
You know those foods that seem way too complicated to make? Sushi is one of them. After making sushi rolls a few times in a cooking class, I can tell you that it’s actually quite simple to make.
I’m going to show you how and share with you one of my favorite vegan sushi roll recipes with a miso tahini sauce!



My mom and I took a sushi making class a few years ago and it was such a fun experience. I’ve always been intimidated by homemade sushi and I thought a sushi mat was required to make it (which is so not the case!). While the class was a super fun experience, it opened my eyes up to two things that made me question the healthfulness of sushi.
To make the sushi rolls, we had to add close to 3/4 cup of rice per roll. It doesn’t look like that much when it’s presented so beautifully on a plate, but that’s a lot of rice when you consider the recommended serving size is 1/2 cup. And most of us order more than one sushi roll!
The other part of the class that made me more mindful of what I was putting in my body was reading the ingredient list of the imitation crab. Pollock, wheat starch, corn starch, sorbitol, refined fish oil and artificial flavor?! No thank you.
Compare this experience to making sushi in my Plantlab Culinary program and it was a completely different experience. We used real, whole foods (mainly fruits and veggies) to create the most beautiful meal that was pretty simple to put together.
Making sushi can be a fun activity for a date night at home, girls night in or family night and you don’t need a sushi mat to get started. Just a piece of parchment paper!
Before we dive into the how-tos for making sushi, let’s talk about nutritional swaps for a healthier roll.
The rice. Instead of using white rice (traditionally sweetened with sugar), try using quinoa or cauliflower rice for a grain-free, antioxidant-rich alternative. If you go the cauliflower rice route, I find making it at home is a little easier when assembling sushi rolls.
To make cauliflower rice, pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor until super fine (discarding any larger chunks leftover). Give it an even bigger nutritional boost by sprinkling on some hemp seeds for added protein!
The fillings. When I’m ordering sushi out, I try and avoid anything with tempura or spicy mayo. Instead, I like to stick to sashimi, steamed shrimp, smoked salmon and load up on the veggies! Some of my favorite fillings include: bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, avocado for creaminess, purple cabbage for the color and microgreens for a big boost in nutrients and flavor.
The sauce. A lot of traditional sauces are full of mayo and added sugars. And while I can’t say I haven’t asked for an extra side of eel sauce, at home you can be creative with dipping sauces! This recipe has a delicious miso tahini sauce, but if you wanted to keep things simple, you could go with tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) or coconut aminos if you are looking to avoid soy.
How to make the best vegan sushi roll ever
Let’s talk about how to make a successful sushi roll. Here are some of my top tips (with a video to show you how!):
- Lay the nori sheet with the dotted lines facing horizontal to you, shiny side up
- Spoon the rice onto the bottom 1/3 of the sheet, pressing it down with the back of the spoon
- Layer ingredients by weight with the heaviest on the bottom and lightest on the top (and remember, a little bit goes a long way!)
- Use the parchment paper as your guide as you continue to tuck the roll under, pressing firmly to get a tight roll
- When ready to cut, use a sharp knife and clean your knife after each cut
Swipe to the second image here to see a little video I made for you to walk you through these steps. Hope you enjoy it!



How to Make Homemade Sushi + Veggie GLOW Vegan Sushi
- Author: FitLiving Eats by Carly Paige
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: n/a
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Making sushi can be a fun activity for a date night at home, girls night in or family night and you don’t need a sushi mat to get started. Just a piece of parchment paper!
Ingredients
- 1/2 head cauliflower
- 4 nori sheets
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup shredded veggies
- 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 cup microgreens
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
- coconut aminos or tamari, for dipping
Miso Tahini Sauce:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Miso Tahini Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Cauliflower Rice: Add cauliflower florets to a food processor and pulse until a rice-like texture is formed.
- Assemble the Sushi Roll: Place 1 nori sheet on a piece of parchment paper with the horizontal lines facing you. Spread a thin layer of “rice” over the bottom third of the sheet, going all the way to the edge. Sprinkle the hemp seeds on top. Assemble the remaining filling ingredients by layering the heaviest, first. For example, layer avocado slices, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, cabbage, then micro greens.
- Rolling the Sushi: Using the parchment paper as your guide and to get a nice tight roll, carefully begin to roll the stuffed nori sheet. Continue to roll until there is 1/2 inch of nori remaining and dab water to seal, continuing to roll. Using a sharp knife, cut the sushi into bite-sized pieces. Serve with coconut aminos and miso tahini!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 261
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 383mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: vegan sushi, how to make sushi at home, homemade sushi, sushi
Now, who wants to invite me over for a sushi making party? I’ll bring the chopsticks!
If you make this Veggie GLOW Vegan Sushi Roll recipe or any other FitLiving Eats recipe, leave a comment below and tag #fitlivingeats on the ‘gram.
5 Responses
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