This vegan and vegetarian avocado roll is packed with creamy avocado slices and wrapped in sticky cooked rice and a toasted nori sheet. It’s topped with sesame seeds and can be served with your favorite sauces.
Follow this step by step guide with photos and a video tutorial to make your own easy avocado sushi rolls at home!
why you’ll love this vegan sushi roll
These avocado sushi rolls are made with just a few simple ingredients. Because of this, they’re super easy to make, especially if it’s your first time making sushi!
As far as sushi goes, it can take years of practice to master the art of rolling. I myself am still somewhat of a beginner but have researched far and wide to create a consolidated list of all the helpful tips I have found. This video by Iron Chef Morimoto, this one by the Sushi Man, this one by Epicurious, and this video by Chef Thomas Reese all had amazing tips which I’ve consolidated into this guide.
These avocado rolls have only one filling ingredient, which makes them a perfect place to start if you’re a beginner at making sushi!
- Fast: whip these up in less than 30 minutes for when those sushi cravings hit.
- Easy sushi recipe: this step by step recipe will show you exactly how to roll the sushi.
- Creamy and fresh: these rolls are filled with as much fresh, ripe avocado as you’d like.
what is maki sushi?
Maki rolls are a type of sushi where the filling ingredients are wrapped in vinegared rice and a sheet of dried seaweed. Within maki sushi, there are actually a few different types. Another type of sushi altogether is Nigiri. Nigiri has thin slices of raw fish laid on top of cooked sushi rice.
For additional information about the different kinds of maki rolls, you can check out this great post.
the ingredients
- Nori: each roll is wrapped in a sheet of nori, or dried seaweed
- Ripe avocado: slices of avocado are the star of this veggie sushi roll
- Rice vinegar: you can also buy premade sushi seasoning from your local Asian market
- Cane sugar: or another sugar
- Soy sauce: for serving
- Vegan spicy mayo: optional for serving
Helpful utensils
- Bamboo mat: a bamboo sushi mat is essential for rolling
- Clean kitchen towel
- Bowl of water: to help prevent the rice from sticking to the knife
- Cutting board: for cutting the rolls
- Sharp knife: for cutting the rolls, you can also use a serrated knife
How to make sushi rice
Method 1
Rice Cooker: Add the rice and 2 1/4 cups of water to a rice cooker. Select the white rice option or cook according to your rice cooker’s instructions.
Method 2
Stove top: Add the rice and water to a small pot and follow your sushi rice package instructions.
how to make this avocado sushi recipe
STEP 1: First, lay out your bamboo mat and spread a sheet of plastic wrap around the mat (for easy clean up). Lay the seaweed sheet shiny side down onto the cling film, leaving a 1″ border from the bottom of the mat.
STEP 2: Spoon the rice onto the nori. Wet your hands and gently press the rice out to the edges of the nori.
STEP 3: Flip the nori and rice over, so the nori is facing up. Lay 3-4 slices of avocado on the sheet of nori on the lower third.
STEP 4: Next, use your fingers to tuck the avocado inside the nori as you roll. Then, lift up the mat and continue rolling until the two edges of sushi rice make contact. (Watch the video in the recipe card below for more help!)
STEP 5: Lastly, remove the roll from the mat. Slice it into 8 even sized pieces, wiping and dampening your knife after each slice. If the roll isn’t cutting cleanly, try using a serrated knife.
Substitutions and Add-Ins
Add Ins:
While this avocado sushi roll recipe only has avocado inside, you can certainly add in other ingredients to your liking. That’s the beauty of homemade sushi! Below are a few ideas:
- Vegan Cream Cheese
- Crunchy Cucumber
- Red pepper
- Sweet Potato
- Marinated Tofu
Substitutions:
- Sushi rice: you can technically substitute the sushi rice for another short-grained white rice or brown rice. The rolls won’t have the same texture as sticky rice and may not hold together as well. If using these types of rice, be sure to check the package instructions as the cooking time may vary.
- Rice vinegar: another white wine vinegar will work in place of rice vinegar.
Serving the veggie sushi
These avocado rolls are fantastic dipped in vegan spicy mayo, eel sauce (most eel sauces are actually vegan friendly!) or soy sauce.
You can top these veggie rolls with sesame seeds or green onion. To jazz up your presentation, you can also serve these rolls alongside pickled ginger and a scoop of wasabi like they do at sushi restaurants.
Storage
Unfortunately, homemade avocado maki rolls are best served the first day. Because of this, I don’t recommend storing them in the fridge.
As the rolls cool down in the fridge, the rice hardens. Avocado is also an ingredient best served right after it is sliced. If you reheat the rolls, it will change the taste of the fresh avocado.
tips & tricks
- Spread a thin layer of rice onto the nori. Too much rice makes rolling difficult.
- Work on a flat surface for ease of rolling.
- Use a piece of plastic wrap on top of the bamboo mat for easy cleanup.
- Dip the wooden spoon or paddle in a little water to prevent the rice from sticking.
- Cut the avocado strips into thin slices and layer them on top of each other for easy rolling.
- Make sure your sushi rice has cooled completely and is at room temperature or else the nori will become soggy and wilt slightly, making the rolls difficult to cut.
- Use a serrated knife if your chef’s knife isn’t cutting through the rolls well.
- Place a piece of parchment paper over the roll prior to slicing to help hold the shape of the roll as you cut it into 8 pieces.
FAQ
Yes! Avocado sushi rolls are vegan if they are filled with only avocado.
You can use a sharp knife that has been dipped in water to cut the avocado rolls. If the knife isn’t cutting cleanly, you can also use a serrated knife. To hold the shape of the roll, you can also wrap it with parchment paper. Then, cut through the paper while holding the roll.
Avocado maki rolls are a type of sushi that are packed with creamy avocado slices and wrapped in sticky cooked rice and a nori sheet. The nori can be on the outside or sushi rice can be on the outside of the roll.
Looking for more vegan & Vegetarian recipes?
- Korean Chili Cauliflower
- Vegan Sesame Yaki Udon Noodles
- Hoisin Tofu Bao
- Peanut Rice Noodles
- Sticky Sesame Tofu
- Vegan Shrimp
Did you make This avocado roll Recipe?
I’d love to know! Leave a star rating and comment below!
Easy Avocado Sushi Roll
This vegan and vegetarian avocado sushi roll is packed with creamy avocado slices and wrapped in sticky cooked rice and a toasted nori sheet. It's topped with sesame seeds and can be served with your favorite sauces.
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 2 cups short grain sushi rice, makes about 4-5 sushi rolls
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp granulated cane sugar
- ½ tsp sea salt
Filling
- 4 nori sheets, these are nori sheets I used which I cut in half for 1 roll
- 2 large avocados, ripe but still firm to the touch
Serving
- Sesame Seeds
- Ginger & Wasabi
- Soy Sauce
Instructions
To Make the Sushi Rice
- Pour the sushi rice into a metal sieve and rinse it until the water runs clear.
- Rice Cooker: Add the rice and 2 1/4 cups of water to a rice cooker. Select the white rice option or cook according to your rice cooker’s instructions.
- Stovetop: follow your sushi rice package instructions.
- Mix together the vinegar, cane sugar, and salt to make the seasoned rice vinegar.
- When the rice is finished cooking, fluff it with a fork and add the seasoned rice vinegar.
- Set aside and let the rice cool so it is at room temperature before rolling the sushi.
Prep the Bamboo Mat
- Roll out a sheet of plastic wrap 2 times the size of your bamboo mat.
- Tightly wrap the bamboo mat with plastic (this will make clean up easier and prevent the rice from sticking).
Prep the Avocado
- With a sharp knife, cut the avocado in half lengthwise.
- Carefully tap the knife into the pit to remove it.
- Set the two halves aside until ready to roll the sushi.
To Make the Avocado Roll
- Prep your workstation by filling a small bowl with cold water and have a clean towel ready.
- Lay the sushi mat so the bamboo rows are horizontal. Then, lay the sheet of nori onto the bamboo mat leaving about 1” from the edge closest to you.
- Dampen a wooden spoon or paddle and scoop about 1/3 cup of sushi rice. Spread the rice onto the nori in an even layer all the way to the edges.
- Flip the sheet of nori with rice over, so the nori side is facing up.
- Use a butter knife to cut a ¼” wedge out of one of the avocado halves. Repeat to get 3-4 wedges. Lay the wedges onto the nori, leaving a ¾” gap between the edge closet to you and the avocado.
- Roll the edge of the mat up over the avocado away from you. Use your fingers to tuck the avocado into the nori as you roll.
- Then lift up the mat and continue rolling until the two edges of sushi rice make contact. Remove the roll from the mat and place on a cutting board.
- Slice into 8 even sized pieces, wiping and dampening your knife after each slice. You can also use a serrated knife to slice the sushi.
- Serve with sesame seeds and soy sauce.
Notes
- This is the sushi kit I own. It comes with a bamboo mat and a wooden paddle to scoop rice with.
This is the chef's knife I use.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 571Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 6gSugar: 12gProtein: 13g
Nutritional info is an estimate.
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was really looking forward to the video 🙁 too bad there isn’t one)
Hi Kellie, are you using an ad-blocker? Ad-blockers prevent the video from showing up. It is at the bottom of the recipe card.