Quick Summary: Homemade sushi rolls using riced cauliflower instead of white rice. Fill them with salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, and carrots for a low-carb version of a takeout favorite. Easier than you’d think once you get the rolling technique down. Prep time: 30-45 minutes | Serves: 4
Jump to: Why Cauliflower Rice Works | Filling Ideas | Rolling Tips | FAQ
This Sushi recipe is a guest post by my wonderful daughter, Tesla!
If you love sushi but avoid rice, cauliflower rice makes a surprisingly good substitute. It holds together well, takes on the rice vinegar seasoning, and lets you load up on salmon and vegetables without the carb count of traditional sushi.
My dad promised to make sushi with me years ago, and we even bought a rolling mat and instruction book. Then the household went slow-carb and rice became off-limits. I finally figured out a simple method that works without hard-to-find ingredients or special equipment.
The key is seasoning the cauliflower rice with rice vinegar while it’s still warm, just like you would with regular sushi rice. From there, it’s just layering your fillings and rolling carefully.
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Why Cauliflower Rice Works
If you’ve read any other posts on this site or if you know my mom at all, you know that we haven’t eaten rice at the HeathGlen homestead for many years. Apparently, the absence of rice doesn’t bother my parents too much, but it’s especially hard for a sushi addict like me!
Prior to going on a low-carb diet, my dad promised me we would make sushi together– that was 12 years ago and we even bought a mat and instruction book! So I decided this year that, even though rice is now a four-letter word in our household, he could fulfill his promise to me.
Riced cauliflower has a similar texture to short-grain rice when it’s warm and seasoned. It sticks together enough to hold the roll but doesn’t get gummy. You can make your own in a food processor or buy pre-riced cauliflower at most grocery stores.
The trick is microwaving it briefly to soften, then mixing in the rice vinegar and a tiny bit of sugar while it’s still warm. Let it cool before assembling.
Filling Ideas
Use whatever you like. I used:
- Cooked and smoked salmon
- Cream cheese (sliced thin)
- Cucumber (peeled, sliced thin)
- Carrots (peeled, sliced thin)
Other options: avocado, crab, shrimp, spicy mayo, pickled vegetables, mango (if you’re not strict low-carb).
Rolling Tips
- Lay the nori shiny-side down on your mat or cutting board
- Spread cauliflower rice in a thin, even layer, leaving a gap at the top edge
- Place fillings in a line near the bottom edge
- Roll from the bottom, keeping gentle pressure on the fillings
- Wet the bare edge with water to seal
- Use a very sharp knife to cut, wiping the blade between cuts
Making Low Carb Sushi Simple
I attempted to make a low-carb cauliflower rice sushi a few years ago but it was unsuccessful and frustrating because there were so many hard-to-find ingredients and I was in the middle of my Master’s program with very little money to spare on these rare ingredients.
I finally found a much simpler recipe and used that as a guide to make this “keto sushi”. In the original recipe, the blogger uses fruit, and as you may know, according to my mom, “Fruit is just nature’s candy.” So, needless to say we skipped out on the fruit but the nice thing about making your own sushi is you can adjust it to your own tastes and dietary restrictions.
I doubled the recipe because leftovers are a requirement in our household, especially on Fridays before the weekend farmers’ markets. The recipe below is not doubled however.
Even my mom, the sushi adversary, raved about this dish! This “keto sushi” recipe was much easier than I thought and it’s one sure fire way to impress the parents!
FAQ
It helps but isn’t essential. A cutting board works if you’re careful. The mat gives you more control and a tighter roll.
Yes. Trader Joe’s and most grocery stores carry it. Skip the food processor step and go straight to microwaving and seasoning.
The cauliflower rice may be too dry, or you didn’t seal the edge with water. Make sure the rice is evenly spread and slightly sticky from the vinegar.
Yes. Cauliflower, salmon, cream cheese, and vegetables are all very low carb. Skip any sweet sauces.
Wrap tightly and refrigerate. Best eaten within a day. The nori softens over time.
Interested in the Slow Carb Diet? Check out this comprehensive E-Guide on Fat Loss through a Slow Carb Diet.
Slow Carb Sushi (aka Cauliflower Rice Sushi)
Equipment
- large bowl
Ingredients
- ¾ head of cauliflower
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar 5-6 sheets nori
- 2 cucumbers peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 carrots peeled and thinly sliced
- 8 oz package of plain cream cheese
- 2-3 cooked salmon fillets and 2 smoked salmon
- pickled ginger optional, garnish
- wasabi optional, garnish
- soy sauce optional
Instructions
- Prepare the cauliflower rice: I cut the cauliflower in quarters and then cut or break the stem off. I then used a smaller knife to cut off any parts of the stem that remain. Break the cauliflower in to florets or small chunks.3/4 head of cauliflower
- Place all the florets in the food processor. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to split up the cauliflower and process it in smaller portions. Pulse the cauliflower until the pieces are small and look similar to grains of rice.
- Place the cauliflower in large dish and cover. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes or until the cauliflower is heated all the way through.
- In a small bowl, mix the sugar and rice vinegar until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Combine with the warm cauliflower and set aside to cool.1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar 5-6 sheets nori
- Prepare your fillings. I peeled and cut the veggies as thin as possible and crumbled the cooked/ smoked salmon, and used a cheese slicer for thin slices of cream cheese.2 cucumbers, 3 carrots, 8 oz package of plain cream cheese, 2-3 cooked salmon fillets and 2 smoked salmon
- Lay the nori out, either on the rolling mat or a cutting board for a flat surface. The nori I used had perforated lines, and when the nori was on the board facing me the lines were horizontal.
- Scoop the cauliflower rice on to the nori. Cover the nori with a thin layer of the cauliflower, leave a space on the top. I used the perforated lines as a guide and covered the nori up to the line that was closest to the "top" of the nori, farthest from me.
- Put your fillings on the side of the nori where the cauliflower reaches the edge of the nori. I put the softest things first- cream cheese, salmon, and then the veggies on top. Carefully roll the edge with the fillings toward the end with the gap. Keep slight pressure on the fillings as you roll to make sure it rolls tightly. Once it's completely rolled up, dab some water on the edge with no cauliflower so it will stay together.
- Using a really sharp knife, cut the sushi into pieces. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.pickled ginger, wasabi, soy sauce
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