. It’s a fun choice for gatherings, family dinners, or even a packed lunch, and most of the work can be done ahead of time. One small tweak to a common vegetable brings all the flavor and texture you need. It’s best served fresh, but leftovers hold up well in the fridge until the next day.
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Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: Vegan Sushi
Servings: 4
Calories: 560kcal
Author: Mandy Applegate

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Sushi Rice:

  • 2 cups sushi rice
  • 4-5 nori sheets
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Sauce & Marinade:

For the Filling:

  • 2 small eggplants
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 cucumber cut into thin matchsticks
US Customary - Metric

Video

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="vkmtajbr" upload-date="2025-11-26T06:18:13+00:00" name="Fresh Homemade Vegan Sushi Rolls" description="Fresh rolls perfect for light meals or snacks." player-type="default" override-embed="default"]

Instructions

Prepare the Sushi Rice:

  • Rinse the sushi rice in a bowl or pot, swishing with your hands and draining the cloudy water. Repeat until the water runs clear.
    2 cups sushi rice
  • Add enough water to cover the rice by ½ inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cover. Simmer for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it steam for another 5–10 minutes with the lid on.
  • In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Transfer the cooked rice to a tray or large bowl and gently fold in the vinegar mixture. Allow to cool completely.
    3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Make the Marinade:

  • In a shallow bowl, whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, chili sauce, and sesame seeds. Set aside.
    1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 4 teaspoons rice vinegar, ½ teaspoon spicy chili sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Cook the Eggplant:

  • Slice eggplants lengthwise into ½-inch thick pieces.
  • Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high. Lightly brush with oil and cook eggplant slices for about 5 minutes per side until tender and slightly charred. Let cool, then toss with half of the marinade.
    2 small eggplants

Assemble the Sushi:

  • Place a bamboo sushi mat on a flat surface and keep a small bowl of water nearby.
  • Place a nori sheet (shiny side down) on the mat. Spread a thin, even layer of sushi rice over it, leaving a 1 cm border at the top. Lay a few slices of eggplant, avocado, and cucumber along the bottom edge of the rice.
    4-5 nori sheets, 1 avocado, 1 cucumber
  • Roll the sushi tightly using the bamboo mat, pressing as you go. Moisten the top edge of the nori with water to seal the roll. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Slice & Serve:

  • Using a sharp knife, slice each roll into 1 cm pieces.
  • Serve with the reserved marinade as a dipping sauce.

Notes

  • Rinse the rice well: Washing away the excess starch makes sure your sushi rice cooks up light and sticky without becoming gummy.
  • Let the rice steam properly: After simmering, the extra steaming time helps it finish cooking evenly and stay moist.
  • Cool rice completely: Warm rice will make the nori soggy and hard to roll, so give it time to cool before assembling.
  • Toast sesame seeds if you can: It brings out their nuttiness and adds depth to the flavor of your dipping sauce and marinade.
  • Don’t overfill the rolls: Stuffing too much inside puts pressure on the nori, which can cause it to tear or split.
  • Press gently when rolling: Even pressure gives you a tight shape while keeping the fillings in place.
  • Use a damp knife: Wetting your knife between cuts helps create clean slices without tearing the nori or squashing the roll.

Nutrition

Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 821mg | Potassium: 1004mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 347IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 3mg
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