These Cucumber Sushi Rolls are an easy and refreshing way to enjoy vegetarian sushi, without all the hassle!
I’ll admit up front, I’m not a huge fan of cucumbers. Something about them has just never boded well for me. Which is why they’re this week’s spotlight ingredient, a week in which I hope to turn around around my distaste for these crunchy green gourds!
But once upon a time I also had a strong distaste for sushi, a distaste quickly alleviated by my discovery of avocado veggie rolls and spicy mayo. So what better way to ring in cucumber week than with a fresh Cucumber Sushi Roll with avocado, bell pepper, and spicy mayo? And the best part is, these are a lot more foolproof than regular sushi!
Cucumber Sushi Rolls Video
How to make cucumber sushi
Just seed the cucumbers and create a tube in each, then stuff them with rice, avocado, and bell peppers. Gentle persistence is the key here. Gently compressing and adding and compressing until the cucumber is packed full with delicious sushi fillings!
Then all of your hard work pays off when you make that first cut and see the product of all that gentle persistence, a colorful, beautiful, tastiful slice of sushi.
What can you put in vegetarian sushi?
These vegetarian Cucumber Sushi Rolls are packed with bell peppers and avocado, but you can also add crispy tofu (like in these Tofu Stuffed Cucumber Sushi Rolls), sautéed portobello mushroom, or “pulled pork” mushrooms.
Spruce it up with some soy sauce or, my favorite, spicy mayo. My like or dislike of a sushi restaurant has always been dependent on the quality of their spicy mayo. But depend no more! With my discovery of sriracha sauce a few weeks ago, I’ve learned the super simple secret to this sauce. 1 Tbsp light mayo + 1/2 tsp sriracha. That’s it.
Ingredients
Sushi
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 cup sushi cooked rice
- 1/4 firm avocado sliced
- 1/4 red bell pepper sliced
- 1/4 orange bell pepper sliced
- Optional: you can also try adding julienne cut carrots, red cabbage, sprouts, or scallions
Spicy Mayo
- 1 Tbsp light mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp sriracha
Instructions
- Rice: Cook rice by instructions on package. When finished, do not stir rice and allow it to cool. This will make for a stickier to hold everything together.
- Deseed: Cut each cucumber in half and remove seeds with either a small spoon or knife to create a long, hollow tube (see pictures).
- Stuff: Spoon in a small amount of rice, then compress towards one side of the tube. Gently insert a slice of avocado and a few slices of pepper, then add more rice to fill gaps, compressing and adding more rice until packed full.
- Slice: With a sharp knife, slice cucumber into 1/2 inch thick pieces. If you start to notice the filling is loose as you cut, stuff in more rice and peppers where needed.
- Serve: Serve with soy sauce or spicy mayo*.
Tips & Tricks
- *To make spicy mayo, mix 1 Tbsp mayo and 1/2 tsp sriracha.
- You make also like these similar sushi rolls, stuffed with crispy tofu and served with almond butter dipping sauce!
Sarah | Well and Full says
This. Is. GENIUS!!!
Sarah says
Haha, much appreciated, Sarah! Still finding ways to trick myself into eating my veggies I suppose.
Victoria says
Wonderful!!! I am dying to try this!
Giselle says
This looks amazing! How long will they last in the fridge for?
Sarah says
Thanks, Giselle! They only last about a day or two. The avocado has a tendency to get funky after you slice it.
Bianca says
this looks like a really good idea, do you do anything with the insides of the cucumber? I don’t want to waste that
Sarah says
Hi Bianca! I’m totally with you, I hate waste. You could use the insides for making tzatziki or just throw them in a smoothie! Really great questions! 🙂
Marisa Baggett says
I’m not a huge cucumber fan either, but I do love sushi made in this manner. Something you could also do with the leftover insides is mix them with a few other chopped veggies with sushi rice. Then stuff it all into tofu packets (inari sushi).
Caro says
for how long could you keep it fresh?
Sarah says
About 2 to 3 days (avocado tends to go funky after it’s exposed to air). 🙂
tsimen says
Brilliant! I like the simplicity of it, but the presentation is totally fab!
I stuffed my cucumber with shrimp and imitation crab — my friends thought I slaved in the kitchen all day— hahahahaha,
Thanks.
Sarah says
Ha this is great! So happy I contribute to your “fancy” cooking trickery 🙂
Tina says
Stumbled across your cucumber creation by accident. I am giving credit where credit is due. I know plenty of people who pocket other people’s ideas for themselves. That is so totally dishonest. I would not have thought of this idea although I am always thinking of easier ways. This idea is so easy and makes common sense. It is fabulous. Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to try this!
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Tina! I’d love to hear how it turns out for you 😀 I recently saw a variation of this using avocado instead of cucumber. Could be another nice idea to try!