California Vegan Sushi Roll

A delicious inside-out uramaki sushi roll filled with a tasty hearts of palm filling, fresh avocado, and crisp cucumber.

Oh! Where to start!!

If you’ve read any of my sushi posts, you already know I’m obsessed with sushi rolls. They’re such a sophisticated and fun way to eat tasty fillings. This California Vegan Sushi Roll is no exception!

If you’re new to the sushi scene, have no fear. I’ll give you a brief overview of what a California roll is, how it all began, and show you exactly how to recreate this delicious sushi roll in your own home for yourself and your friends!!

The California roll is a very popular uramaki (an inside-out sushi roll) filled with cooked crabmeat, avocado, and cucumber. Like so many things, not everyone agrees on who the creative genius is for this sushi roll. It’s believed that Ichiro Mashita created the California roll while working as a sushi chef in Los Angeles in the 1960s.

Because many of his patrons removed the nori thinking it was inedible, Mashita began placing the rice on the outside. What’s interesting is he used cooked crabmeat and avocado. He didn’t include the now traditional sesame seeds, cucumber, or mayonnaise.

Essentially, he created two very cool American sushi traditions – the California roll and the uramaki or inside-out roll. Despite its popularity in the United States, the California roll as we know and love it is not very common in Japan.

This California Vegan Sushi Roll looks just like the traditional uramaki creation, except that it’s filled with a vegan crab filling made of hearts of palm. Pretty neat, eh?

Check it out!

So yeah, this California Vegan Sushi Roll starts off just like any other sushi roll. You’ll need the basic sushi components like seasoned sushi rice, toasted nori, tasty fillings, and serving accompaniments.

Let’s get started!!

Up first is the sushi rice. To make sushi rice, combine medium grain sushi rice and water in an Instant Pot on high pressure for 4 minutes.  Once the pressure has released naturally, add in a little rice vinegar, agave or maple syrup, and a dash of salt.  Stir it together and keep to covered with a wet paper towel to prevent it from drying out. 

While the rice is cooking, prepare the other components.

The first one is the toasted nori seaweed. You can get a pack in most grocery stores or asian markets today. I like cutting my nori in half or at least in two-third sheets so that they aren’t too fat. If the roll is too big, it can be too much in your mouth.

Sushi is a sophisticated pleasure. It shouldn’t be difficult to chew. Plus, the flavors need to be balanced. When a roll is too thick, it seems that the rice to nor to filling ratio is off. If you prefer your rolls super thick, by all means, roll it thick. They will look more like these monster California Sushi Rolls here…

As I mentioned previously, this California Vegan Sushi Roll uses hearts of palm. I get jars at Costco, but you can find them at most grocery stores in cans or jars. You’ll want about eight ounces.

And while you can chop up the hearts of palm with a knife, a food processor makes quick work and flakes the hearts of palm nicely to imitate the look and texture of crabmeat. I think it’s kind of cool. Just be careful to pulse the hearts of palm until it just resembles flakes of crabmeat. You don’t want it to be too fine or mushy.

Once you’re satisfied with the look of your hearts of palm, transfer it to a bowl and stir in a little mayonnaise. If you enjoy spicy foods, you can also add in a little sriracha. But this is optional.

Next up are the cucumber and avocado. For the cucumber, I find it’s best to mostly peel the cucumber, then slice one-quarter inch slices to make long sticks. You want to cut the cucumber sticks to match the length of your toasted nori seaweed. That way it fits well. You have the option to use long slender slices or one long stick, though I prefer using the cucumber sticks in this California Vegan Sushi Roll.

The avocado is the yang to the cucumber’s yen. Or something like that. Honestly, you know as well as I do that cucumber and avocado go really well together in sushi. I like to slice my avocado in half, remove the pit, and remove the peel. Then slice the avocado fruit in thin slices and cut them cross-wise so that they are short strips instead of crescent. It makes it a lot easier to roll when there aren’t awkward pieces poking outward.

To create your California Vegan Sushi Roll, place your wrapped sushi mat on a cutting board or mat in front of you. Set your nori sheets, seasoned sushi rice next to it, with your water and paper towel at the ready. Next, place your cucumber sticks, avocado slices, and sesame seeds next to your mat so that you have easy access to them.

Once you have everything in its place, you may begin. Start by placing one trimmed sheet of nori shiny side down* on the plastic-wrapped bamboo mat. Wet your fingers on the wet paper towel and evenly spread about ½ cup of sushi rice across the toasted nori sheet. Sprinkle the rice with toasted sesame seeds. Then carefully flip the nori over so that the rice and sesame seeds are facing down.

About half an inch from the edge, spread the hearts of palm mixture in an even line from one end of the nori to the opposite end. Now lay the cucumber sticks right next to the hearts of palm. And lay the avocado slices next to the cucumber, slightly overlapping.

Using the sushi mat and both hands, start rolling from the bottom of the roll, tucking the edge of the roll to fully enclose the filling. It’s really important that you apply light pressure, but not too much pressure. Try not to squeeze too tight, or else the filling may squeeze out of the roll. And that’s no fun.

Once the uramaki is rolled up, use the mat to rotate the roll inside to make sure you have an even and consistent sushi roll. Transfer the roll from the bamboo mat to the cutting board. Wipe the edge of a very sharp knife with the wet paper towel. Slice your sushi roll into six equal pieces by first cutting the roll in half, then cut each half into thirds.

It’s important to wipe your knife with the wet paper towel in between slices; otherwise the rice sticks. Now transfer your sushi to a serving dish, platter, or tray. Enjoy with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari).

There is one thing that I must caution you about this California Vegan Sushi Roll. And it’s no different from any other sushi roll. Do not make this ahead for the next day. Sushi rolls tend to be hard and dry the day after they are made.

If you want or need to prep the day before, you certainly can. Make and season the rice, make the “crabmeat”, slice the cucumber, and cut the nori. Have everything just about ready to go. Store the rice, crabmeat, and cucumber sticks covered in separate air-tight containers in the refrigerator.

The next day, take the rice out of the refrigerator about an hour before you’re ready to make the sushi rolls. Then slice your avocado and prep your sushi creation space and roll away to your heart’s content. I have done this many many times and it normally works very well.

I hope you enjoy this California Vegan Sushi Roll as much as I do.

I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Ingredients

• sushi rice*
• 8 ounces hearts of palm 
• 1-2 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise
• 4-6 sheets of toasted nori, cut in two-thirds or half
• ½ cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced in julienne strips
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• Sriracha (optional)
• To serve: wasabi, pickled ginger, soy sauce or gluten-free tamari

Instructions

1. Using a food processor, pulse the hearts of palm until it flakes and is coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.

1. In the bowl, combine the hearts of palm, mayo, chili garlic sauce, and lime juice. Set aside.

1. Wrap a sushi mat with a long piece of saran wrap and fold the edges around to seal it.
2. Lay one trimmed sheet of nori shiny side down* on the plastic-wrapped bamboo mat.
3. Set a small bowl with a wet paper towel and a little water next to your mat.
4. Wet your fingers on the paper towel and place about ½ cup of sushi rice in an even layer across the toasted nori sheet.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

1. Carefully flip the nori over so that the rice-sesame side is now facing down.**
2. About half an inch from the edge, spread the hearts of palm mixture in a line from end to end.
3. Now lay thin uniform slices of cucumber and avocado along the hearts of palm mixture.
4. Using the sushi mat and both hands, start rolling from the bottom of the roll, tucking the edge of the roll to fully enclose the filling. (Try not to squeeze too tight so the filling doesn’t squeeze out of the roll.)
5. Once you reach the end, use the mat to rotate the roll inside to make sure you have an even and consistent sushi roll.

1. Now use the wet paper towel to wipe the edge of a sharp knife.
2. Slice your sushi roll into 6 equal pieces.  Cut it in half first, then cut each half into thirds. It helps to wipe the knife with your wet paper towel in between cuts; otherwise the rice sticks.
3. Place your sushi on a serving dish and enjoy with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari).

Notes

* To make sushi rice, combine 1 cup of medium grain sushi rice and 1¼ cup water in an instant pot on high for 4 minutes.  After it naturally releases, add in 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp agave or maple syrup, and a dash of salt.  Keep covered with wet paper towel. 

This recipe makes 6-8 rolls, depending how much rice and filling you use on each roll.

To make a full roll, spread 1 cup of rice across a full nori sheet and proceed per instructions – the roll will just be a bit thicker.

** Sushi Golden Rule: the shiny side of nori is always placed on the outside of the sushi.