Rolling into Lunchtime—Lunch for 2
“Rolling into Lunchtime” is a delightful lunch recipe featuring traditional Japanese sushi rolls. This meal offers a refreshing and satisfying midday experience, combining the art of sushi-making with fresh ingredients for an authentic taste of Japan. Perfect for those seeking a unique, flavorful twist to their lunch routine.
Do This With That Stuff
- ‘Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear
- Place the rinsed rice and 2 cups of water into a rice cooker or medium pot
- Cook the rice according to the manufacturer’s instructions or bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes
- While the rice is cooking, combine 2 tbsp of rice vinegar, 1 tbsp of sugar, and 1/2 tsp of salt in a small saucepan over medium heat
- Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved, then remove from heat
- Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a mixing bowl
- Pour the vinegar mixture over the hot rice and gently mix it in with a wooden spoon or spatula Let it cool down to room temperature
- Place a sheet of nori on your bamboo sushi mat with the shiny side facing down
- Spread about 1/4 cup of sushi rice evenly onto nori, leaving about 1 inch at the top edge free of rice for sealing roll later
- Arrange cucumber strips, avocado slices, and two slices of sashimi-grade fish on top of the rice near the edge closest to you
- Begin rolling your sushi using your bamboo mat, applying pressure evenly but not squeezing too hard Roll it until only about an inch of nori without any rice on it remains Wet this edge with a little water using your finger to help seal the roll when it’s fully rolled up
- Using a sharp knife moistened with water, slice your sushi roll into bite-sized pieces Repeat these steps with remaining ingredients to make more rolls
- Arrange sliced sushi rolls on serving plate Serve with soy sauce and wasabi paste in small bowls for dipping and pickled ginger for garnish’
Obvious and Not So Obvious Variations and Pairings
☕ Bitter
- ‘Add 1 tbsp of matcha powder to sushi rice
- Increase wasabi paste to 2 tsp for dipping
- Add 1/2 cup of radicchio, chopped, to the filling
- Replace cucumber with 1/2 cup of endive, julienned’
🧂 Salty
- ‘Increase salt to 1 tsp
- Add 1 tbsp of soy sauce to the rice vinegar mixture
- Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on the sashimi-grade fish before rolling
- Serve with an additional 1 tbsp of soy sauce for dipping’
🍋 Sour
- ‘Increase rice vinegar to 3 tbsp
- Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice to the sushi rice
- Add 1 tsp of pickled ginger into the sushi roll
- Replace soy sauce with 2 tbsp of ponzu sauce for dipping’
🌶️ Spicy
- ‘Add 1 tsp of chili flakes to sushi rice
- Increase wasabi paste to 2 tsp for dipping
- Add 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper to vinegar mixture
- Include 1 tbsp of spicy mayo as an additional dipping sauce’
🍬 Sweet
- Increase the sugar to 2 tbsp in the vinegar mixture
- Add 1 tbsp of mirin to the vinegar mixture
- Substitute soy sauce for dipping with 2 tbsp of teriyaki sauce
- Add 1/2 cup of sweet pickled radish as an additional filling ingredient
- Add 1 tsp of honey to wasabi paste for dipping
🍄 Umami
- ‘Add 1 tbsp of miso paste to the rice vinegar mixture
- Increase soy sauce to 3 tbsp for dipping
- Add 1 tsp of dashi powder to the sushi rice after cooking
- Replace fresh sashimi-grade salmon or tuna with sashimi-grade mackerel or eel, which have a stronger umami flavor’
🍸 Alcoholic
- ‘Sake: This traditional Japanese rice wine pairs well with sushi, as its smooth and light taste complements the flavors of the fish and rice without overpowering them
- Asahi Super Dry: This Japanese beer is crisp and refreshing, providing a contrast to the rich flavors of the sushi
- Junmai Ginjo Sake: A premium type of sake, it has a slightly fruity flavor that pairs well with the freshness of the cucumber and avocado in the sushi’
🥤 Non Alcoholic
- Green Tea: Its subtle bitterness and warmth can balance the rich flavors of the sushi
- Cucumber Water: Its refreshing and light taste will complement the cucumber in the sushi without overpowering it
- Yuzu Juice: The citrusy tang of yuzu juice will cut through the richness of the fish and enhance the overall flavor profile of the dish.
🥓 Keto
- Remove 1 cup sushi rice
- Remove 1 tbsp sugar
- Replace 2 tbsp rice vinegar with 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Add 1 cup of cauliflower rice
- Increase fresh sashimi-grade salmon or tuna to 12 slices
- Replace soy sauce with coconut aminos for dipping
🍆 Mediterranean
- ‘Replace sushi rice with 1 cup of couscous
- Replace rice vinegar with 2 tbsp of lemon juice
- Replace nori (seaweed) paper with 4 large lettuce leaves
- Replace sashimi-grade salmon or tuna with 8 slices of grilled halloumi cheese
- Remove soy sauce for dipping
- Remove wasabi paste for dipping
- Add 2 tbsp of olive oil for dressing
- Add 1 tsp of za’atar spice mix for dressing
- Replace pickled ginger garnish with fresh mint leaves for garnish’
🥑 Paleo
- ‘Remove sushi rice
- Replace with 1 cup of cauliflower rice
- Remove sugar
- Replace rice vinegar with 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- Remove soy sauce
- Replace with 2 tbsp of coconut aminos for dipping’
🐟 Pescatarian
- No changes needed. The recipe is already pescatarian friendly.
🌱 Vegan
- ‘Remove 8 slices of fresh sashimi-grade salmon or tuna
- Add 1 cup of julienned carrots
- Add 1 cup of sliced bell peppers’
🥦 Vegetarian
- ‘Remove 8 slices of fresh sashimi-grade salmon or tuna
- Add 1/2 cup of julienned carrots
- Add 1/2 cup of sliced bell peppers’
🥩 Whole30
- ‘Remove sushi rice
- Replace with 1 cup of cauliflower rice
- Remove sugar
- Replace rice vinegar with 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Remove soy sauce
- Replace with 2 tbsp coconut aminos for dipping
- Remove pickled ginger’
🧠 Brain Health
- ‘Replace sushi rice with 1 cup of brown rice
- Add 2 tbsp of flaxseeds
- Add 1/4 cup of walnuts, chopped
- Replace sugar with 1 tbsp of honey
- Decrease soy sauce to 1 tbsp for dipping
- Add 1/4 cup of blueberries for garnish’
🌾 Celiac Disease
- Replace the soy sauce with 2 tbsp gluten-free tamari for dipping
💩 Crohns Disease
- ‘Remove sushi rice
- Add 1 cup of quinoa
- Remove sugar
- Remove soy sauce for dipping
- Add 2 tbsp of tamari sauce for dipping’
🩸 Diabetes
- ‘Remove 1 tbsp sugar
- Replace sushi rice with 1 cup of brown rice
- Decrease soy sauce to 1 tbsp for dipping
- Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice for dipping’
🍞 Gluten Intolerance
- Replace the soy sauce with gluten-free soy sauce
🫀 Heart Disease
- ‘Remove 1 tbsp sugar
- Replace 2 tbsp soy sauce with 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- Replace 1 tsp wasabi paste with 1/2 tsp wasabi paste’
❤️ Heart Health
- ‘Remove sugar
- Replace sushi rice with brown rice
- Decrease soy sauce to 1 tbsp
- Increase cucumber to 1 whole cucumber, julienned
- Add 1 tbsp of chia seeds’
🧂 High Blood Pressure
- ‘Remove salt
- Replace soy sauce with low-sodium soy sauce
- Decrease rice vinegar to 1 tbsp
- Remove wasabi paste’
🍔 High Cholesterol
- ‘Remove 8 slices of fresh sashimi-grade salmon or tuna
- Add 8 slices of grilled chicken breast
- Decrease soy sauce to 1 tbsp for dipping
- Add 1 tbsp of low-sodium soy sauce for dipping’
🦠 Immune System
- ‘Add 1 clove of minced garlic to the rice vinegar mixture
- Add 1 tbsp of grated ginger to the rice vinegar mixture
- Replace 2 slices of sashimi-grade fish with 2 slices of sashimi-grade salmon for each roll
- Add 1/4 cup of chopped red bell pepper to the fillings
- Add 1/4 cup of chopped spinach leaves to the fillings
- Replace soy sauce with tamari for dipping’
🚽 Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- ‘Remove sushi rice
- Add 1 cup of quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
- Remove sugar
- Remove soy sauce for dipping
- Add 2 tbsp of low-sodium tamari for dipping
- Decrease the wasabi paste to 1/2 tsp for dipping’
💧 Kidney Disease
- ‘Remove salt
- Decrease soy sauce to 1 tbsp
- Replace sushi rice with brown rice
- Remove pickled ginger’
🐄 Lactose Intolerance
- No changes are needed for this recipe to be lactose intolerance friendly. All ingredients listed are naturally lactose-free.
🍺 Liver Disease
- ‘Remove 1 tbsp sugar
- Decrease the soy sauce to 1 tbsp for dipping
- Replace sashimi-grade salmon or tuna with cooked shrimp or crab
- Remove wasabi paste for dipping’
🤰 Pregnancy
- ‘Replace sashimi-grade salmon or tuna with cooked shrimp or crab
- Replace soy sauce with low-sodium soy sauce
- Remove wasabi paste’
Beti’s Reflections
In my culinary adventures, I’ve always been drawn to the artistry and precision of Japanese cuisine. One day, while exploring a local fish market in Tokyo, I stumbled upon a vendor selling the freshest sashimi-grade fish. Inspired by this find, I decided to create an easy homemade sushi recipe that would bring the authentic taste of Japan right to your kitchen. Thus, ‘Rolling into Lunchtime’ was born.
‘Rolling into Lunchtime’ is a delightful Japanese sushi recipe that serves two and offers a refreshing twist to your lunch routine. It’s perfect for those seeking healthy Japanese lunch ideas that are both satisfying and fun to make. However, if you’re allergic to seafood or have dietary restrictions against raw fish, you might want to sit this one out.
Our ingredients include 1 cup of sushi rice, 15 cups of water, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 4 sheets nori (seaweed) paper, 1/2 cucumber julienned, 1 avocado sliced thinly and fresh sashimi-grade salmon or tuna. The sushi rice is key for its sticky texture which holds our roll together while the rice vinegar adds a subtle tanginess that complements the freshness of our sashimi-grade fish. The cucumber and avocado add a crispness and creaminess respectively that balance out our sushi roll perfectly.
To begin with our Japanese sushi roll recipe: rinse the sushi rice under cold water until clear then cook it with water in a pot or rice cooker. While it’s cooking, combine your rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan until dissolved then mix it into your cooked rice once it’s cooled down. Now comes the fun part – rolling! Place your nori on a bamboo mat shiny side down then spread your cooled sushi rice evenly on top leaving about an inch free at the top for sealing later. Arrange your cucumber, avocado and sashimi-grade fish on the rice then start rolling using your bamboo mat. Remember, even pressure is key! Once rolled, wet the free edge of nori to seal your sushi roll then slice into bite-sized pieces. Repeat these steps for more rolls and serve with soy sauce, wasabi paste and pickled ginger.
And there you have it! Your very own DIY sushi rolls with salmon and tuna. This easy homemade sushi recipe is a great way to introduce yourself to Japanese cuisine recipes or simply add a new dish to your healthy lunch ideas repertoire. So why not swap out those fast food lunches for something fresh, fun and absolutely delicious? ‘Rolling into Lunchtime’ is sure to become a favorite in no time!
Remember, the art of sushi-making is all about practice so don’t be discouraged if your first few rolls aren’t perfect. Keep at it and soon you’ll be making sushi like a pro! Until next time, happy rolling!



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