3 Homemade Sushi Rolls

I love sushi but sometimes it can be hard to find a roll that fits your fitness and nutrition goals. Here are 3 simplified but tasty sushi recipes that are fairly malleable to fit your specific preferences. This can be done by adding more or less of different ingredients (ex: rice, low-fat or full fat cream cheese, more veggies, more or less fish, etc.) Feel free to create your own and invent some of your own custom rolls! These are just simple baselines I like to make for my family.

Crab and Mango Roll

Ingredients:

• 5 nori sheets

• 3 cups rice

• crab (I like the small packets of imitation crab since I’m usually cooking just for me)

• shredded carrots

• 1 cucumber

• 1 mango

• 1 avocado

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  

Other Materials

• Sushi rolling mat

Directions

• cook rice according to package directions, adding rice vinegar

• cut crab, cucumber, avocado, and mango into long, thin strips

• place nori sheet on sushi rolling mat

• scatter rice over nori sheet and pat down into an even layer. (I like to get my hands a bit wet to prevent the rice from sticking too much)

• place strips of mango, crab, avocado, cucumber, and carrots horizontally along the bottom edge (nearest to you) of the nori sheet.

• Using the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet over your crab and veggies and keep rolling until the whole roll is wrapped tight

• I prefer to chill the rolls in the fridge before cutting but this step is preference

• using a very sharp knife (I prefer a thin serrated style) cut the roll into about 6-8 pieces
  

optional: cut very thin strips of mango and lay over the top edge of the roll before or after cutting to “fancy it up”

Spicy Tuna Roll

• 1 can tuna

• 3 tbsp. light mayo

• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

• 3 tbsp. sriracha

• 1 8oz package low fat cream cheese (you will have extra)

• 1 cucumber

• 3 cups rice

• 4 nori sheets

• 3 tbsp. rice vinegar

• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
  

other materials:

• Ziploc bag

• sushi rolling mat
  

Directions:

• cook rice according to package directions, adding rice vinegar and soy sauce

• mix mayo, sriracha, and Greek yogurt together (optional, separate out some of this mixture to garnish rolls) If you prefer a spicier roll, you can add more sriracha or red pepper into this mix

• drain canned tuna and mix into spicy mayo mixture

• cut cucumber into long thin strips

• soften cream cheese by either leaving out to soften or microwaving it briefly

• stir cream cheese until it is a smooth consistency

• spoon cream cheese into Ziploc bag and seal it

• place nori sheet on sushi rolling mat

• scatter rice over sheet and pat down into an even layer (I like to dampen my hands to prevent the rice from sticking)

• spoon tuna in a line along the bottom edge of the roll

• place cucumber and carrots along that same line

• cut a small hole in one of the bottom corners of the Ziploc bag

• squeeze the cream cheese out of this hole in a line along the other ingredients

• use the rolling mat to form a tight sushi roll

• Slice the roll into 6-8 pieces using a very sharp knife (I prefer to chill the roll in the fridge before this step)

optional: use remaining spicy mayo mix and fill another Ziploc bag. Snip off one corner and squeeze mix in a zigzagging line over cut sushi roll

Shrimp Tempura Roll

• shrimp

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

• 1 8oz package low fat cream cheese (you will have extra)

• 1 cucumber

• 3 cups rice

• 4 nori sheets

• 3 tbsp. rice vinegar

• 4 tbsp. soy sauce

• 2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  

Other Materials:

• Ziploc bag

• sushi rolling material
  

Directions:

• Cook rice according to package directions, adding s 3tbsp soy sauce and rice vinegar

• beat eggs with 1 tbsp. soy sauce, garlic powder, and ground ginger

• de-tail shrimp and cut in half lengthwise

• dip shrimp into egg mixture and dredge in bread crumbs

• see oven directions or air fryer directions to finish prepping shrimp

• soften cream cheese by either leaving out to soften or microwaving it briefly

• stir cream cheese until it is a smooth consistency

• spoon cream cheese into Ziploc bag and seal it

• place nori sheet on sushi rolling mat

• scatter rice over sheet and pat down into an even layer (I like to dampen my hands to prevent the rice from sticking)

• pick up the nori sheet and flip over (rice side down on the rolling mat)

• place shrimp in a line along the bottom edge of the nori

• place cucumber along that same line

• cut a small hole in one of the bottom corners of the Ziploc bag

• squeeze the cream cheese out of this hole in a line along the other ingredients

• use the rolling mat to form a tight sushi roll

• Slice the roll into 6-8 pieces using a very sharp knife (I prefer to chill the roll in the fridge before this step)
  

Oven Directions:

• preheat oven to 375 degrees

• cover a baking sheet in parchment paper or spray with non stick spray

• place breaded shrimp pieces on baking sheet and bake until browned and crispy

Air Fryer Directions:

• place breaded shrimp pieces into air fryer and cook on high for a few minutes depending on your air fryer (about 5 minutes is likely plenty)

Optional: I chose to roll my shrimp tempura rolls in a mix of white and black sesame seeds and air fry the entire roll before slicing. You can do this, or you can pan fry the outside of the whole roll, or you can leave it as is. It’s all up to you!