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Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowThe original idea for this low carb keto sushi without rice came from a friend of mine. Her entire family is gluten-free and low carb, plus she’s an incredible cook, and she allowed me to share it with all of you!
But what about regular sushi: is sushi keto friendly, or worth avoiding altogether? Let’s talk about carbs in sushi and keto friendly sushi options to enjoy at home or when dining out. Then, try other keto Asian dishes like egg roll in a bowl, keto orange chicken, or cauliflower fried rice!
Why You’ll Love This Keto Sushi Recipe
- Light and fresh taste, with the same flavors as regular sushi
- Crunchy veggies with tender fish
- No sticky rice or sushi mat needed
- Easy to customize with your favorite basic fillings
- Satisfies cravings in just 15 minutes
- 2g net carbs per serving
- Naturally gluten-free
Is Sushi Keto Friendly?
Most traditional types of sushi are not keto, as most of them are made with rice (and carbs in rice are too high for the keto diet). The fish and seafood have high nutrition value and a great source of omega 3s, but the rice is an issue. Fortunately, there are still plenty of keto sushi options available that avoid rice altogether — without sacrificing flavor.
Is Sushi Rice Keto Friendly?
Sorry, sushi rice isn’t keto. It contains too many carbs for keto diet macros.
Low Carb Sushi Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for keto sushi, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Smoked Salmon – Also known as lox, this is one of the easiest fish to find for keto sushi, and since it’s “cooked”, I was able to serve this for my kids. But any raw sushi grade fish will work. (A salmon avocado roll, made with raw sushi grade salmon, has always been my favorite kind.)
- Low Carb Vegetables – Including red bell pepper, cucumber, and avocado. For more ideas, see this keto vegetables list or scroll down to see best restaurant options.
- Seaweed Snacks – These are small, thin sheets of seaweed you can find at most grocery stores. You can also use a full sheet of seaweed cut into smaller pieces with kitchen shears.
- Water – Used to seal the seaweed and hold the no rice sushi together.
VARIATION: Want sushi with keto sushi rice as opposed to no rice?
Try the bacon wrapped keto sushi in my Easy Keto Carboholics Cookbook, which uses cauliflower rice as a substitute and wraps the sushi in bacon. It’s amazing!
How To Make Keto Sushi Without Rice
This section shows how to make low carb sushi rolls, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Cut. Put vegetables into thin matchstick pieces. Cut salmon and avocado into slightly wider pieces, with the same length. (You will need 20 pieces of each.)
- Arrange. Arrange five seaweed snacks and a single layer on a cutting board. Wet your finger with water, and moisten the short end of each sheet. Place sushi filling ingredients on the opposite side. (Do not roll yet.) Repeat for the remaining sheets.
- Roll. Turn to the first sheet. Roll, and press the edge to seal. Place seam side down on a plate. Repeat with the remaining sheets.
Storage Instructions
Riceless sushi tastes best right after rolling it (otherwise, the seaweed gets too soft from the moisture in the veggies). If you don’t plan on serving very many rolls, store vegetables, fish (or make smoked salmon salad with the leftovers), avocado, and seaweed snacks separately and assemble just before serving. Avocado will brown after prolonged storage, so squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top or avoid slicing it altogether until you’re ready to serve.
How Many Carbs In Sushi?
This keto sushi recipe has just 2 grams net carbs per serving (4 pieces). But does sushi have carbs if it’s the regular kind? It depends on the variety you order, but these varieties of sushi contain a high number of carbs because they have rice:
- Nigiri sushi – Toppings, including raw fish, served over sushi rice
- Maki – Rice and other fillings wrapped in a nori sheet
- Uramaki – Fillings wrapped in a nori sheet and then wrapped in a layer of rice
- Temaki – Fillings and rice hand rolled into a seaweed cone
(Find carb counts for select popular sushi items below.)
The only types of sushi that are naturally keto friendly are:
- Sashimi – Contains plain sliced fish (which is 0 grams of carbohydrate, both net and total).
- Naruto – Uses thin, rolled cucumber instead of rice. They are also naturally low in calories and high in fiber.
How Many Carbs In A Sushi Roll?
Carbs in sushi rolls vary slightly depending on their fillings. A 6-piece tuna roll with rice and raw tuna, for example, contains 27.5 grams total carbs and 26.2 grams net carbs [*].
How Many Carbs In One Piece Of Sushi?
Carbs in a single piece of sushi will be lower, but still quite high in carbs to be very keto friendly. One piece of a tuna roll contains 4.6 grams total carbs and 4.4 grams net carbs [*].
How Many Carbs In California Roll Sushi?
California rolls are highly popular, but sadly not keto. A 6-piece California roll contains 33.1 grams total carbs and 31.3 grams net carbs. A single piece contains 5.5 grams total carbs and 5.2 grams net carbs [*].
How Many Carbs In Sushi Rice?
Most sushi uses this kind of rice (usually seasoned with rice vinegar and sugar), but you’ll want to avoid it on keto, or if carb intake is a concern. One cup of plain sushi rice contains 36.5 grams total carbs and 34.8 grams net carbs [*].
The chart below summarizes the amount of carbs in sushi and sushi rice:
| Serving Size | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Sushi roll, 6 pieces | 27.5g | 26.2g |
| Sushi roll, 1 piece | 33.4.61g | 4.4g |
| California roll, 6 pieces | 33.1g | 31.3g |
| California roll, 1 piece | 5.5g | 5.2g |
| Sushi rice, 1 cup | 36.5g | 34.8g |
How To Order Sushi On Keto
Homemade keto sushi rolls are great, but what if you are eating out? Given the high carbs in rice, it may seem difficult to find low carb sushi options at restaurants. If you want to know how to eat keto at a sushi bar, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Avoid all rice – That includes brown rice and white rice. Even a few ounces of white rice can blow your macros! You can sometimes order regular sushi rolls and ask the restaurant to omit the rice. Some locations also offer rice-free rolls such as naruto maki, which is a type of cucumber roll. Other rolls, such as the Philadelphia roll, are naturally keto if rice is omitted.
- Avoid tempura breaded foods – These will be fried and contain added carbs. You may find tempura in sushi rolls (such as a shrimp tempura roll), used to fry vegetables, and even sprinkled in flakes as a garnish on sushi.
- Pay attention to soy – If you are sensitive to soy or try to avoid it on a keto or low carb diet, keep in mind that sushi restaurants offer many soy-based products even though it is naturally low in carbs (edamame, miso soup, tofu, soy sauce).
- Check ingredients and carbohydrates ahead of time – I do this for fast food on keto, too! If you have an idea of what you want to order, look at ingredients and macros before you go to the restaurant.
- Beware of added sugar or starch – Some menu items may appear healthy (such as seaweed salad, imitation crab meat, tamago, wasabi, or pickled ginger), but may contain added sugar or starches. Look for plain fresh fish and veggies to avoid these added carbs.
Best Low Carb Sushi Options At Restaurants
If you’re wondering what to order at a sushi restaurant on keto (or you’re making it at home), here are the best keto sushi options for rolls and for other popular sushi restaurant dishes.
Proteins
- All unbreaded seafood and shellfish except imitation crab: Salmon, shrimp, eel, tuna, etc.
- Beef or chicken, grilled only
- Cream cheese
- Edamame (avoid if sensitive to soy)
Toppings & Garnishes
- Fish roe
- Seaweed (nori)
- Sesame seeds
Vegetables
- Avocado
- Bean sprouts
- Bell peppers
- Cucumber
- Green onion
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Radish
Sauces & Condiments
- Plain mayonnaise
- Soy sauce
When I’m ordering at a sushi restaurant, I look for naruto first, because I can usually order it without requesting any modifications. If that’s not available, ask for sashimi or nigiri with no rice and vegetables on the side. Another moderately safe option at sushi restaurants is a stir fry with garlic, oil, salt, and pepper; sauces usually contain sugar, flour, cornstarch, or some combination of these.
More Keto Sushi Recipes
If you like cutting down on sushi carbs with this riceless version, you’ll love these keto sushi-inspired recipes and restaurant favorites.
Recommended Tools
- Sushi Plates – For more authentic presentation. Includes sauce dishes and chopsticks!
- Chef’s Knife – If you prefer to slice your rolls, this sharp knife makes it effortless.
Keto Sushi Rolls Recipe
Keto Sushi Rolls Without Rice
The best low carb keto sushi recipe needs only 5 ingredients and 15 minutes! Just use this easy method for how to make sushi without rice.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Cut the red peppers and cucumbers into very narrow matchstick pieces of even length – about 1/4 in (about 1/2 cm) wide and the same length as the narrow side of a seaweed snack sheet. Cut the salmon and avocado into pieces the same length, but wider. You'll need 20 pieces of each.
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Arrange a row of 5 seaweed snacks in a single layer on a cutting board. Pour some cold water in a bowl nearby. Wet your finger with water and wet the short edge of each seaweed sheet, Place one piece each of salmon, red pepper, cucumber, and avocado at the opposite edge of the first seaweed snack.
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Repeat step 2 for the entire row. Once the whole row is done, roll up the first seaweed snack and press the edge to seal. (The water should have softened the edge by this point, making it easy to seal. The wet edge from the first piece will soften naturally by the time you finish adding to the last.) Place seam side down onto a plate.
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Repeat steps 2-3 until you use up all your seaweed snack sheets.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 4 pieces
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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47 Comments
Walter
0There is no definition for sushi grade salmon as per the fda. Farm raised salmon does not have parasites. Lox is overly salty and overpowering imo.
Elizabeth Weisinger
0Very helpful info. Would you happen to have nutritional info for volcano roll with no rice? Thx!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Elizabeth, Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy if you have questions about calculations please see my nutrition policy.
Lianne
0Doing keto and love sushi! My only question is about sticking the sushi together after rolling. Does wetting the seaweed make the roll secure, or does anyone have a better option?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lianne, When you wet the seaweed and it becomes very sticky making the roll secure.
Diana
0Because I already had chopped bell peppers, I decided to use that with cucumber and avocado, chop everything fairly small, mix in cream cheese as suggested by other commenters and about half a tablespoon of furikake. I put half a slice of smoked salmon on the seaweed snack sheet, put the cream cheese-chopped vegetable mixture on top of that, roll it up partially and topped it off with radish microgreens for added crunch and nutrition. This might be my new favorite snack! Don’t miss the rice at all. Thank you for the inspiration!
Sherlonda Smith
0This is a great receipe you can also do miracle rice or shirtaki rice which is 0 net carbs with some rice vinegar and mix with cream cheese mash in the roll and slice it.
Mags
0Made this with a full seaweed sheet and then cut them into rounds like regular sushi. Kept it together by using cream cheese. It was really good.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ginny, I don’t recommend adding sugar to any recipe. Cauliflower rice won’t be as sticky as traditional sticky rice, but it will work if you would like to add it to a roll, layered within the seaweed wrapper. Cream cheese is a great keto food. You can read more about how to start a keto or low carb diet here and the keto food list here. I hope this helps!
Jason D Miller
0I gave up quickly on trying to make nice rolls. I used canned salmon and just chopped everything up and ate it out of a bowl using bits of the seaweed to pick up the food with.
{{first_name}}
0I love sushi but haven’t had it since I started my keto diet. I’ll definitely be trying your recipe, but have two suggestions. The first is to mention that your fillings can be replaced to taste with items like tuna, crab meat, yellowtail, cream cheese, etc. The other is about the rice. Cauliflower rice won’t stick together like sushi rice, but it can be included inside the seaweed wrapper. This adds to the combined flavors of the ingredients as created by sushi chefs and the wrapper holds the whole thing together. It also makes the handling of the rice easier than when it is on the outside.
ginny
0The rice has a touch of starch so the cauliflower would work but might add a touch of sugar to help. If you want it. I don’t like mashed cauliflower, but I like the shrimp and crab options and the tuna and salmon just not sure where to get the smoked salon or the raw tuna. I have not tried you recipe but does sound good. cream cheese doesn’t seem keto, am I wrong?
Fran Chiodo
0Wonderful Keto snack…got my seaweed ready to try it
Thanks
Mel Keller
0These look really interesting! I love sushi but not enough to not get healthy (however, if the keto diet had somehow said I couldn’t have avocados, then it was game over. Thank goodness THOSE are the good stuff lol). I was really relieved though because unlike the article, I didn’t think and don’t think that sashimi is boring. I rather like it a lot. If we’re ever allowed back in a Japanese steakhouse or any restaurant ever again (praying sooner than later) I will go the sashimi route but for now, this recipe will be a fun evening!
Bobbie
0What if for a binder, use cream cheese? I was thinking added to your recipe with a little filler? Thank you for your I’ve been craving sushi just trying to figure out how to do it without the rice. Thanks, Bobbie
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Bobbie, Sure! Let your cream cheese come to room temp, so it doesn’t bruise the rest of your ingredients before wrapping into hand rolls.
Stan
0I love sushi! But rice has been removed from my diet. I was wondering if it would work to pulse some of the vegs in a food processor retaining more as match stick size. Also use avocado paste as a first layer. Any seafood is okay with me. I also like messing with recipes just to alleviate boredom at times.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Stan, Sure, you can wrap any veggies you like in these! Love the idea of avocado paste, too.
Tina Miller
0I have a great recipe for low carb sushi rolls that I make quite often.
Package of whipped cream cheese
4 Avocados
4 nori sheets
Sashimi tuna
Sashimi salmon
1 cucumber
Water in a bowl
Place cream cheese and take 3 avocados smash in a bowl and mix together place the bowl in freeze to get
the mixture thick remove bowl from freezer take 1 nori sheet and spread mixture on most of the sheet leaving the top edge to use for rolling top with the sliced tuna salmon cucumber avocado pieces place water on the sheet edge then roll place roll in the freezer for half hour wrapped in plastic so it is easier to slice make sure you have a sharp knife.
second roll option process is the same except take pork panko and tobiko and mix then put on top of the cream cheese avocado mixture flip so the mixture is face down on the plastic place the slice tuna salmon cucumber avocado on the sheet and roll in the plastic place in freezer for half hour for easy slicing
note i do not use the bamboo because i do not have too i can roll the rolls just fine using plastic wrap i am making these next week and cannot wait i buy my sashimi from catalina.op normally
Princess Consuela Bananahammock
0This is a great recipe that I’m excited to use, although I wish I knew how to properly prepare raw fish myself!! A lot of sushi restaurants are now making sushi rolls without rice, especially in New York, although you usually have to ask and it usually costs $1 extra. Thanks again for the recipe!!
tina miller
0For the no rice I make I just buy raw flash frozen fish from Catalina OP. Delivered overnight put in freezer until ready to use. There are other online raw flash frozen fish vendors. A very very large handful of sushi restaurants purchase wholesale and receive their fish flash frozen. They do this because buying fresh off the boat can be scary when eating raw and farm raised fish is easier to control parasites. A trick for me with my roll so I can cut it and it does not moosh is toss it in freezer for about 20 minutes maybe half hour depending on your freezer. It still mooshes a little but cream cheese and avocado for me are the norm when we go out and have sushi or just raw fish. We say no rice and the one place we dine all the time does it for most their rolls. Where we live now, no sushi for miles and miles. That is ok. Will make my own.
Adam Flynn
0Just so you’re aware, sashimi is just raw fish. There is no rice in sashimi. Nigiri is raw fish served on little oblong “balls” of rice.
To cater to North Americans, entrepreneurial Japanese sushi chefs created maki rolls. Sashimi and nigiri are both authentic, and are the main course of a sushi restaurant in Japan.
Other than that, great article and great visuals! Thank you for posting
Cheyanne Hughes
0Hi Maya! This recipe sounds AMAZING, but I was wondering if you can use the same recipe for hand rolls as well. I know it’s pretty much the same but I wouldn’t know how to roll it. I think I’ll definitely have to try this recipe because I may or may not have had a day scheduled on the 17th to get sushi! Great post!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cheyanne, Sure, you can! You’d have to roll into a cone instead, but it’s similar. I find rolling the this way to be easiest, though.
Michael Prevot
0Sushi without rice is available at Sushi Heaven in Saratoga CA if you are in the SF Bay Area, just ask for “The Giant” without rice & BAM, you’ll be happy!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for sharing, Michael! It doesn’t surprise me that California would be the one to have something like this. 🙂 Hope you’ll try the homemade recipe sometime, too.
Sarah
0Bind it with homemade spicy mayo.
Bethany
0Could I use canned salmon? Smoked salmon is so much where I live 🙁
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Bethany, You can, but they might fall apart a bit more easily and will taste less like sushi (since canned salmon is cooked).
Jeremy Christian White
0Ever thought of using cauliflower rice for this recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jeremy, You can, but you’d need something to bind it together. It won’t stick like sticky rice does. I skipped it altogether to make this faster and easier.
Melissa
0The seaweed snacks I’ve seen are crispy. Did you soften them first? I don’t understand how they dont crumble when you roll them. This looks awesome. I’ve been craving sushi!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Melissa, They are lightly crispy, but when pressed against the fillings, they do roll. Wetting the end with water helps the edge seal. Hope you’ll try these!
JB
0Hi Maya, These look amazing! We don’t have the little nori rectangles in Australia. Any chance you could tell me the dimensions so I can just cut the larger nori sheets to the right size?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0The dimensions of the ones I have are 3.5 x 2.25 inches. I assume you could cut them. One possible difference is these seaweed snacks have some oil, and nori sheets sometimes don’t. It might impact the ability to roll, but if they can roll they will work!
John L
0Excellent idea for low carb sushi made at home. We did enjoy this recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi John! I am so happy you liked the sushi! Have a great day!
Natalie
0This sushi is really nice and the most important thing is easy-to-make!
I’m thinking about making it on my picnic at this weekend xD
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it Natalie! It would be perfect for a picnic! Have a great day!
Cherissa White
0I am very new to the keto diet (<1 month) and have been having SERIOUS carb withdrawals. The sushi shop near my job actually does have ONE naruto option which I tried today for lunch but I'’m sorry to say, I was not impressed. Strangely, the problem was the cucumber, which I usually like. Today it was sliced thin enough for them to roll it but was still too thick for me to find it palatable. It was like a mouth full of cucumber, with some other unidentifiable flavors (that were covered up by the taste of the cucumber). I had placed a large order (full of many other starchy-delicious rice-filled rolls for my co-workers), so I was given a free spicy tuna hand roll – with rice! Can we say TEMPTATION? Don't worry, I gave it to another co-worker.
So my sushi craving was as yet unfulfilled by the time I got home. On the hunt for low-carb options, and not finding the idea of cauliflower rice in sushi AT ALL appealing, I happened across your page. I need to get something off my chest: I think I love you. I haven't tried this recipe yet, but a trip to the grocery store is already planned on my way home tomorrow. I have high hopes for this and other keto sushi versions. I'm predicting that this will become a staple of my new diet. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I hope you love them! This recipe definitely helps when I’m craving sushi!
Diane
0I used to make sushi all the time for my family. Now my husband and I are eating low carb and I have been changing all of my old recipes. Now I use riced cauliflower in place of rice and they turn out great if you squeeze out the cauliflower in cheesecloth to get all the extra water out. I mixed in rice vinegar, salt, swerve, and sesame seeds just like I used to with sushi rice.
Thank you Maya for all your experiments and posting so many great ideas and recipes. You are a huge inspiration to me and I have been cooking for a LONG time. Your blog has been making my transition to low carb a lot more fun. After the first few weeks I started to run out of ideas. Then I found your site. You do great work!!! Looking forward to what you come up with next!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Diane! I haven’t tried it with cauliflower since I wanted something very simple. That sounds great, though! I really appreciate the kind words and am so glad that the recipes are inspiring you.
Karen Jo
0I use seasoned cream cheese instead of rice. Moist & yummy.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That’s a great idea Karen! I’ll have to try that next time.
Gerri Nathanson-Cook
0FYI, If a roll is made without rice, it is called sashimi. Learned this on Iron Chef.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Gerri! It’s true that sashimi is made without rice, but it’s actually served sliced, not in a roll. I’ve never seen an actual roll without rice, except naruto.