I’m adding a new vegan roll to the On A Roll sushi recipe series today. I’ve been playing around with toasted coconut and sweet potato in recipes recently and decided to give this a try. (Also coming soon – a healthy lunch wrap featuring sweet potato!) The key to this roll is definitely the coconut, so don’t skip it. Combined with allspice roasted sweet potato, a little kale, avocado, cilantro and lime, this roll will transport you to the islands. The recipe calls for roasting a whole sweet potato which is much more than you need for 3 rolls. You’ll have yummy extras.
Toasted Coconut
You can buy coconut in the baking aisle. Ideally buy the shaved coconut pieces vs. shredded. I recently found pre-toasted coconut in a resealable bag. Bonus! If you can’t find pre-toasted, just throw your coconut slices on top of your sweet potatoes for the last 5 minutes of baking until they are just turning golden. Be careful – they go from golden to burnt very fast.
Killer Coconut Recipe
What else can you do with it now that you have a whole bag of the stuff? Try throwing some on salads for a fresh twist. Or, try it in this killer recipe from Wil Yeung on my Something Borrowed page. This is 20-minute vegan meal (including making the coconut rice) featuring broccolini, chickpeas and smoky spices is absolutely unique and delicious.
Coo-coo for Toasted Coconut
I also use coconut as one of the essential ingredients in Jenny’s Homemade Vanilla Ginger Coconut granola. Check that recipe out here.
Equipment
- sushi mat wrapped in plastic wrap plus extra plastic wrap for cutting
Ingredients
Sushi Quinoa Rice
- 3/4 cup sushi rice, rinsed several times
- 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed (tri-color is prettiest!)
- 1 cups water
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Filling
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and slice into thick strips
- 1 tsp Allspice
- salt & pepper
- 1 leaf kale, thinly sliced
- 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp toasted coconut
- 1/2 lime
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 2 sheets nori
- soy sauce for dipping
- wasabi paste, optional
Instructions
Prepare the Sushi Quinoa Rice
- Place the rinsed sushi and quinoa in a small saucepan. Add 1 cup water and place over med-high heat. As soon as bubbles start to form on the edges, stir to release anything sticking and cover with a lid. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes and then turn off heat (don't open the lid). Allow to steam for another 15 minutes. Remove lid, fluff with fork. Add rice vinegar, sugar, salt and sesame seeds and fluff again. Set aside.
Preparing the Roll
- While rice is cooking, prep your filling ingredients. Preheat oven to 425°. In a small mixing bowl, toss the coconut oil (nuke for 30 seconds if solid) with the sliced sweet potatoes, season with salt, pepper and Allspice. Toss again. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until very tender. Set aside (you'll have more than you need).
- Once rice is done, place one nori sheet (bumpy side up) on a sushi rolling mat that has been wrapped in plastic wrap. Using a fork or wet fingers, press cooked sushi quinoa rice onto the mat firmly leaving 1 inch of nori uncovered. Carefully pick up the nori and flip over.
- Start layering filling ingredients on the section of nori opposite where the rice begins on the other side but closest to the nori edge that you left without rice. You are going to roll that uncovered nori around the filling to get it started. Use 2 strips of sweet potato, a small strip of avocado, 1/3 of the coconut, kale and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over those ingredients. *Remember to split ingredients to have enough for 3 rolls.
- Pick up the edge of your rolling mat and start to flip the exposed piece of nori over the filling ingredients. You essentially want to tuck that piece around and under to get your roll sealed. Use the mat to pull it back towards you, and use your fingers to pinch the roll firmly as you go. You want to get things tight on that first turn and then continue rolling about a half turn at a time, pulling the mat free as you continue to roll forward and continuing to pinch along the length of the roll as you go. Unroll the mat and you should have a beautiful sushi roll!
- The hardest part IMO is cutting. Move the roll to a cutting board. I use a separate piece of plastic wrap which I lay over the top, pull snug and tuck in slightly all around (some people fully wrap the roll before cutting but I found that left me with shreds of plastic wrap to pick off). Using a serrated knife, gently cut your sushi into pieces and then carefully remove the plastic wrap. Stand back to admire what you've created, then go ahead and make your second roll. Serve immediately or keep wrapped in plastic and refrigerated until ready to serve.
- Serve 1 roll per person with soy sauce for dipping and wasabi paste on the side (optional).
Notes
A delicious vegan sushi roll featuring roasted sweet potato spears seasoned with Allspice, toasted coconut, avocado, kale, lime and cilantro. Don’t skimp on the coconut – it makes the roll. You will only use about a 1/4 of a sweet potato for the rolls so save the leftovers for something else!
Nutrition
Sweet on Sweet Potatoes?
Did this recipe get your taste buds tickling for more roasted sweet potato? Try my Fiesta Sweet Potato Bowl recipe.
