I’m very excited to share this vegetarian take on a spicy tuna roll! After a lot of trial and error, we finally landed on a recipe that is now one of our household favorites. This spicy, sweet, umami roll is sure to remind you of the ocean and satisfy your sushi cravings!
I remember as a kid, watching the sushi train go around the sushi bar. Colorful roll after colorful roll would steam by like a parade of art pieces. Sadly, I was very picky and did not like fish although I’ve always wanted to like sushi. When I learned that we could make sushi as vegetarians, I instantly starting trial and erroring to create the perfect recipe.
Quickly, I learned that I love sushi and my husband, who is a long time sushi eater, gives the stamp of approval on this one.
We really hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
Tomato “Tuna” Roll
Equipment
- 1 Sauce pan
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Sharp Knife
- 1 Sushi rolling mat
Ingredients
Tomato "Tuna" Replacement
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tsp Ginger powder
- 1 tsp Miso powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika ?
Sushi Rice
- 1 cup Instant white rice or cooked sushi rice
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
Other Ingredients
- Spicy Mayo
- 1 Avocado thawed, frozen avocado works as well
- 1 sprig Green onion
- 2 sheets Nori
Instructions
Peel and Prep Tomatoes
- In a small sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Submerge your 2 Roma tomatoes in the water and cook for 30-60 seconds. You will know they are done when the skins start to wrinkle. Do not over cook.
- Remove from water and place in an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cooled enough to handle, gently peel and discard the tomato skins.
- With a sharp knife, carefully cut the tomatoes in half. With your finger, scoop out the tomato seeds and insides until you are left with only the outer fleshy layer.
- Cut into pieces and set aside.
Marinade
- In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp Soy sauce, 1 tsp Sesame oil, 1 tbsp Rice vinegar, 1 tsp Ginger powder, 1 tsp Miso powder, and 1 tsp Smoked Paprika.
- Add tomato cuts to the mixture. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or longer.
Prep Rice
- While the tomato is marinating, cook 1 cup Instant white rice as per the instructions on the box. Once cooked, add 1 tbsp Sugar, and 1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar. Stir and set aside for assembly.
- Prepare other ingredients for assembly on a cutting board
Rolling the Sushi
- On a sushi mat (see notes) lay 1 sheet of nori shiny side up. Spread a thin layer of cooled rice until it evenly coats the nori leaving an inch of exposed nori on one end.
- Add a line of each ingredient along the center of the rice. Lift the edge of the nori closest to you and fold it over the ingredients, tucking and forming the beginning of the roll. Apply gentle pressure to help the ingredients form and stay together. Continue rolling using the sushi mat to assist until you get to the exposed edge. Wet the edge to aid in sealing the roll.
- Using your sharpest knife, gently cut slices from the roll to create the iconic sushi shape. Plate and top with toasted sesame seeds. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and spicy mayo.
