Keto Sushi Without Rice

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto sushi recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Smoked Salmon – I often use smoked salmon or lox because I usually make this for my whole family, including kids. You can certainly use raw sushi-grade salmon, tuna, or other raw fish, or even cooked shrimp or crab. I don’t recommend imitation crab for keto sushi, because it usually has added starch and sugar.
• Vegetables – I use red bell pepper, cucumber, and avocado for crunch, freshness, and creaminess. Choose an avocado that gives slightly but is not mushy, because soft avocado is harder to roll. If your cucumber is very seedy or wet, scrape out the center or blot it first. For more ideas, see my keto vegetables list.
• Seaweed Snacks – These are small roasted nori sheets, and they make this low carb sushi much easier than using a full sheet. They should feel crisp when you take them out of the package. If they feel stale, they will tear instead of roll. You can also cut full nori sheets into smaller rectangles with kitchen shears or roll one big sheet and slice afterward.
• Water – A little water seals the seaweed rolls, because it sticks to itself when wet.

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How To Make Keto Sushi Without Rice

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts, see the recipe card.

1. Cut the fillings. Cut the red pepper and cucumber into very narrow matchsticks, about 1/8 inch wide and the same length as the narrow side of a seaweed snack. Cut the smoked salmon and avocado the same length, but a little wider. I try to keep everything close in length so the ends look neat and the rolls close evenly.
2. Set up the first row. Arrange 5 seaweed snacks in a single layer on a cutting board, with a small bowl of cold water nearby. Wet your finger and moisten the short edge of each sheet, then place one piece each of salmon, bell pepper, cucumber, and avocado on the opposite edge.

3. Let the edge soften. Repeat the filling step for the whole row before you roll any of them. This short wait matters: the first wet edge gets tacky by the time the fifth sheet is filled, which makes it much easier to seal.
4. Roll and seal. Roll each sheet tightly from the filling side toward the wet edge, then press gently to seal. Place the rolls seam side down on a plate. If one pops open, dab the edge with a little more water and hold it for a few seconds.

5. Repeat. Keep working in rows of 5 until all the seaweed snacks are filled. Serve the keto sushi right away. If you’re feeling fancy, dip it in coconut aminos or spicy mayo!

Filling Variations

I make the version above most often, but you can easily change it up with other fillings. The main thing I watch is moisture: creamy fillings are great, but watery ones make the seaweed soften fast.

• Salmon or shrimp avocado roll – Use smoked salmon, raw sushi-grade salmon, or cooked shrimp with avocado. This is the closest to my favorite restaurant roll, just without the rice. Add cucumber if you want more crunch.
• California-style roll – Use real crab, avocado, and cucumber, with a small swipe of mayo if you like the creamy crab salad style. I skip imitation crab for keto, because it usually has added starch and sugar.
• Spicy tuna roll – Mix sushi-grade tuna with a little spicy mayo and sliced green onion, then add cucumber if you want crunch.
• Philadelphia-style roll – Add a thin pat of cream cheese with smoked salmon and cucumber.
• Shrimp tempura-inspired – Use my coconut shrimp with avocado and cucumber for a low carb spin on a shrimp tempura roll. It’s definitely not traditional, but I really love these! Roll them right before serving so the coating doesn’t soften.

How Many Carbs In Sushi?

Carbs in sushi depend on the type of roll, but most regular sushi rolls are high in carbs because of the rice, usually 25-35 grams per serving. This keto sushi recipe has 3.2g total carbs and 1.9g net carbs per serving, which is 5 pieces. I made this chart (data from the USDA Food Database here, here, and here) to give you a general idea of what you can expect:

How To Order Low Carb Sushi At Restaurants

This is the keto sushi recipe I love at home, but when I’m at a sushi restaurant, I usually have better luck choosing rice-free options rather than confusing them with requests to remove the rice. My favorite orders include:

• Naruto – This is a sushi roll wrapped in thin sliced cucumber instead of rice. Not every restaurant has it, but it’s my fave when available because it can include all the traditional sushi fillings. It’s worth asking even if you don’t see it on the menu.
• Sashimi – Sashimi is the lowest carb sushi option because it is just sliced fish, but it’s not very exciting because it doesn’t come with any veggies or extras.
• Salad – If you can add fish, chicken, or steak to a salad on the menu, that’s a great option. Something along the lines of my ahi tuna salad is perfect.
• Hibachi – Chicken, steak, or fish and vegetables cooked over high heat. It’s not sushi at all, but is often available at Japanese restaurants that serve sushi. I love this for plenty of protein and mixed veggies! It usually comes with fried rice as well, so just ask them to skip it. At home, you can make my hibachi chicken or hibachi steak, and swap in my cauliflower fried rice.

More generally, here are my other tips for ordering at sushi restaurants:

• Avoid all rice – That includes brown rice and white rice. Even a few ounces of white rice can blow your macros! Sushi rolls, nigiri, maki, uramaki, and temaki all have rice.
• Best fillings – Salmon, tuna, shrimp, eel without sweet sauce, real crab, avocado, cucumber, bell pepper, green onion, mushrooms, radish, nori, fish roe, and sesame seeds.
• Other extras to avoid – Tempura, crunchy toppings, imitation crab, eel sauce, sweet chili sauce, teriyaki sauce, tamago, and seaweed salad or pickled ginger if they are sweetened.
• Pay attention to soy – If you’re like me and try to avoid soy, keep in mind it’s very prevalent at sushi restaurants (edamame, miso soup, tofu, soy sauce). It’s low carb, though.
• Check the menu in advance – I do this for fast food on keto, too! You can look up macros and make a plan for what you’ll order, so you’re not stressed when you’re there.