How to make a healthy, delicious Sushi Burrito (aka sushirrito) with sushi rice, avocado, ahi tuna (or tofu or smoked salmon), carrots, and optional kimchi– a fun, healthy and delicious meal! Vegan-adaptable and Gluten-free!
Introducing Sushi Burritos (aka Sushirittos), my new favorite healthy lunch. Sushi Burritos are California’s latest food truck trend- Japanese-Mexican fusion, where sushi is basically made like a burrito. These were originally created by Peter Yen, in his San Francisco restaurant, Sushirrito.
Many variations even sport Mexican ingredients, which is always a fun option too.
I experienced my first Sushi burrito down in Venice, CA, and loved it, and finally decided to mimic it at home. After several tries, it became much easier. The secret is attaching 2 pieces of nori together. Here, we’ve kept ours filled with classic Japanese ingredients. But feel free to get creative.
What You’ll Love about Sushi Burritos!
- Fast and easy. Once you have the ingredients prepped, they take about 1 minute to roll up. Perfect for meal prepping.
- Vegan-adaptable. Use tofu, shitake mushrooms, or tempeh for the protein!
- Try Smoked salmon. If raw fish makes you squeamish, smoked salmon or lox is a great option too. I’ve even made these with tinned sardines. Very flexible.
Ingredients in Sushi Burrito
- Sushi Rice: Use our sushi rice recipe or try brown rice seasoned with rice vinegar, salt and sugar.
- Veggies: Use fresh crunchy veggies like cucumber, matchstick carrots or daikon, greens, grated cabbage, grated beets, bell pepper strips, radishes, avocado, and microgreens.
- Protein: Ahi tuna (scroll down for more details) yellow tail, hamachi, wild salmon, smoked salmon or lox, or baked tofu.
- Embellishments: Try Kimchi, chili paste, pickled ginger, scallions, fresh herbs to give it a flavorful punch.
How to make a Sushi Burrito
Step one: Start by attaching two pieces of nori together by wetting one edge with water, keeping the rough sides up. Overlap by an inch or two.
Step two: Spread the sushi rice ( best at room temperature) as evenly as possible all the way to the sides leaving one inch on the side closest to you and 4 inches on the far edge.
Tip: Optional- Add chili paste, sriracha, or sriracha mayo for flavor – it’s hard to dip the sushi burrito into a sauce, so I prefer to put the flavorful sauce inside.
Step three: Add the fillings. Fill with veggies, ahi tuna and kimchi. For me personally, kimchi is KEY to the great flavor here. You could also sub-pickled ginger, or pickled veggies or pickled onions — you want the pickled flavor, for sure.
Step four: Then start rolling as evenly as possible, wetting the last inch of nori with water to seal. Let it sit, seam-side down on the counter for just a couple of minutes.
Step five: Serve as is, or cut the sushi burrito in half. This is big enough to share with my husband, so I usually cut it in half.
Storage
If making this ahead, wrap it in a paper towel, then foil or plastic wrap. It is best consumed the day you make it, as it can get soggy!
What is the Best tuna to use in Sushi?
Whenever you serve ahi tuna raw, make sure to use “sushi-grade” tuna. My favorite? Look for Saku Tuna.
Saku Tuna
Ahi tuna or yellowfin tuna, also known as saku tuna, is commonly used to make sushi. Suku means “block” and it is typically a block of boneless, skinless, frozen, vacuum-packed yellowfin tuna.
Flash-frozen tuna kills harmful bacteria, making it very safe to eat. Of course, you can also use fresh ahi tuna if you trust your source or live close to where it is caught. We used Saku Tuna in our catering business and never had a problem.
Where to buy Saku Tuna?
- If your grocery store makes sushi in-house, it very likely has Saku tuna—just ask if you can buy a block.
- You can purchase it from a Sushi Restaurant. They are usually happy to sell a block of frozen saku tuna.
- Order online. This company offers frozen saku tuna block.
This will keep 24 hours in the fridge, though best consumed the day of.
More recipes you may like!
- Sushi Hand Rolls with Smoked Salmon
- Fast & Easy Seared Tuna (Ahi or Yellowfin Tuna)
- Ahi Poke Bowl Recipe
- Ahi Salad with Cucumber Ribbons, Pickled Onions and Dill
If you try this recipe, let us know how you like it in the comments below.
Cheers, friends!
Print
Sushi Burrito Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2
- Category: Main, lunch
- Method: Rolled
- Cuisine: Japanese
Description
Delicious and healthy Sushi Burrito filled with sushi rice, veggies, kimchi and your choice of ahi, tofu or smoked salmon. GF and Vegan adaptable.
Ingredients
SUSHI RICE (makes 2 cups cooked)
- 1 cup short-grain Japanese rice (short-grain sushi rice, cal-rose rice) rinsed well.
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Sushi Burrito
- 2 nori sheets ( seaweed)
- 1 cup cooked sushi rice
- 1–2 teaspoon chili sauce or sriracha sauce
- 1/2 cup match stick carrots ( or strips of cucumber, bell pepper, cabbage or daikon)
- 1/2 an avocado, sliced
- 3–4 ounces ahi tura, smoked salmon or baked tofu ( Trader Joe’s Sriracha Baked Tofu is good)
- 1/4 cup kimchi ( or pickled veggies or pickled ginger)
- 1/8 cup fresh cilantro or scallions
- If you like creaminess, add a squirt of sriracha mayo or this vegan Mexican Chipotle Sauce
Instructions
- Make the sushi rice: Rinse the rice 5-10 times in cool water, and drain. Place in medium sauce pan on the stove with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and immediately cover with a tightly fitting lid, then simmer on low heat for 15-18 minutes, until the water has been absorbed. Turn heat off and let it sit covered for 10 minutes. Place it in a bowl and spread it out. Add the remaining ingredients, gently incorporating them with a wood spoon, being careful not to break the rice. Rice is ready when it has cooled to body temperature. Rice can be made ahead.
- Prep ingredients: While the rice is cooking prep your veggies and protein.
- Make the Sushi Burrito: Attach two sheets of nori together, wetting one inch of one side with water- keeping rough sides up. See photos. You will have one long sheet. Spread 1 cup sushi rice evenly all the way to the side edges, leaving about 1 inch in front. ( See photos). Spread rice with the chili paste. Layer carrots, avocado, kimchi ( drain it first) , ahi ( or alternative), cilantro and the creamy sauce if using, in the center of the rice.
- Gently roll it up, wetting the last inch of the nori (with water) to seal. Place on a paper towel seam side down. Let sit one minute, then cut in half.
- If packing for lunch, wrap it up in a paper towel (to help keep it dry) then wrap in foil or plastic.
Notes
Brown Rice: If you are substituting short-grain brown rice, cook it according to the directions on the package ( it will need to cook longer with more water), then season it the same.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burrito
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 2.6 g
- Sodium: 458.5 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.5 g
- Fiber: 4.4 g
- Protein: 14.1 g
- Cholesterol: 16.6 mg
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Wow, this looks great.. I think I want to try this with some cooked beets instead of the fish. I think it would work!
great idea Lizzy!
So yummy
Awesome Joe!
This was a totally new thing for me to make and it was great! I used brown rice, carrots, cucumber, green onion, avocado, red pepper, kimchi, smoked salmon and cilantro!
I ate them for dinner and the next day’s lunch and then went and got more smoked salmon the next day and repeated my dinner and work day lunch sushi burrito yumminess!
Awesome Jenifer! Glad you enjoyed this!
this worked so good thx!
The most fun I’ve had making a meal for the family! I used brown rice, avocado, smoked salmon, shredded carrots, and homemade kimchi (my first time making it). Preparing each burrito is a moment for peace and reflection during the middle of the day.
Love it!
I have made these several times for my daughter and I for lunch. She is a huge sushi lover. I either use ahi tuna or crab for her and vegetarian for me. It is so delicious and refreshing. Love to put Ponzu sauce on it. Very quick and easy.
Crab sounds yummy!
ok
This is an AWESOME idea! I happen to have some leftover chopped veg and rice noodles from spring rolls, I’m going to try this. Might be a little weird with noodles rather than rice, but oh well.
Made this for lunch today and it was delicious!!!! I used fresh tuna, but can definitely go vegetarian on this easily. Thank you!