Rice Paper Sushi Roll

What are Rice Paper Sushi Rolls?

Rice Paper Sushi Rolls are sushi filling wrapped in soft rice paper, and are the shortcut version to making sushi rolls. If you haven’t heard, they are the latest craze in the rice paper world of TikTok – yes, that is a thing.

These pockets of gloriousness can be pan-fried to become crispy, or it can be eaten as is, for their bouncy, chewy texture. They are so much easier to make than traditional sushi rolls, and can be made in half the time!

In this recipe, I will share with you one of my favourites, the classic California roll, however, feel free to fill it with any of your favourite sushi fillings. This sushi-making activity makes these the perfect dinner night dish to make with friends and family.

I enjoy dipping them in my Sriracha Aioli, as it is one of the most well known creamy sauces drizzled on most American sushi rolls. You can also dip them in the classic soy sauce and wasabi, or eat them as is!

Please watch my Rice Paper Sushi Rolls video, as I walk you through how to make them, and hopefully entertain you with my witty sense of humour.

Now let’s Rice Paper rock, and Sushi Roll!

What is Sushi?

Traditional sushi rolls, or maki in Japanese, is made from vinegar-flavoured sushi rice, and filled with fresh ingredients, including seafood and vegetables. It is then tightly wrapped in a sheet of nori, Japanese seaweed, with a bamboo mat, and then sliced into 6-8 pieces.

What does the word “sushi” mean?

The “su” in sushi actually means vinegar in Japanese, and the “shi” is short for meshi, which is rice. Put it together and BAM it creates vinegar rice (mmm delicious), or the more commonly used term – seasoned sushi rice.

Sushi must always use seasoned sushi rice; if it isn’t seasoned, then it’s technically not sushi (but who am I to say… we’re making sushi with rice paper!)

Can I make these Rice Paper Sushi Rolls with any filling?

Yes you can! Feel free to add any toppings your sushi heart desires. I personally prefer making California rolls because it’s cheap, simple, and oh-so delicious. Just make sure not to add too many toppings or else it will be overfilled and cause your rice paper to break.

What is Rice Paper?

Rice paper is an edible, stretchy sheet made of rice or rice flour, used to wrap ingredients in.

Please head to my Rice Paper Noodles recipe to read more about rice paper and how it’s made.

Are these similar to Rice Paper Dumplings?

The technique for wrapping them and pan-frying them are similar. However, since sushi filling is less wet than dumpling filling, it only requires one sheet of rice paper, instead of double-wrapping. The cooking time for these sushi rolls are also much shorter, as nothing inside needs to be fully cooked through.

Do I need to pan-fry these Rice Paper Sushi Rolls?

No, you don’t need to. They are just equally good soft and chewy, as they are crisp! I suggest leaving half of them as is, and pan-frying the other half, so it gives you more variety!

What do Rice Paper Sushi Rolls taste like?

When you first take a bite you get hit with the crispy rice paper wrapper, with a slight chewiness coming from them aswell. Then you chew a little, and you reach the soft and chewy rice, with the creaminess from the avocado and crab, and the crunchy, refreshing flavour of the cucumber.

The addition of the Spicy Sriracha Aioli gives a nice kick and unctuousness to the sushi rolls.