Sushi has long been one of my favorite types of food – ever since college, I’ve been making or going out or sushi at least once a week. And while I do like sashimi and rice free rolls, nigiri (raw fish on top of a ball of rice) or rolls including rice were part of the weekly sushi feast. So more than sweets or breads, cutting out sushi was one of the bigger mental challenges I had to overcome when going keto three years ago. I still ordered sashimi and discovered amazing rice-free rolls, however sometimes, you just want that spicy tuna roll or Philadelphia roll with cream cheese and salmon! So, I started experimenting with keto sushi and discovered a few keto hacks to make cauliflower rice almost?exactly like sushi rice and use them in keto sushi rolls. Now, this keto sushi rice really only works well in rolls…it doesn’t hold up well for nigiri. But you can let your creativity go wild with the rolls!
What about soy sauce?
Soy sauce isn’t very keto-friendly, so I opt to dip my keto sushi in coconut aminos which has a slightly different flavor but I love it. Add a hit of wasabi paste and voila – perfection!
So below is my recipe for keto sushi rice and then some delicious roll combos….and a demonstration of how to roll the perfect sushi roll. You’ll need a bamboo or silicone sushi mat to truly get perfect sushi rolls, though you can just use plastic wrap.
Keto Sushi Rice
Ingredients
- 12 oz riced cauliflower frozen
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp cream cheese softened
Instructions
- Cook frozen cauliflower based on packaging directions. Usually, you'll put in the microwave for about 5 minutes and then let is sit for a minute before handling.
- Place a strainer in your sink and line with a tea towel. Carefully pour the cooked cauliflower rice onto the tea towel and strain out all the liquid until the cauliflower rice is as dry as possible. You'll be surprised at how much water will be extracted!!
- Once you've gotten the cauliflower rice as dry as possible, dump it into a small bowl and fluff with a fork.
- Add the rice vinegar and cream cheese and combine until thoroughly mixed.
- And now, your keto sushi rice is ready to roll! This quick video shows you proper rolling technique!
Nutrition
Once you have your keto sushi rice made, you’re ready to get rolling! In the video above, I demonstrate how to get perfect rolls. First, you want to lay your seaweed (aka nori) sheet on your sushi mat or a large piece of plastic wrap. Then, press the cauliflower rice onto the seaweed to create a thin layer making sure to leave about 1/4″ on the sides and an inch of seaweed uncovered at the top. Then, layer your fillings on the lower third and then start to roll! You’ll want to “crimp” or firmly press the seaweed into place with each roll to make sure your keto sushi rolls stay in tact!
Keto sushi fillings we love:
- Philly Roll: Salmon sashimi, cream cheese and avocado. Simple but so good! You can also use cooked salmon for those who are leery about raw fish.
- Spicy Tuna Roll: here’s another keto hack! I get spicy tuna poke at the seafood counter at the market and use it in my rolls! Or you can make a spicy mayo by mixing sriracha into some avocado mayo to taste, and then mix it into some chopped raw tuna (ideally, make sure it’s sushi grade tuna). I also love to add chopped green onions and sprinkle Everything But the Bagel Seasoning in too.
- California Roll:?I’m a California girl, so this one is always on our favorites list. I usually get lump crabmeat in a can and mix it with mayo to make almost a crab salad, and then put in it my roll with avocado and sliced cucumber.
You can get creative with your keto sushi – we’ve made turkey and asparagus rolls and even beef and broccoli rolls! Let us know in the comments below what combos you come up with!
