Sweet Potato Sushi Rolls with Maitake Mushrooms, Spinach and Sesame Ginger Garlic Sauce

This is a vegan sweet potato sushi roll recipe with maitake mushrooms, fresh spinach, and a ginger garlic sesame sauce. Roasting the sweet potato caramelizes the external sugar, which adds flavor and texture. The maitake mushrooms bring a rich umami earthy, nutty quality that pairs beautifully with the ginger garlic sesame sauce. And the spinach brings freshness, bitterness and a slight sweetness. Put all those flavors together, this is one delightful autumn sushi roll!

This recipe makes ~4 sweet potato sushi rolls.

A few things…

• ・Maitake mushrooms have several names, including hen-of-the-woods, ram’s head or sheep’s head. If you’re having trouble finding it, try an alias.

• ・If you just can’t find maitake mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms make an excellent substitute. Just remove the stems, and thinly slice them up.

• ・No molasses? Maybe give maple syrup a try? It’ll be a bit sweeter, so maybe use 1 tsp and taste it. I’ve not tested this myself, so if you try it, I’d love to know what you think.

• ・Stir up the tahini really, really well. The creamier, the better. Sometimes, the oil separates and the ground sesame seeds can turn into the consistency of clay at the bottom of the jar. Just stir the hell out of it until it’s easy to pour.

• ・In this sweet potato sushi recipe, I’ll go over how to roll it with the rice on the outside and with the rice on the inside. This recipe does not use a sushi mat. If you prefer to use one, go for it. I found it was pretty easy just to roll up the nori with my hands.

• ・Use a very sharp knife to slice the sushi. I like to clean it off between every slice and leave some water droplets on it.

• ・These held up well refrigerated overnight in a sealed container.

I hope you love this vegan sweet potato sushi roll recipe! Maybe make it a sushi night with other UVK recipes, like Avocado Cucumber Carrot Sushi with Sweet Chili Sauce, Shiitake Mushroom Sushi Rolls, Tofu Sushi Rolls with Asparagus, Avocado, Cucumber and Vegan Wasabi Mayo, Mango Hand Roll Sushi, Beet Nigiri Sushi and more.

Sweet Potato Sushi Rolls with Maitake Mushrooms, Spinach and Sesame Ginger Garlic Sauce

1 batch vegan sushi rice

1 long lean peeled sweet potato, sliced into long strips

3 tsp sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp finely chopped peeled fresh ginger root

4 ounces maitake mushrooms, break the cluster into smaller manageable pieces

2-3 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce (OR reduced sodium gluten free tamari)

1 Tbsp tahini

2 tsp molasses (see notes above)

Two handfuls of fresh spinach leaves

1. First, you’ll make the sushi rice for the sweet potato roll by following this recipe.

2. While the sushi rice cooks, preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a cookie sheet with non-stick foil. Add the sweet potato strips and 1 tsp sesame oil to the cookie sheet. Move the strips around until well coated. Then, spread them in an even layer. Bake at 450º F for ~15-20 minutes (flipping at the halfway point) or until fully cooked through.

3. While the sweet potato roasts, get started on the mushrooms. In a small skillet, add 2 tsp sesame oil, the garlic and ginger. When it starts to sizzle, add the mushrooms. Sauté over medium-high heat for a few minutes until crispy and cooked through. Remove from heat.

4. Stir the soy sauce (or tamari), tahini and molasses in with the mushrooms. Taste, and adjust the flavors, if needed (more soy sauce? molasses?). Set aside.

5. When the sushi rice is cool enough to handle, the sweet potato is roasted and the mushrooms are done, it’s time to assemble the rolls. You can either roll them with the rice on the outside or rice on the inside.

Rice on the Outside:

• On a flat, dry surface (like on top of a chopping board or a piece of parchment), place a sheet of nori shiny side down. Add sushi rice over the nori sheet leaving ~1″ towards the bottom without rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and pat the rice down with wet hands (see photo on left).

• Flip the nori sheet over, so the rice is facing down. The 1″ without any rice should be at the bottom. Close to the bottom add some mushrooms, 2-3 strips of roasted sweet potato, and some spinach leaves.

• Starting from the bottom roll the sushi up. You can use your hands or a sushi mat. The rice will look a little out of sorts, but we’re going to fix it.

• Tightly roll the sweet potato sushi in plastic wrap. Gently press the rice together. Remove the plastic wrap, and place the sushi roll on a dry chopping board.

Rice on the Inside:

• On a flat, dry surface (like a piece of parchment or on top of a dry chopping board), place a sheet of nori shiny side down. Add sushi rice over the nori sheet–leaving ~1″ at the very top without rice. With wet hands, pat the rice down into a single layer. Add some of the mushrooms, spinach and 2-3 roasted sweet potato strips to the side furthest from the side without any rice (see photo on left).

• Using your hands or a sushi mat, start rolling the side with the filling towards the end without anything. Place the rolled vegan sweet potato sushi on a dry chopping board.

6. Using a very sharp knife, slice the rolls into pieces. Serve. If you like, enjoy dipping it into some soy sauce mixed with wasabi paste.