Vegan Sushi with Mango, Avocado & Marinated Vegetables

Creamy avocado, fruity mango, marinated carrots and sun-dried tomatoes: this vegan sushi brings a lovely variety of flavours into every roll. A homemade nutritional yeast paste and optional chopped walnuts add an extra savoury touch.

We enjoy these sushi rolls as a full main meal for two, but they also make a lovely starter when guests come over. You can prepare the fillings ahead and combine them to taste – and a little time in the fridge makes the sushi even more flavourful.

Allergens

Contains soy and sesame or sesame oil, plus tree nuts if you include the optional walnuts. Regular soy sauce usually contains wheat and therefore gluten. For a gluten-free version, choose gluten-free soy sauce. Check the labels of wasabi and pickled ginger for any additional allergens.

At a glance

🍽️ Yield: approx. 4–6 rolls / 20–24 pieces, depending on roll size
🌿 A starter for guests or a main meal for 2 people
🕒 Preparation: approx. 30–40 minutes; total hands-on time including rolling and slicing approx. 45–60 minutes
🔥 Rice cooking time: approx. 12–15 minutes + 10 minutes resting
⏳ Marinating: approx. 15–20 minutes, alongside other steps
🕒 Time before optional chilling: approx. 75–90 minutes including cooking, resting and cooling; several steps overlap
❄️ Recommended chilling time: 2–4 hours (optional)
🕒 Total with chilling: approx. 3 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the sushi rice

• 250 g sushi rice
• 300 ml water
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt

For the filling

• 1 ripe avocado
• ½ ripe mango
• 1 small carrot (approx. 80–100 g)
• 8–10 sun-dried tomatoes
• 2–3 tbsp nutritional yeast paste (see below)
• A little lime juice for the avocado
• Chopped walnuts to taste (optional)

For the carrot marinade

• ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 pinch kala namak

For the nutritional yeast paste

• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1–2 tsp water or lime juice
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 pinch kala namak
• ½ tsp garlic powder (optional)

Optional tomato marinade with pomegranate syrup

• 1 tbsp pomegranate syrup
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 pinch sumac

Optional tomato marinade with sugar beet syrup

• 1 tbsp sugar beet syrup
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 pinch pul biber (Aleppo pepper flakes)

The tomatoes also taste good without an extra marinade. If you would like to try both versions, divide the tomato strips into two portions.

For rolling and garnishing

• 4–6 nori sheets
• A little white and black sesame

You will also need

• A bamboo sushi mat
• A small bowl of water
• A pastry brush, preferably silicone

To serve (optional)

• Soy sauce
• Vegan wasabi
• Pickled ginger

Method

1. Rinse the sushi rice

Rinse the sushi rice three or four times in cold water until the water stays mostly clear. Drain and leave for about 10 minutes.

2. Cook the rice

Bring the rice and 300 ml water to the boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for approx. 12–15 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for a further 10 minutes with the lid on.

3. Season the sushi rice

Gently warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt until the sugar and salt dissolve. Let the mixture cool slightly. Transfer the cooked rice to a wide bowl and gently fold in the seasoning. Cool promptly to lukewarm and then use without delay. Do not put hot rice onto the nori sheets.

4. Prepare and marinate the carrot

Peel the carrot and use a vegetable peeler or julienne peeler to cut it into fine, thin strips.

Blanch the carrot strips in boiling salted water for approx. 1–2 minutes, rinse under cold water and drain well. Mix with soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil and kala namak. If you like a smoky flavour, add ½ tsp liquid smoke. Marinate for about 15–20 minutes. Liquid smoke is optional: the marinade is deliciously savoury without it, too.

5. Prepare the sun-dried tomatoes

Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into narrow strips. For the two optional marinades, divide the tomatoes: mix one half with pomegranate syrup, rice vinegar and sumac, and the other half with sugar beet syrup, soy sauce and pul biber. Leave for about 10–15 minutes. Alternatively, use the tomatoes without an extra marinade.

6. Make the nutritional yeast paste

Mix nutritional yeast, water or lime juice, maple syrup and kala namak. Add garlic powder if you like. Add the liquid gradually until the paste is creamy and easy to spread.

7. Prepare the avocado and mango

Halve, stone and peel the avocado, then cut it into thin strips. Drizzle with a little lime juice. Peel the mango, cut the flesh away from the stone and slice into thin strips.

8. Set up your sushi station

Place the bamboo mat on the work surface and lay a nori sheet on it, shiny side down. Keep the fillings, lukewarm sushi rice and bowl of water with the pastry brush within easy reach.

9. Spread the rice on the nori

Use a tablespoon to spread a thin, even layer of rice over the nori sheet, about 1 cm thick or slightly thinner. Leave a 1–2 cm border at the top. Avoid pressing the rice down too firmly.

10. Add the filling

Spread about 1 tsp nutritional yeast paste over the rice. Add 2–3 avocado strips, 2–3 mango strips, 3–4 carrot strips and 1–2 tomato strips, to taste. Add toasted chopped walnuts if you like. You can alternate between the two tomato marinades. Keep the filling modest so the roll closes easily.

11. Roll the sushi

Lift the bamboo mat from the lower edge and carefully roll up the nori and filling, keeping the roll fairly firm. Make sure the mat does not get rolled inside. Brush the free nori edge with a little water and press to seal. Set the roll seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining nori and fillings.

12. Slice and chill if desired

Use a very sharp, lightly dampened knife to cut each roll into about 4–6 pieces. Clean or dampen the knife again between cuts. For a fuller flavour, let the sushi rest in the fridge, well covered, for 2–4 hours if desired. You can also chill the rolls whole and slice them later – both work equally well.

13. Arrange and serve

Arrange the sushi pieces on a platter and sprinkle with white and black sesame if desired. Serve with soy sauce, vegan wasabi and pickled ginger, if you like.

Tips for great sushi

• Spread the rice gently: Pressing it down too firmly makes rolling and slicing harder.
• Use a modest amount of filling: The rolls will close more easily and the nori is less likely to tear.
• Dampen the knife: A sharp, moist blade makes clean cuts.
• Add liquid smoke to taste: The carrot marinade is savoury without a smoky flavour, too.
• Vary the tomatoes: Try the two syrup marinades or use the tomatoes without an extra marinade.

Prepare ahead and let the flavours develop

The sushi tastes best after a little time to rest! Let the finished rolls rest in the fridge for about 2–4 hours before serving so the flavours of the different fillings can mingle.

That makes this recipe ideal for guests: prepare the rolls in the morning if you want to serve them in the afternoon or evening. You can chill them whole or already sliced – both work equally well. Keep the rolls or pieces well covered in the fridge until serving so they do not dry out.

Because the recipe contains cooked rice, cool the sushi rice promptly after cooking, refrigerate the finished rolls or pieces without delay and avoid leaving them at room temperature for long periods. Preferably enjoy on the same day.

Serving suggestion

For a starter, arrange the sushi pieces on a large platter and serve soy sauce, vegan wasabi and pickled ginger in small bowls alongside. We also enjoy the rolls as a filling main meal for two. The mango, avocado, savoury tomatoes and marinated carrots already offer plenty of flavour, so extra dips are entirely up to you.

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