This delicious sushi sandwich stuffed with savory teriyaki tofu, crunchy pickled carrots, and creamy avocado is an easy, filling way to get your sushi fix!
Table of Contents
Have you heard of onigirazu, aka a sushi sandwich? This handheld sushi uses a super simple wrapping style to create a sandwich-like experience with all of your favorite sushi flavors!
You can stuff your onigirazu with the same fillings that I am using or mix and match your own favorite sushi fillings to build the sushi sandwich of your dreams! For more filling inspiration, check out my veggie sushi rolls, crispy mushroom sushi, and sweet potato sushi rolls.
Instead of the usual technique, where you roll the sushi into a cylinder and then slice into rounds, a sushi sandwich puts all of the filling into the center of your nori sheet. Then, you fold it up almost like an envelope and just slice it once, in half, before serving.
The result is the same delicious flavor combination of sushi rice, nori, and fillings in a shorter time!
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- teriyaki sauce - You can use store-bought or homemade, but make sure you are choosing a good, thick, flavorful one. Some teriyaki sauces are just glorified soy sauce, and they will ruin your teriyaki sushi!
- rice - Sushi rice or short grain white rice are ideal for this recipe. In a pinch, you can use medium- or even long grain white rice, though. Rinse it well for the best results.
- seasoned rice vinegar and water - To season your cooked sushi rice.
- apple cider vinegar, water, salt, and sugar - This is the brine for your pickled carrots. If you prefer fresh carrots over pickled, you can omit these ingredients.
- shredded carrots - To pickle! I buy the bags of shredded carrots from the grocery store, but you can shred your carrots by hand or in the food processor, if you can't find the bagged shredded ones. You can also use my spicy pickled cabbage slaw instead of pickled carrots, if you like.
- sheets of nori - To roll your sushi. You want the full-size sheets, not the little nori snacks.
- avocado - For creaminess. You can add other veggies, as well, like thin cucumber slices and bell pepper.
- green onion - Adds a nice, umami flavor to this roll.
🔪 How to Make a Sushi Sandwich
Preheat the oven to 425° F, and press and slice your tofu. Rinse your rice, if you haven't already.
Spread about ¼ cup of the teriyaki sauce on the bottom of an 8x8" baking pan.
Add the tofu slices, and cover with the remaining teriyaki sauce.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tofu reaches your desired consistency.
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 transfer to a bowl to cool.
In a small saucepan, heat all of the ingredients except for the carrots. When the mixture reaches a boil, remove the pan from the heat.
Stuff your carrots into a small, heat-proof container, and pour on the vinegar mixture.
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, then pick up about ¼ cup of the sushi rice. Place it in the center of your nori sheet, and shape it into a square that is a little less than ¼ the size of your nori sheet.
Layer ¼ of the tofu, carrots, avocado slices, and green onion.
Then, top with another ¼ cup square of the sushi rice.
Now, take one corner of the nori, moisten it with wet fingertips, and fold it toward the center of your fillings.
Repeat with the other 3 corners, so the roll is sealed all around. When you are folding in the last 2 corners, tuck the sides in, so they aren't sticking out. Like you're wrapping a gift!
Use moist fingertips to seal the nori closed, then wrap the roll tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat for the remaining nori sheets, rice, and fillings.
Then, unwrap your sushi sandwiches, slice in half, and serve. When you're unwrapping and slicing, start with the first one you wrapped, so the other rolls will have time to really seal. It won't take long, just a few minutes.
Serve on its own or with sriracha mayo or curry mayo to dip!
💡 Tips for the Best Onigirazu
- Choose good teriyaki sauce for this recipe, because that is what's flavoring the tofu. Some teriyaki sauces are really just soy sauce with a few seasonings, and they will make your tofu too salty and not flavorful enough. Pick a nice, thick teriyaki sauce or make your own teriyaki sauce from scratch!
- Don't skip rinsing the sushi rice. It really will yield a better texture. Alternately, you can soak the rice in water for a few minutes, then drain.
- Make sure you use moist fingers to handle the sushi rice to keep the rice from sticking to your hands.
- I know that plastic wrap isn't the best, but wrapping the sushi tightly in cling wrap really is a crucial step for making sturdy sushi sandwiches.
🫙 Storage Directions
After wrapping in the cling wrap, you can store your sushi sandwiches for up to 24 hours before slicing and serving.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Sushi rice is ideal. It's a sticky, short-grain rice that helps your rolls stay together. You can use other rices, though, if you can't find sushi rice.
Short grain white or brown rice both work in sushi rolls, as well. I've even made rolls with medium grain white rice and long grain rice, in a pinch. They don't stay together quite as well as with short grain or sushi rice, but if you're craving sushi, sometimes it's worth it!
Any mix of raw and/or cooked vegetables works great in sushi. You can even use fruit, like mango or peach, to add some sweetness. Just slice whatever ingredients you choose into thin pieces, and pile them on. Just be sure not to overfill your sushi sandwich, or you won't be able to seal it closed properly.
You can! Sushi actually refers to a style of rice, so as long as you're using sushi rice, you're eating sushi! See the section on variations above for lots of animal-free sushi filling ideas.
🍴 More Vegan Sushi Recipes
📖 Recipe
Sushi Sandwich (Onigirazu)
Ingredients
For the teriyaki tofu
- ¾ cup teriyaki sauce choose a good quality sauce, since this is what you're using to flavor your tofu.
- 7 ounces extra firm tofu pressed and cut into 8 squares
For the sushi rice
- 1 ½ cups dry sushi rice rinsed well in a fine mesh strainer
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
For the pickled carrots
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup shredded carrots
For the sushi sandwiches
- 4 nori sheets
- 1 haas avocado sliced
- 2 to 3 green onions chopped
Instructions
Make the teriyaki tofu.
- Preheat the oven to 425° F, and press and slice your tofu.
- Spread about ¼ cup of the teriyaki sauce on the bottom of an 8x8" baking pan. Add the tofu slices, and cover with the remaining teriyaki sauce. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tofu reaches your desired consistency.
Make the sushi rice while the tofu bakes.
- 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 transfer to a bowl to cool.
- 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 transfer to a bowl to cool.
Meanwhile, make the pickled carrots.
- In a small saucepan, heat all of the ingredients except for the carrots. When the mixture reaches a boil, remove the pan from the heat. Stuff your carrots into a small, heat-proof container, and pour on the vinegar mixture.
Make the sushi sandwiches.
- 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, then pick up about ¼ cup of the sushi rice. Place it in the center of your nori sheet, and shape it into a square that is a little less than ¼ the size of your nori sheet. You want the square of rice to be offset at a 45° angle from the way the nori is facing. So, the rice should look like a square, while the nori sheet will look like a diamond. See photos/video for reference.
- Layer ¼ of the tofu, carrots, avocado, and green onion, then top with another ¼ cup square of the sushi rice. If pressing the top layer of rice down makes the filings start to slide to the sides, gently corral them back in.
- Now, take one corner of the nori, moisten it with wet fingertips, and fold it toward the center of your fillings. Repeat with the other 3 corners, so the roll is sealed all around. When you are folding in the last 2 corners, tuck the sides in, so they aren't sticking out. Like you're wrapping a gift!
- Use moist fingertips to seal the nori closed, then wrap the roll tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat for the remaining nori sheets, rice, and fillings. Then, slice in half and serve. When you're slicing, start with the first one you wrapped, so the other rolls will have time to really seal. It won't take long, just a few minutes.
- Serve on its own or with sriracha mayo or curry mayo to dip!
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!