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A plate of sliced futomaki served with a side of pickled ginger underneath a beige cloth with shiso leaves for garnish.
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5 from 2 votes

Vegan Futomaki Roll (Maki Sushi)

Make this colourful vegan futomaki roll a twist on Japan's iconic sushi. It's a delicious make-ahead option for picnics and events featuring vegan tamagoyaki, simmered shiitake mushrooms, sweet carrots, cucumber, spinach and vegan sakura denbu.
Prep Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 5 Rolls
Author: Jazzmin Kaita

Ingredients

Futomaki Fillings

Vegan Sakura Denbu

  • 1/2 cup roasted chickpeas salted (store bought)
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 drops pink gel food colouring

Sushi Rolls

Instructions

  • Make the Tamagoyaki and Simmered Shiitake Mushrooms.
  • Now prepare the Seasoned Sushi Rice and let it cool to room temperature.
  • Make Sweet Carrots: Combine the carrots, sugar, and water in a large non-stick pan. Set the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Cook carrots until all the water is absorbed and they become tender about 15-20 mins.
  • Cook Spinach: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and let it wilt for 1-2 minutes. Drain the spinach and rinse it under cold water. Using your hands, squeeze out any excess water from the spinach. 
  • Cut Cucumbers: Start by slicing off both ends. Then, cut the cucumber lengthwise in half and remove the seeds. Proceed to cut the cucumber into long narrow strips. 
  • Vegan Sakura Denbu: Begin by grinding the roasted chickpeas, sugar, and pink gel food colouring in a mini food processor. Once ground, transfer it to a fine mesh strainer and gently tap the side with one hand to sift the mixture. Remove any large chunks and discard them.
  • Assembling Rolls: Place the seaweed sheet, rough side up, on a plastic-wrapped bamboo mat. Spread 1 1/2 cups of sushi rice evenly, leaving a 1/2-inch space at the top. Arrange fillings in the center of the rice. Start with strips of tamagoyaki, cucumber, carrots, mushrooms, spinach and then add a few tbsps of sakura denbu.
  • Lift the edge of the bamboo mat closest to you, fold it over the filling, apply light pressure to tighten the roll, and then wet your finger with water to moisten the uncovered nori as glue.
  • Continue rolling the sushi to seal completely. Using the mat apply gentle pressure with both hands to shape the roll. 
  • Cut the sushi roll into 8-10 pieces with a slightly wet, sharp knife in a back-and-forth motion.

Video

Notes

  • To save time. Prepare all the futomaki filling ingredients the night before except for the sushi rice and store them in the fridge. This approach enables a quicker and smoother sushi-making process.
  • Keep fingers wet. Dip your fingers in water to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands.
  • Apply pressure while rolling. Squeeze rice and filling while rolling to hold it together. Gently squeeze with a bamboo mat to reshape.
  • Use a sharp, slightly wet knife. Wet the knife by dipping it in a bowl of water and tapping off the excess to prevent the rice from sticking while slicing.