This Vegan sushi is easy to make, made with healthy ingredients, and colorful. This Japanese classic is so much cheaper to make at home and totally customizable according to what you like. Make your custom sushi roll, recipe below!

I have had mixed feelings about sushi. The thought of eating raw fish always gave me the heebie-jeebies. I had nothing against the taste or look, sushi is always visually appealing to look at, but the raw fish would turn me away.

Then I found a replacement that I really enjoyed, Konnyaku. Also known as a Japanese yam cake. Don’t let the name of it throw you off, it is a clear block of gelatinized starch of the yams. It has been used for centuries to help with digestive issues. It also inexplicably has a fishy smell and texture.

But the taste is neutral, so you can flavor it however you want.

I already used it in my jjajangmyeon recipe (see here). It makes an incredible fish replacement and it’s very easy to cut it up and use. See below!

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Ingredients for Vegan Sushi

• Japanese yam cake. Also known as konnyaku. This is made from yams and is almost 90% water. The smell is a little fishy and has a similar texture to raw fish. The flavor is neutral, but it holds flavors and colors very well. I use this as my vegan “fish” replacement. You can find this in the refrigerated section of most Asian markets.
• Beet powder. This is used in the flavoring marinade for the Japanese yam cake. The color is a bright pink and a little bit goes a long way. This is optional.
• Nori. Nori is used to hold the rice and the fillings in place. It is made from seaweed. You can find this online or n most Asian stores.
• Japanese short grain rice. This is the ideal rice to use for sushi. It’s sticky even when cool and the consistency is different from other types of rice.
• Rice vinegar. This is to flavor the rice and add a nice acidic flavor. It’s a milder and sweeter than white distilled vinegar.

How to Roll the Sushi

Well, first, get all your ingredients prepped and cut, and ready to go.

Wrap your bamboo mat in a layer of plastic wrap. This keeps it from getting dirty and makes the clean-up at the end really easy.

Lay your sheet of nori shiny side down and rough side up. You want the pretty side to be the first thing people see when they look at your sushi.

Carefully place a layer of rice on top of the nori. You can use your hands (make sure they are wet) or spatula to smooth it down, but remember not to crush the rice kernels.

Leave a space at the bottom empty.

Lay your ingredients down in a single row about 3/4 of the way up. Don’t add too much or your sushi will be too big and it will be harder to manage.

Start by using your thumbs to lift the bamboo map up and over the filling. Curl your hands over the mat and squeeze. This makes sure the roll is not loose and won’t fall apart, once you try to cut it.

Lay the mat down again and continue to roll the sushi log until you get to the strip of bare nori. Wet it with wet fingers and then continue rolling the sushi roll down. This will seal it.

To cut, oil a sharp knife and cut into even slices. Serve this vegan sushi with the classic soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi, or with a spicy mayo sauce drizzled on top.

Want More?

Try Out Similar recipes below:

• Vegan “Beef” and Broccoli
• Vegetarian Onigiri with Spicy Jackfruit “tuna”
• Homemade Vegetarian Dumplings

I hope you try this recipe. If you tried this recipe, let me know in the comments below.

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