Nori Roll Recipe: How to Make Japanese Vegetarian Nori Rolls

Nori rolls are vegetables wrapped in nori (Japanese toasted seaweed). Nori rolls, unlike sushi, typically feature vegetarian ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, wasabi, and brown rice. Some nori rolls are suited to gluten-free or paleo diets and may include fillings like zucchini, hummus, and quinoa.

Nori rolls provide a great opportunity to experiment with nori sheets and to work on your knife skills. The following tips can help you to make restaurant-quality nori rolls at home:

1. 1. Use a sushi mat and a sharp knife. Even though you aren't making sushi, be equipped with the tools of a sushi master. A sushi mat will help you achieve perfect rolls, and a sharp knife will ease the process of cutting the nori sheets. If you don't have these tools, hand roll the nori rolls into a cone-shape.
2. 2. Use a binding ingredient. Sushi rice is typically prepared with more water than regular rice to help the rice stick together. Whether you're using rice or another grain, add extra water when cooking to yield a stickier consistency. If you're going grain-free, use a binding ingredient like mashed sweet potato.
3. 3. Practice your knife skills. The key to keeping nori rolls tight is to cut your veggies into uniform pieces. Slicing vegetables such as radishes and red peppers into thin strips (a knife technique called julienne) will keep them in place.
4. 4. Make a dipping sauce. Japanese maki rolls are typically served with soy sauce, wasabi, and gari (pickled ginger), which all make great condiments for nori rolls. You can also serve nori rolls with gluten-free tamari, lemon juice, or liquid aminos.