Cucumber Sushi
If you found yourself craving something refreshing yet filling, you should try this cucumber sushi! It’s a perfect summer snack, and a great meal prep option.
If you think that going vegan means you have to give up sushi, think again. Many people believe that “sushi” equals fish, but that’s actually a misconception. The main ingredient is actually rice with vinegar, or sushi-meshi (鮨飯). Everything else, including toppings and nori seaweed, can be selected based on your preference. This cucumber sushi has the added advantage of being easy to make and easy to eat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You don’t need to be a Japanese chef to make this dish. This is a great dish for anyone who loves the sushi flavors but feels overwhelmed by maki or nigiri.
- This cucumber sushi uses fresh, seasonal ingredients, which makes it a perfect summer snack.
- Once the rice is cooked and cooled down, the assembly takes literal minutes.
- If you like planning your meals in advance, this cucumber sushi is a wonderful meal prep dish.
- You can easily customize the toppings depending on what you have in your fridge at the time.
How to Make This Recipe
To cook the rice, rinse it and add 2-3 parts water to 1 part rice. Bring it to a simmer, cover it up and cook until the liquid is entirely absorbed. Stir in some sushi vinegar (if using) and leave it covered to cool down. You’ll only need 1 cup of rice for this recipe, the rest can be used for a lovely sushi bowl.
Slice the cucumbers in half, then using a spoon or an apple corer, hollow out the centers. You want to scoop out the seeds, and enough “flesh” to accommodate the filling.
Stuff 1-2 tablespoons of rice into each cavity, then use the back of a spoon to press the rice into the side, making room for the vegetables. Slide in the bell pepper, avocado, carrot and purple cabbage until your rolls are filled.
Slice your sushi into pieces. Top with sesame seeds, then dip in some soy sauce and enjoy.
Hack It!
- While cucumber and rice are the integral ingredients for this dish, the rest can be chosen at will. I used classic sushi filling like bell peppers, avocado, and carrot. You could also add green onions, tofu, tempeh, or seaweed. Delicious!
- Don’t forget to add wasabi if you want to add a bit of spice to your cucumber sushi!
- If you have a sesame allergy, you can top your sushi with crushed pumpkin seeds instead.
- For the proper sushi taste, season the rice with sushi vinegar. You can use a bottle of premade stuff from the store or make your own. All you need is rice vinegar, salt, and sugar.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Vegan Ahi Tuna
- Carrot Salmon Lox
- Vegan Coconut Shrimp
- Strawberry Cucumber Salad
- Cucumber Lemon Mint Water
If you love meal prep, you should check out the PlantYou Planner! It’s a digital meal planner platform with a HUGE database of WFPB recipes for you to choose from. Not only do you have complete reign over your weekly menu, you can choose the number of servings for each dish! The planner takes your selection into account and produces a custom grocery list. Plant-based living has never been easier!
And if you are a visual person, you’re gonna love the PlantYou Cookbook! Packed full of delicious vegan recipes, it also has helpful infographics for every dish to help you see the ingredients. It is truly a labor of love, as well as plenty of sweat and tears, so I really appreciate all the support it received from the plant-based community!
The Recipe: Cucumber Sushi
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers, medium, sliced in half
- 1 cup sushi rice, cooked, cooled
- ½ red bell pepper, seeds removed, thinly sliced
- ½ avocado, sliced into thin strips
- 1 carrot, shaved into ribbons or sliced into thin strips
- ¼ cup purple cabbage, diced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- soy sauce, to serve
Equipment
- Pot
- chopping board
- knife
Instructions
- To cook the rice, rinse it and add 2-3 parts water to 1 part rice. Bring it to a simmer, cover it up and cook until the liquid is entirely absorbed. Stor in some sushi vinegar (if using) and leave it covered to cool down. You'll only need 1 cup of rice for this recipe, the rest can be used for a lovely sushi bowl.
- Slice the cucumbers in half, then using a spoon or an apple corer, hollow out the centers. You want to scoop out the seeds, and enough "flesh" to accommodate the filling.
- Stuff 1-2 tablespoons of rice into each cavity, then use the back of a spoon to press the rice into the side, making room for the vegetables. Slide in the bell pepper, avocado, carrot and purple cabbage until your rolls are filled.
- Slice your sushi into pieces. Top with sesame seeds, then dip in some soy sauce and enjoy.
