If you like kimchi, you're going to love these kimchi sushi rolls with creamy avocado and crunchy carrot and cucumber! The combination of textures and flavors is just incredible.
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I love kimchi! I love it layered onto sandwiches or scattered onto a rice bowl. This kimchi sushi is yet another delicious way to enjoy kimchi.
Kimchi is a Korean fermented vegetable condiment with a long history. If you want an authentic, homemade vegan kimchi recipe to use in this sushi, Maangchi has a great one!
You can also use store-bought kimchi to make this recipe, of course. Just make sure that you check the ingredients, because kimchi often contains animal products like fish sauce and shrimp paste.
Ingredients and substitutions
- rice - Use sushi rice or short grain white rice to make these rolls. In a pinch, I have used medium grain rice to make sushi. It works fine, but it won't hold together as well as short grain.
- rice vinegar and agave nectar - To season the sushi rice.
- nori - Sushi nori sheets are just big pieces of seaweed that you use to roll up the sushi.
- kimchi - Make sure you choose vegan kimchi for these rolls that's free of shrimp, fish, or other animal ingredients.
- carrots and cucumber - Feel free to use crunchy veggies of choice here! You can use all carrot, all cucumber, or mix things up with other veggies like radish, daikon, or bell pepper.
- avocado - I love how creamy avocado plays with kimchi's strong flavors. You can omit the avocado, but it really makes this roll special in my opinion.
- sesame seeds - A sprinkle of crunchy sesame seeds on top adds protein and more flavor to kimchi sushi! You can omit, if you aren't a sesame seed person.
How to make kimchi sushi
Start by making the sushi rice in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop, so your rice can cool while you prepare the veggies.
To make the rice in the Instant Pot, combine the rice and water in the Instant Pot. Stir to combine, then lock the lid and cook for 5 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Stir in the rice vinegar and agave nectar, then stick the rice into the fridge to cool while you prep the veggies.
To make the rice on the stove, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan on high heat, then add the rice. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 18 to 22 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove, but leave the lid on and let the rice steam for another 10 minutes. Stir in the rice vinegar and agave nectar, then stick the rice into the fridge to cool while you prep the veggies.
Now, it's time to roll!
Fill a small bowl with water. Grab your first nori sheet, and place it shiny side down on a dry surface. Wet your fingers in the water, and use them to spread the sushi rice all over the nori sheet, leaving about a 1" strip uncovered along one side.
On the side opposite the 1" strip, arrange a strip with about two tablespoons of kimchi, a tablespoon of the carrots, a strip of cucumber, and some avocado. Before you add the kimchi, squeeze it gently to get out some of the excess moisture, so your roll won't end up too wet.
Start rolling on the side with the filling, and gently roll toward the 1" uncovered strip of nori, pressing gently as you go. If you have a sushi mat, you can use it, but you can roll without one.
When you get to that uncovered bit of nori, dip your fingertips into the bowl of water, and sprinkle it onto that part of the nori. Gently finish rolling, pressing lightly as you roll back and forth to make a seal. Use a sharp knife to slice into pieces.
Repeat with the remaining pieces of nori and filling ingredients. Serve immediately.
Helpful tips
- Make sure that you're choosing a vegan kimchi! Check the ingredients for animal products like shrimp paste and fish sauce.
- Gently squeeze out the kimchi to remove some of the excess moisture. You don't need it totally dry, but if it's too wet, it can make the roll sloppy.
- When you're rolling your sushi, you want to press firmly, but not so hard that the nori sheet splits. It might take one or two rolls to get the hang of it, but even ugly sushi tastes delicious!
Storage directions
Leftovers will keep for two to three days in the refrigerator. Just know that the rice will harden as it chills in the fridge. Kimchi sushi is best eaten the day you make it.
Frequently asked questions
Kimchi is often not vegan, so make sure you read those ingredients labels! Look out for fish sauce, shrimp paste, and other animal ingredients. Luckily, there are more and more vegan kimchi options on store shelves lately.
The term sushi actually doesn't refer to fish. It's the name for rice prepared with sushi vinegar. If you're using sushi rice, then you're eating sushi!
Sushi and kimbap - Korean seaweed and rice rolls - look similar but aren't exactly the same. The rice in kimbap is seasoned differently from sushi rice, and kimbap tends to have different fillings from sushi.
More vegan sushi recipes
📖 Recipe
Kimchi Sushi Rolls
Ingredients
For the sushi rice
- 1 ¼ cup water
- 1 cup sushi rice - or short grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
For the sushi
- 3 nori sheets
- ½ cup vegan kimchi - or more, to taste. I like using more for plenty of spicy kimchi flavor!
- ¼ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cucumber - peeled, seeded, and cut into long slices
- ½ Haas avocado - sliced into strips
- sesame seeds - optional, for topping
Instructions
Make the sushi rice
- To make the rice in the Instant Pot: Combine the rice and water in the Instant Pot. Stir to combine, then lock the lid and cook for 5 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Stir in the rice vinegar and agave nectar, then stick the rice into the fridge to cool while you prep the veggies.
- To make the rice on the stove: Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan on high heat, then add the rice. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 18 to 22 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove, but leave the lid on and let the rice steam for another 10 minutes. Stir in the rice vinegar and agave nectar, then stick the rice into the fridge to cool while you prep the veggies.
Make the kimchi sushi
- Fill a small bowl with water. Grab your first nori sheet, and place it shiny side down on a dry surface. Wet your fingers in the water, and use them to spread the sushi rice all over the nori sheet, leaving about a 1" strip uncovered along one side.
- On the side opposite the 1" strip, arrange a strip with about 2 tablespoons of kimchi, a tablespoon of the carrots, 1 or 2 strips of cucumber, and some avocado. Before you add the kimchi, squeeze it gently to get out some of the excess moisture, so your roll won't end up too wet.
- It's time to roll! Start on the side with the filling, and gently roll toward the 1" uncovered strip of nori, pressing gently as you go. If you have a sushi mat, you can use it, but you can roll without one. When you get to that uncovered bit of nori, dip your fingertips into the bowl of water, and sprinkle it onto that part of the nori. Gently finish rolling, pressing lightly as you roll back and forth to make a seal. Use a sharp knife to slice into pieces.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces of nori and filling ingredients. Serve immediately.
Eileen
Can you suggest a substitute for the kimchi ?
Thank you
Becky Striepe
Sure! Try my tofu sushi rolls instead, if kimchi isn't your thing: https://www.glueandglitter.com/tofu-sushi/