Veggie Sushi Rolls with Avocado and Cucumber

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bright, crunchy veggies wrapped in perfectly seasoned, slightly warm sushi rice.
• Beginner-friendly rolling method with clear cues for texture and tightness.
• Customizable fillings plus a zesty gingery mayo that makes every bite pop.
• No special equipment required beyond a simple bamboo mat.

Grocery List

• Produce: Avocado, English cucumber, carrot, pickled yellow radish (takuan) or pickled daikon, fresh ginger, optional scallions
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Sushi rice, nori sheets, rice vinegar, sugar, fine sea salt, soy sauce or tamari, mayonnaise, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, wasabi paste, optional mirin

Full Ingredients

Sushi Rice & Seasoning

• 2 cups (380 g) sushi rice (Japanese short-grain)
• Water for cooking: 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) for stovetop OR 2 cups (480 ml) for rice cooker
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp (24 g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
• Optional: 1 tsp (5 ml) mirin

Fillings

• 6 full sheets nori (about 19 x 21 cm), unseasoned
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and cut into thin batons (10–12 cm length)
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin batons
• 1/2 cup (75 g) pickled yellow radish (takuan) or pickled daikon, cut into thin batons
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• Optional: 2 scallions, cut into thin strips

Gingery Mayo

• 1/2 cup (120 g) mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp (10 g) freshly grated ginger (very finely grated)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) soy sauce or tamari
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) toasted sesame oil
• Pinch of sugar, to taste

For Serving

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) soy sauce or tamari
• Wasabi paste
• Optional: Pickled ginger

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and Soak the Rice

Place 2 cups (380 g) sushi rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Swirl, drain, and repeat 4–5 times until the water runs mostly clear. Transfer the rinsed rice to your saucepan or rice cooker pot. Add the measured cooking water (stovetop: 2 1/4 cups / 540 ml; rice cooker: 2 cups / 480 ml). Let the rice soak in this water for 30 minutes; this hydrates the grains for even texture.

Step 2: Cook and Rest the Rice

Stovetop: Cover and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce to low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest, still covered, for 10 minutes. Rice cooker: Start the cycle after soaking and let it finish; then rest 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid during cooking or resting.

Step 3: Season the Rice (Awase-zu)

In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar, 2 tbsp (24 g) sugar, and 1 1/4 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt (plus 1 tsp mirin if using). Warm over low heat, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches about 150°F (65°C); do not boil. Spread the hot rice into a wide bowl (a wooden hangiri if you have one). Drizzle the vinegar mixture over the rice. Using a rice paddle or spatula, fold gently with a slicing motion while fanning or stirring to cool until the rice is glossy and warm to the touch, about 95–100°F (35–38°C), 8–10 minutes. Cover with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Step 4: Prep the Veggies and Sauces

Julienne the cucumber and carrot into thin, even batons (10–12 cm long). Slice the avocado just before rolling to minimize browning. Cut the pickled radish into thin batons. Stir together the gingery mayo ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Prepare a small hand-dip bowl by mixing 1 cup (240 ml) water with 2 tbsp (30 ml) rice vinegar; this helps keep rice from sticking to your fingers.

Step 5: Set Up Your Rolling Station

Wrap a bamboo sushi mat in plastic wrap. Place a nori sheet, shiny side down, on the mat with the long edge facing you. Moisten your fingers in the vinegar water. Take about 3/4 cup (120–140 g) seasoned rice and spread it evenly over the nori, leaving a 3/4 inch (2 cm) strip uncovered at the far edge for sealing. Sprinkle a pinch of sesame seeds over the rice.

Step 6: Add Fillings and Roll Tightly

Arrange a neat line of cucumber, carrot, pickled radish, and avocado across the rice about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the edge closest to you. Lift the mat edge over the filling, tucking the nori to enclose the vegetables. Use the mat to compress the roll gently but firmly, pulling back as you tighten. Continue rolling to the end. Lightly moisten the bare nori edge with water and seal. Shape into an even cylinder by pressing the mat along the roll. Repeat to make 6 rolls.

Step 7: Slice and Serve

Dip a sharp chef’s knife in the vinegar water and wipe clean. Trim the ends, then cut each roll into 6–8 pieces with a gentle sawing motion, wetting and wiping the blade between cuts. Plate the veggie sushi rolls and serve with soy sauce, a small dab of wasabi, and a drizzle or side dish of gingery mayo. Optional: add pickled ginger on the side.

Pro Tips

• Don’t skip the soak: it ensures rice cooks evenly and rolls hold together without being mushy.
• Season and cool rice to warm (not cold) before rolling; overly hot rice will steam the nori and make it chewy.
• Keep fillings in thin, even batons so rolls are tight and slices stay intact.
• Use a damp, very sharp knife and wipe between cuts for clean slices and tidy layers.
• If nori feels soft, toast it quickly over low heat for 3–4 seconds to refresh crispness before using.

Variations

• Inside-out (uramaki): Cover the nori fully with rice, flip, add fillings, and roll; finish by rolling in toasted sesame seeds.
• Spicy switch: Replace gingery mayo with spicy mayo (1/2 cup mayo + 1–2 tbsp sriracha + 1 tsp rice vinegar).
• Brown rice option: Use short-grain brown rice; cook 2 cups rice with 2 3/4 cups water for 30–35 minutes, rest 10; season as directed (texture will be heartier).

Storage & Make-Ahead

Best texture is day-of. You can cook and season the rice up to 3 hours ahead; keep it covered with a damp towel at cool room temperature (do not refrigerate seasoned rice before rolling). Prep veggies and gingery mayo up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate separately. Rolled and sliced sushi can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated up to 24 hours; the nori will soften and avocado may darken slightly. For lunchboxes, pack soy, wasabi, and mayo on the side and keep chilled until serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1/4 of the recipe: 610 calories, 9 g protein, 88 g carbohydrates, 22 g fat, 5 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 910 mg sodium (includes 2 tbsp gingery mayo and 1 tbsp soy sauce). Values will vary with serving sizes and condiments used.