This Vegetarian Sushi Recipe creates veggie spicy “tuna” rolls made from tomatoes! They taste just like the classic sushi roll but are loaded with plant-based goodness.
Table of Contents
In this recipe for Vegetarian Spicy “Tuna” Rolls, we’re swapping the raw tuna for marinated tomatoes! You’ll be amazed at how they taste and feel just like raw tuna. So tender and salty, it’s hard to believe simple Roma tomatoes can easily be transformed into something so close to real seafood.
With layers of tender tomato “tuna”, sushi rice, spicy mayonnaise, cucumber, and avocado, these tasty rolls are perfect for a fancy dinner or date night.
Reader
Love
These turned out excellent! Very simple ingredients and super easy to put together. This was my first attempt at making sushi and my husband even loved them (and also didn’t know they were vegan)!
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Ingredients needed
- Tomatoes – I use Roma tomatoes since they have more flesh and less seeds. The tomatoes are used to make the vegetarian “tuna” for this recipe. If tomatoes aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other delicious fillings! Try marinated tofu, tempeh, hearts of palm, or extra vegetables like carrots, cucumber, avocado, bell peppers, and purple cabbage.
- Avocado + Cucumbers – Used to stuff the rolls.
- Nori Sheets – These are the dried seaweed sheets that are used to roll up the sushi.
- For the Marinade – Soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and ginger.
- For the Sushi Rice – Sushi rice, rice vinegar, sugar, salt. Here’s how to make sushi rice in your rice cooker.
- For the Spicy Sauce – Sriracha, mayonnaise (or veganaise), lemon juice, sesame oil.
How to make veggie sushi rolls
Step 1
Blanch the tomatoes
- First, place the tomatoes in a pot of boiling water.
- When the skin starts to peel, immediately transfer them to an ice bath.
- You can peel the skin from the tomatoes when they’re cool to the touch.
Step 2
Marinate the tomatoes
- Slice the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds.
- Cut them again into bite sized pieces and place them in a bowl with the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3
Make the sushi rice
- While you wait for the tomatoes to marinate, cook the sushi rice on the stove or in a rice cooker or Instant Pot.
- Season it with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt when it’s ready.
Step 4
Assemble
- Assemble the veggie sushi rolls by spreading some rice on a nori sheet.
- Spread the sriracha mayo on the rice and add cucumber, marinated tomato tuna, and avocado on top.
- Roll it up, then cut into even pieces using a sharp, wet knife.
- Serve the rolls with spicy mayo or soy sauce for dipping and enjoy!
Tips for making vegetarian sushi rolls
- Don’t overfill your sushi rolls. This makes rolling so much easier!
- Let the rice cool before assembling.
- Keep your fingers damp when handling rice to avoid it from sticking.
- Use a sharp, wet knife to slice the rolls for cleaner cuts.
Variations
- Filling Ideas – Not into tomatoes? Swap them out for some tofu, tempeh, crab (or krab for a vegetarian-friendly option), hearts of palm, or just leave them out entirely and add in more veggies. See above ⤴ for great options.
- Sesame Seeds – Finish your rolls off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
- Sauce it! – Top your roll with some wasabi mayo or one of these 15+ sauces for sushi.
- Switch Up the Veggies – Try swapping out the avocado and cucumber for some sliced carrots, bell peppers, purple cabbage, green onions, radish, etc.
Recipe FAQs
It’s surprisingly similar! Peeled Roma tomatoes have a soft, tender texture that resembles raw tuna. Marinating them in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger gives them a savory, umami-rich flavor that makes a delicious plant-based alternative to spicy tuna.
Yes! This recipe is easy to make completely vegan. Simply use vegan mayonnaise (such as Vegenaise) in place of regular mayonnaise for the spicy sauce. The remaining ingredients are naturally plant-based, but check your ingredient labels to be sure.
Yes! You can prepare several components ahead to make assembly easier. The tomato tuna can be marinated, the sushi rice can be cooked, and the spicy mayo can be mixed in advance. Store everything separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. For the best texture, assemble the sushi rolls shortly before serving.
I recommend using Roma tomatoes because they’re meaty, have fewer seeds, and contain less moisture than many other varieties. This gives the tomato tuna a firmer texture that’s perfect for sushi rolls. Be sure to peel the tomatoes and remove the seeds before marinating them.
Absolutely! A bamboo sushi mat makes rolling easier, but it’s not essential. You can use a piece of plastic wrap instead. Place the nori and fillings on the plastic wrap, then use your hands to gently roll everything into a tight cylinder.
What to serve with them
- MORE → 15+ sauces for sushi
- MORE → 15+ sides for sushi
Erin’s wine pairings
- A Dry Riesling is the perfect choice. Its sweetness and acidity will cut right through the heat from the spicy sauce and richness from the mayonnaise.
More sushi recipes to try
More vegetarian recipes to try
Did you try these spicy vegetarian sushi rolls?
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Full Recipe
Vegetarian Sushi Rolls
Ingredients
- 3 roma tomatoes
- 1 avocado (thinly sliced)
- ½ cucumber (thinly sliced)
- 4-5 nori sheets
Marinade:
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste (or fresh grated ginger)
Sushi Rice:
- 1 cup uncooked sushi rice
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Spicy “Tuna Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise (or vegenaise)
- 2 teaspoons sriracha (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Tomatoes:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Using a paring knife, score a small X through the skin on the bottom of each of the 3 roma tomatoes.
- Add the tomatoes to the boiling water and cook until the skin starts to peel (about 3 minutes). Immediately transfer the tomatoes to a bowl of ice water to chill and stop the cooking process.
- Once cool enough to handle, use your hands to peel the tomatoes then cut them in half, remove the seeds, and cut them into bite sized pieces.
Marinade:
- Combine 3 Tablespoons soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon ginger paste in a medium bowl.
- Add the tomatoes to the marinade. Toss to coat, and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Rice:
- Bring 1 cup uncooked sushi rice and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, covered. Remove from heat and let rest while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Whisk 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 Tablespoon sugar and ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; drizzle over the rice and stir to combine.
Spicy “Tuna” Sauce:
- Stir together 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons sriracha, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon sesame oil and set aside.
To Assemble:
- Lay down a sheet of nori on a sushi mat or piece of saran wrap. Spread about ⅔ cup of the sushi rice over the nori, leaving about 1-inch clean on one end.
- Spread the sriracha mayo across the rice, then top with cucumber, tomatoes and 2 slices of avocado.
- Roll starting at the bottom and stop when you reach the bare strip at the top. Wet your fingers and run them along the bare edge, then continue rolling until sealed.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into even pieces, about ¾ inch thick. Serve with additional spicy mayo and soy sauce on the side.
Notes
-
Filling Ideas – Not into tomatoes? Swap them out for some tofu, tempeh, crab (or krab for a vegetarian-friendly option), hearts of palm, or just leave them out entirely and add in more veggies.
-
Sesame Seeds – Finish your rolls off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
-
Sauce it! – Top your roll with some wasabi mayo or one of these 15+ sauces for sushi.
-
Switch Up the Veggies – Try swapping out the avocado and cucumber for some sliced carrots, bell peppers, purple cabbage, green onions, radish, etc.
- Don’t overfill your sushi rolls. This makes rolling so much easier!
- Let the rice cool before assembling.
- Keep your fingers damp when handling rice to avoid it from sticking.
- Use a sharp, wet knife to slice the rolls for cleaner cuts.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2022 to add new information and add-in ideas. The vegetarian sushi roll recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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