Sushi doesn’t have to be all about salmon and tuna. While most rolls and maki contain meat, there are also tons of vegetarian options out there. Cheer up, vegetarians! This one’s for you. From rolls to bowls to musubi, there are plenty of vegetable sushi (and sushi adjacent) recipes for your Japanese-craving belly! Don’t let your vegetarianism get in the way of enjoying a delicious Japanese meal. These vegetarian sushi recipes are here to save the day.
1. Avocado Cucumber Sushi Roll
Give me anything with Japanese rice and nori, and I’ll devour it gladly. Even this basic combo of avocado and cucumber will make me giddy! If you think making sushi rolls from scratch requires sensei skills, think again. With a simple bamboo mat, sushi rolling can easily be achieved.
2. Sushi Bowl
It’s everything you like about sushi, but served in a bowl! It’s not only delicious, but also happens to be vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free. Fluffy rice, carrots, cucumber, avocado, edamame, and sweet potatoes are thrown into a bowl and topped with a spicy cashew mayo, and crumbled nori. Yum.
3. Eggplant Sushi
Being vegan means being creative with recipes. Whoever came up with this eggplant sushi is a genius! Eggplant slices are grilled and marinated in a sweet and salty mixture of maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Apart from eggplant, this sushi also features spinach, carrot, and cucumber matchsticks. The colors alone are already so appetizing! The overall flavor and texture will make you ask for more.
4. Sushi Avocado Toast
Not sure if avocado toast is still in, but for quite a time there, it was a big hit! And I completely understand why. I still enjoy it to this day, but with a bit of a Japanese twist. Sushi avocado toast is just like a regular avocado toast, but with carrots and cucumber matchsticks, seaweeds, and sesame seeds on top. How awesome is that?
5. Crispy Tofu Sushi Burrito
This dish is a fusion of Japanese and Mexican flavors, and I love it! This sushi/burrito mash-up is the stuff. It’s basically a burrito, but seaweed or nori is used instead of a tortilla wrap. For the filling, there’s Japanese rice, blocks of crispy tofu, chipotle mayo, matchstick carrots, avocado slices, baby spinach, pickled ginger, and kimchi (which I know is Korean, but it tastes great with the ensemble). You’re welcome.
6. Sweet Potato Tempura and Avocado Rolls
Crispy on the outside, sweet and starchy on the inside – that’s what you can expect from a bite of sweet potato tempura. That alone is enticing enough, but what if you transform it into a sushi roll? These rolls may be vegetarian, but even meat-lovers will enjoy them! Aside from tempura, this sushi also contains slices of creamy. It’s finished with a sweet teriyaki glaze to boot.
7. Sweet Potato Sushi
Roasted sweet potatoes are rolled sushi rice and nori and drizzled with mayo Sriracha dressing. It sounds so simple, but don’t let that fool you! This sweet and creamy sushi is seriously addictive!
8. Sushi Sandwich
Onigirazu is sushi in sandwich form. How can anyone resist that? The ingredients and instructions are very long, but it’s only because there are two types of filling to choose from: tofu katsu and sweet potato. Both are amazing, so good luck picking!
9. Tempura
While shrimp or ebi is the most common type of tempura, there are tons of other varieties worth trying. Vegetable tempura has the same crispy outer batter we all know and love. Instead of shrimp, there’s sweet potato, eggplant, broccoli, and whatever vegetable you can think of inside. Since the vegetables are covered in tempura batter, they’re hard to tell apart – which I think is part of the fun. You’ll get a nice surprise in every bite!
10. Tofu Musubi
Spam musubi may not be traditional Japanese sushi, but it’s so darn amazing! Who would’ve thought that spam, sushi rice, and nori would work so well together? Just because you’re vegetarian doesn’t mean you can’t join the musubi fan! All you’ll need are tofu and a tasty marinade.
11. Vegetable Sushi
This extensive article teaches you how to make vegetable sushi eight ways! From simple avocado to decadent eel rolls, this recipe has it all.
12. Avocado & Roasted Red Pepper Sushi
Creamy avocado meets sweet and spicy roasted red pepper in this colorful and flavorful sushi roll. You can add even more color by using black rice!
13. Cucumber Sushi Roll
Instead of nori, cucumber is used to hold the sushi together. What a fun and crunchy take on the classic Japanese treat!
14. Sesame Shiitake Sushi
If you’re missing the flavor of meat, shiitake mushroom sushi is what you need. The mushrooms are sauteed in sesame oil and garlic for an even meatier flavor.
15. Veggie Quinoa Sushi
Instead of sushi rice, use a combo of quinoa and miso paste! The taste isn’t the same, but it’s still delicious. It’s a much healthier approach, too!
16. Pink Sushi
What gives it its pretty hue is beetroot-infused rice! Filled with sliced bell peppers, avocado, carrots, and cucumber, these rolls aren’t just about the color, but flavor and texture, too.
17. Carrot Lox Avocado Sushi
Give your taste buds the feel of lox with smoked carrot strips. Together with avocado slices, Japanese rice, and nori, this sushi roll will add color and flavor to your vegetarian life.
18. Oshinko Roll
Oshinko rolls are sweet, crunchy, and downright delicious. Oshinko is a variety of pickled vegetables, such as cucumber, cabbage, and my favorite, the sweet and crunchy yellow radish called daikon.
19. Cauliflower Sushi
If you’re obsessed with sushi but hate the sheer amount of carbs that go in one roll, use cauliflower rice instead! I promise you, this alternative isn’t bland at all. The cauliflower florets are pulsed with cream cheese, so you know it’s delicious.
20. Coconut Sticky Rice Dessert Sushi
For dessert, treat your taste buds to this sweet summer delight. Sticky coconut rice is topped with a chunk of sweet mango and drizzled with a creamy coconut sauce. I died and went to tropical heaven. Click on a star to rate it!
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