Hey sushi lovers! If you don’t care for avocado, you’ll be happy to know many tasty sushi options don’t contain it. While avocado rolls have certainly gained popularity, tradition Japanese sushi does not rely on this ingredient.
In fact, there are several common sushi types made without avocado:
- Nigiri – These little finger foods with raw fish or seafood on rice contain no avocado.
- Maki – Traditional rolls wrapped in nori can skip the avocado, like cucumber or pickles rolls.
- Uramaki – Inside-out rolls also work without avocado, like dynamite rolls with spicy mayo and shrimp tempura.
- Temaki – For hand rolls filled with sushi rice and fish, avocado is optional.
Curious to explore the wide world of non-avocado sushi? From salmon nigiri to spicy tuna rolls, this article will highlight the many delicious sushi options that keep it classic and skip the avocado. Let’s roll!
Nigiri Sushi
Nigiri sushi is the quintessential traditional style. It consists of a small rectangular block of vinegared sushi rice topped with a slice of raw or cured seafood. Popular choices for nigiri include:
- Tuna (maguro)
- Salmon (sake)
- Yellowtail (hamachi)
- Squid (ika)
- Eel (unagi)
- Shrimp (ebi)
- Surf clam (hokkigai)
Nigiri is meant to highlight the taste of the seafood, so extras like avocado are not included. Just simple, fresh fish or seafood served over seasoned rice.
Hosomaki Rolls
Hosomaki, meaning “thin rolls,” are simple rolls wrapped in a thin sheet of nori seaweed. Fillings usually include just one or two ingredients, such as:
- Cucumber
- Pickled daikon radish
- Shrimp
- Squid
- Asparagus
- Omelette
Like nigiri, hosomaki keeps things minimal to let the main ingredient shine. No creamy avocados or spicy mayos here!
Temaki
For a fun, handheld sushi experience, try temaki. These cone-shaped sushi are made by wrapping sheets of nori around rice and fillings. Common fillings include:
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Yellowtail
- Cucumber
- Crab stick
- Shrimp
- Omelette
Temaki make an easy sushi variety to make at home. Simply wrap up your desired fish or veggies in a nori cone and you’re set! No avocado needed.
Uramaki Rolls
While special uramaki rolls often contain avocado, traditional ones typically don’t. Uramaki are inside-out rolls with the rice on the outside and nori inside. Some classic uramaki without avocado include:
- Tekka Maki – Tuna roll
- Sake Maki – Salmon roll
- Kappa Maki – Cucumber roll
- Oshinko Maki – Pickled radish roll
For a more modern twist, try uramaki like:
- Shrimp Tempura Rolls – With tempura shrimp and cucumber
- Spicy Tuna Rolls – With spicy mayo and scallions
- Spider Rolls – With soft shell crab
The uramaki filling provides the flavor, while the rice exterior adds a nice crunch. No avocado needed!
Sashimi
To enjoy the pure taste of the seafood itself, try sashimi. Sashimi is simply sliced raw seafood served without rice. Common options are:
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Yellowtail
- Sea bass
- Octopus
- Squid
- Sweet shrimp
- Scallop
Dip your sashimi in soy sauce, wasabi, or ginger for enhancement. With no rice or fillings, the fresh taste of the fish or seafood shines through.
Chirashi Bowls
For a well-balanced sushi meal, try chirashi bowls. These meals involve sushi rice topped with an assortment of fish, seafood and veggies. Avocado is not typical in these bowls. Some chirashi ingredients include:
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Snapper
- Shrimp
- Squid
- Cucumber
- Carrots
- Shiitake mushrooms
Mix and match your favorite sashimi-grade fish and freshly-sliced veggies over sushi rice for a hearty, nutritious chirashi meal.
Vegetarian Rolls
Veggie sushi makes a flavorful meat-free meal. Popular vegetable-based rolls include:
- Futomaki – “Fat” rolls with veggies like cucumber, tamago, pickled radish, mushrooms, gourd
- Kappa Maki – Cucumber roll
- Oshinko Maki – Takuan pickled radish roll
- Avocado Maki – Avocado roll
- Asparagus Maki – Asparagus roll
- Shiitake Maki – Shiitake mushroom roll
For non-veggie options, try tamago (egg omelette) or inari (sweet fried tofu) sushi.
Condiments Add Flavor
While many sushi varieties skip the avocado, remember you can always
- Wasabi – Spicy green paste
- Pickled Ginger – Slices of tangy pink ginger
- Soy Sauce – Salt, sweet, and umami flavors
A dip in soy sauce or dollop of wasabi amplifies the flavor of any filling.
Sushi is Endlessly Diverse
Part of the beauty of sushi lies in its incredible variety – there are so many flavorful fillings and styles to discover beyond avocado rolls. From tuna tataki nigiri to egg salad hosomaki, the possibilities are endless.
So next time you enjoy sushi, don’t be afraid to go for non-avocado options. Keep it classic with salmon nigiri, get creative with handheld temaki, or pick vegetarian rolls showcasing fresh produce.
With so many ways to combine seafood, rice and veggies, sushi is always satisfying, whether it contains avocado or not!
