Spicy “Salmon” Sushi Roll (vegan)

A delicious inside-out sushi roll filled with spicy smoked carrots, creamy avocado, crunchy cucumber, and sliced green onion – dressed in a spicy mayo.

Sushi is all kinds of fun. I love making sushi rolls and especially enjoy eating them. I love that I can eat my sushi with wooden or plastic chop sticks or with my fingers – I really enjoy finger foods!! And there are so many different ways to make sushi – it’s all delicious! If you enjoy eating sushi as much as I do, consider making some of my other sushi roll recipes. Each has a unique and delicious variation, namely my Vegan Philly Roll, Tropical Crunch Uramaki, and Green Veggie Maki. 

And if you don’t have a bamboo rolling mat or just aren’t interested in making a sushi roll, but want to enjoy the taste and flavors of sushi, consider making my Spicy Salmon Sushi Stack. No nori or sushi mat is required.

The best part about these sushi recipes is that they are all really easy to make, plant-based, vegan, gluten-free, and DELICIOUS!

Much like some of my other sushi rolls, this Spicy “Salmon” Sushi Roll is filled with spicy smoked carrots, creamy avocado, crunchy cucumber, and green onion. You then have the option to serve with a little more spicy mayo on top. I think this roll is divine with or without the spicy mayo on top – it just depends on my mood. The choice is yours.

So, let’s talk about the different facets of this scrumptious Spicy Salmon Sushi Roll. First, you need a sushi mat. You can get bamboo sushi mats in the ethnic foods aisle at your local grocery store for a few dollars. You can also buy them online. Although, plastic mats are becoming more popular and are easier to clean. I like wrapping my bamboo sushi mats with plastic wrap because it makes clean-up a breeze.

Next up is the seasoned sushi rice, which is super easy to make in a pressure cooker or rice cooker. It’s important to use short grain or medium grain sushi rice since it contains more starch and will result in a stickier rice that adheres well to the nori. Many people recommend rinsing the sushi rice in water until it runs clear. Admittedly, I stopped doing this after I forgot to rinse my rice once and it still turned out well. So now I rarely rinse my sushi rice. I may or may not have a lazy streak…

I like cooking my sushi rice in my Instant Pot because it always turns out PERFECT. White rice takes four minutes on high pressure with a natural release. If you’re using brown or black rice, you’ll need to cook it for about twenty minutes on High Pressure with a natural release. Regardless of the type of rice you choose, simply remove the lid after the allotted time, then stir in a little rice wine vinegar, agave syrup or sugar, and a dash of salt. I like covering my seasoned sushi rice with a wet paper towel to keep it from drying out. The Notes section below contains the measurements and ingredients for an easy tried-and-true seasoned sushi rice.

Next up is nori, which is a sheet of toasted seaweed. It imbues that quintessential sushi taste, look, and aroma that I crave! If you love sushi, you know what I’m talking about! Yes, you can make sushi rolls with other types of wraps, and while they do taste good, there’s just something about nori that brings all of the flavors and textures together to make a really satisfying sushi roll.

Nori is normally sold in plastic packages of square sheets, typically in packs of ten. I like to cut my nori in half, though you can use a whole sheet if you prefer. If you choose to use a whole sheet of nori, you’ll need to use twice as much rice and will end up with a fatter sushi roll. This has its benefits since it also allows you to use a bit more filling without making a mess. I typically use half of a sheet of nori to make a standard sushi roll (like the ones pictures in all of the photos on this post).

I like applying the seasoned sushi rice evenly on the toasted nori and sprinkling sesame seeds on top before flipping it over. Once rolled up, the rice remains on the outside, creating a uramaki or inside-out sushi roll. It’s my favorite method for a few reasons. Primarily, it results in more seasoned sushi rice and lots of little colorful toasted sesame seeds that adhere to the rice’s surface. I think it looks scrumptious! And by now, I’m sure you know it’s all about presentation. I enjoy eating pretty food.

This Spicy “Salmon” Sushi Roll contains some flavorful ingredients, including smoked carrots and spicy mayo. I think the smoked carrot strips are incredible in this uramaki. Fresh carrots are peeled into long strips, and similar to my Plant-based Carrot Dogs, the carrots are cooked and marinated with nori overnight. Once the flavors blend, the smoked carrot strips provide a flavorful and colorful plant-based and vegan alternative to using smoked salmon. And the results are surprisingly delicious.

The smoked carrots are fantastic in my Vegan Philly Roll, Tropical Crunch Uramaki, and Spicy Salmon Sushi Stack. But this recipe takes these tasty smoked carrot strips one step further by chopping them up into smaller bits and combining them with a tasty spicy mayo blend comprised of chili-garlic sauce, lemon or lime juice, a little optional sesame oil, and vegan mayo.

You can use this spicy smoked “salmon” medley by itself in your roll, add in some panko crumbs, or kick things up a notch by adding in some awesome avocado, cucumber, chopped green onions. Unless you dislike any of these ingredients, you will not be disappointed!

A slight “bite” or crunch comes from thin cucumber slices and panko crumbs. It’s important to slice the cucumber in long thin strips about the length of the nori. This way, the cucumber strips don’t hang over the sides of the sushi roll too much. And if you follow a gluten-free diet, you can either omit the panko bread crumbs or use gluten-free panko bread crumbs. All of the other filling ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but you should check labels, just to be certain.

I like adding in slivers of fresh avocado because the color and texture pairs well with the smoked carrot and cucumber. Avocado adds a creamy texture that is simply exquisite in sushi. The greenish to yellow hues of the avocado blend right in with the cucumber and contrast with the spicy smoked carrot blend.

I also like adding in chopped green onions to the filling of this Spicy “Salmon” Sushi Roll. It adds just a hint of onion flavor that adds one more dimension and really ties all the flavors together. You can also garnish these plant-based sushi rolls with a little sliced green onion or chives.

I think the avocado, cucumber, and green onion complements the flavor composition of the spicy smoked carrot medley to create the perfect Spicy “Salmon” Sushi Roll. Be sure to use a very sharp knife to cut your sushi rolls. I have found that it is much easier to clean your sharp knife blade with a wet paper towel after each slice. It removes the sticky seasoned sushi rice that can make slicing your sushi roll a bit difficult and messy.

And finally, these Spicy “Salmon” Sushi Rolls are fantastic when paired with the standard sushi fare of pickled ginger, soy sauce or gluten-free tamari, and wasabi. But I think they’re also absolutely divine with just a dollop of spicy mayo. Really, the choice is yours!

I hope you enjoy this Spicy “Salmon” Sushi Roll as much as I do.  

I’m just starting out and 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

• 1 cup smoked carrot “salmon”, roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (or siracha)
• 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp sesame seed oil

• sushi rice* (recipe in Notes below)
• 4 sheets of nori, broken or cut in half
• 1 cup cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced or diced
• 1/4 cup panko crumbs (optional)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the chopped smoked carrots, mayo, chili-garlic sauce, lime juice, and sesame seed oil. Set aside.

1. Wrap a sushi mat with a long piece of saran wrap and fold the edges around to seal it nicely.
2. Lay one half 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 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 spicy carrot mixture in a line from end to end.
3. Now lay thin uniform slices of cucumber and avocado along the spicy carrot mixtures.
4. Sprinkle with green onions and panko crumbs, if using.

1. 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.
2. Once you reach the end, use the mat to rotate the roll inside to make sure you have an even and consistent sushi roll.
3. Now use the wet paper towel to wipe the edge of a sharp knife.
4. Slice your sushi roll into 6 equal pieces.  Cut it in half first, then cut each half in thirds.  
5. Wipe the knife with your wet paper towel in between each cut; otherwise the rice sticks.
6. Place your sushi on a serving dish and enjoy with pickled ginger and wasabi.

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.
• ** Sushi Golden Rule: the shiny side of nori is always placed on the outside of the sushi.
• – This recipe makes about 8 half rolls, depending how much rice you use on each roll.
• – To make a full roll, spread 1 cup of rice across a full nori sheet and proceed per instructions.