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First and foremost I’d like to say that I love sushi. Sushi is one of my favorite foods but it can be expensive to order at a restaurant and making it at home seemed like a lot of work. Well not anymore! For this post, I wanted to simplify sushi as much as possible which is why I’ve broken this recipe down into 10 ingredients. This veggie sushi recipe is also vegan and contains easy instructions to make it gluten-free. Enjoy!

10 Simple Ingredients for Making Veggie Sushi

Nori Seaweed Sheets
Sushi Rice
Firm, Extra Firm, or Super Firm Tofu
Bell Pepper
Cucumber
Large Carrot
Avocado
Soy Sauce, Tamari, or Coconut Aminos
Rice Vinegar
Sesame Oil

How To Make Veggie Sushi Gluten-Free

If you have celiac disease or just prefer gluten-free cooking, then it will be no surprise to hear about all of the ways food can be cross contaminated to include glutenous ingredients. But for someone like myself that does not have food allergies, I’m in disbelief to find out just how many foods can secretly contain gluten. Many ingredients that I routinely use such as oats, rice, soy sauce, vinegars, all contain or come in contact with gluten unless otherwise stated on the packaging.

When I was developing this recipe, I wanted to make it as simple as possible, but also include instructions, for anyone with food allergies. The below explanation is a break down of why some ingredients are not considered gluten-free and how you can easily make this recipe gluten-free.

Nori Seaweed Sheets: Nori seaweed sheets are typically gluten-free since seaweed is naturally gluten-free. Some seaweed sheets contain added soy sauce or tamari. Soy sauce and tamari are not gluten-free unless specifically stated on the packaging. To ensure that your seaweed sheets are gluten-free, look for the the certified gluten-free symbol on the packaging or opt for seaweed sheets that only contain seaweed as the listed ingredient.
Sushi Rice: Sushi rice, or just plain rice, isn’t always gluten-free. In its natural form, rice is gluten-free; but just like oats, rice can be cross contaminated with wheat ingredients and no longer be considered safe or gluten-free for people with celiac disease/related food allergies. For gluten-free sushi rice, choose the product that contains the certified gluten-free label on the packaging.
Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar can be a tricky ingredient for gluten-free cooking if you’re not careful. Some manufacturers do not list additional wheat additives such as barley malt. For gluten-free rice vinegar, make sure the certified gluten-free label is displayed on the packaging.
Soy Sauce/Tamari: Soy sauce and tamari often contain gluten or come in contact with wheat during manufacturing. For a gluten-free version, look for the certified gluten-free label on the packaging or opt for coconut aminos since it is naturally gluten-free.

Quick Tips for Make Veggie Sushi

When adding the vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce mixture to the rice make sure that you don’t mash the rice. Gently fold the liquid mixture into the rice until well combined.
To prevent the rice from sticking to your hands when pressing it into the seaweed sheet, have a bowl of water nearby. Dip your hands into the water before grabbing the rice and between sushi rolls to make them easier to form.
After the sushi rolls have been made, tightly wrap each one in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight if possible. This will help the sushi hold together when you cut them into pieces.

Common Questions

Can I use any type of rice for this recipe?
No. Sushi rice is ideal for making sushi rolls because of its size and starch content. Other types of rice may dry out quicker and crumble/fall apart. Sushi rice is also best for making sushi because it holds its shape well and doesn’t easily turn into mush when mixing in other ingredients.
Can I leave out the tofu?
Yes! I really love the tofu within this recipe because it adds a savory, meat-like flavor and texture to the sushi, but it’s an optional ingredient. If you would like to skip the steps for the tofu and just do rice and veggies, that’s good, too!
Can I make this recipe if I’m not gluten-free?
Yes! This recipe contains gluten-free cooking instructions and brief notes for anyone that wants to make their sushi gluten-free. If you don’t have celiac disease or don’t care whether it contains gluten or not, then don’t worry about buying gluten-free ingredients. I am not gluten-free but I include dietary alterations for anyone with a wheat allergy.
I see coconut aminos listed as alternative to soy sauce/tamari. What is it?
Coconut aminos is just a sauce that’s nearly identical to soy sauce/tamari in taste and consistency. It’s derived from coconuts which makes it a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce and tamari. Coconut aminos also have far less sodium compared to soy sauce/tamari.
Can I make the sushi rice in a rice/pressure cooker or stovetop pot?
Yes! I’ve included instructions for both in the recipe information below.

Want more easy veggie recipes? Check out the links below!

Substitutions

Soy Sauce: You can use tamari or coconut aminos as a substitution for soy sauce if you prefer. If you’re trying to make gluten-free sushi, I would recommend you substitute coconut aminos or use certified gluten-free tamari as a substitution for soy sauce.
Sesame Oil: You can use another type of oil such as vegetable/canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil if you prefer.
Tofu: You can use either firm, extra firm, or super firm tofu for this recipe. Firm tofu has more liquid than extra firm or super firm tofu and will require longer pressing time to remove the excess liquid.

Products for this recipe (Sold through Amazon)

Veggie Sushi

Yield: 6 – 7 sushi rolls (approximately 3 – 4 servings) 1x
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

This easy veggie sushi recipe is made up of 10 ingredients. This recipe is vegan and can be easily made gluten-free.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Fried Tofu Ingredients:

1 (14 – 16 oz.) Block Tofu, Firm/Extra Firm/Super Firm*
3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos**
2 Tsp. Sesame Oil

Sushi Rice Ingredients:

2 cups Sushi Rice**
3 cups Water***
1/4 cup Rice Vinegar**
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos**
2 Tsp. Cane Sugar (Optional)

Other Ingredients:

1 Bell Pepper
1 Cucumber
1 Large Carrot
1 Avocado
6 – 7 Nori Seaweed Sheets**

Optional Add-On Ingredients:

Pickled Ginger
Wasabi
Spicy Mayo (1 Cup Mayo + 3 tbsp. Sriracha/Chili Sauce)

Instructions

Cook the rice:

Rinse: You can either add the rice to a large bowl along with enough water to cover and it let it sit for a few minutes or add the rice to a fine mesh strainer and rinse. Drain the water and re-add/rinse until the water runs clear. (See package instructions for best results if applicable)
Stovetop or Rice/Pressure Cooker: If you’re cooking the rice in a rice cooker/pressure cooker, add the water and rice and choose the ‘rice’ setting (if applicable). If you’re cooking the rice on the stovetop, add the water and rice to a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let the rice cook for 20 minutes.
Add other ingredients: When the rice is done, remove it from the heat, gently fluff with a fork, and set it aside. If you’re using sugar for this recipe, add it to a small bowl along with the rice vinegar and microwave for 10 seconds. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add soy sauce to the heated liquid and stir. Pour the liquid mixture onto the rice and gently fold/stir until well combined. Do not mash the rice. Cover and set aside.

Cook the tofu:

Cut and press: Place the tofu on a cutting board and cut into 12 equal strips approximately the length and width of a finger. Press the tofu between paper towels or clean kitchen towels to remove excess liquid.
Soak: Add the tofu strips to a large plate and cover with soy sauce. Flip the tofu every minute to cover each side.
Cook: Place a large non-stick pan/skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the sesame oil and tofu strips and cook for 1 – 3 minutes on each side until crispy. Set the tofu aside to cool.

Cut the veggies:

Cut the bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, and avocado into long, thin strips.

Make the sushi rolls:

Place a nori seaweed sheet onto a sushi rolling mat or cutting board. Dip your hands with water (to prevent rice from sticking) and gently press a thin layer of rice onto the seaweed sheet until evenly covered.
Add a few strips of each vegetable, two strips of tofu, and some avocado and roll to close. Be careful not to make the sushi rolls too tight or the seaweed sheet could fall apart. Also, be careful not to make the sushi rolls too loose or the contents could fall out when cutting.
When the sushi roll is finished, tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight (optional).
Cut the sushi rolls into individual sushi bites and serve.

Notes

*Tofu: Firm tofu contains more water than extra firm or super firm tofu, which may require more pressing to remove the excess liquid. Super firm will require almost no pressing so you may skip this step if you’re using this type of tofu.

**Gluten-Free Substitutions:

Soy Sauce: Soy sauce and tamari are not typically gluten-free. To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure you use soy sauce/tamari that has the certified gluten-free label on the packaging or opt for coconut aminos since it is gluten-free.
Sushi Rice: Sushi rice can come in contact with wheat during manufacturing. Be sure to use certified gluten-free sushi rice if desired.
Rice Vinegar: Like sushi rice, vinegar can contain wheat ingredients due to cross contamination. Choose the product with a certified gluten-free label if preferred.
Nori Seaweed Sheets: Seaweed is naturally gluten-free but can contain gluten if soy sauce/tamari is listed as an added ingredient. For gluten-free seaweed sheets, choose a product with the certified gluten-free label on the packaging or with seaweed listed as the only ingredient.

***Cooking Sushi Rice: I used the packaged sushi rice by Lunderberg Family Farms for this recipe. Their sushi rice is certified gluten-free and has package instructions for cooking. Generally, 2 cups of sushi rice will need approximately 3 cups of water for cooking, but I recommend you follow the package instructions if yours says differently. If you are not using packaged sushi rice, then I would recommend using the 2:3 ratio and cooking instructions in this recipe.