Keto Spicy Salmon Hand Rolls
January 11, 2021
Homemade sushi may be intimidating to some—confession: It's scary to me and, I fully embrace cooking competition-style challenges where you have to make something edible and appetizing out of a can of black olives, kohlrabi, sun-dried tomatoes, and... a sock! Just kidding about the sock, but you get the idea. But, to achieve kitchen bragging rights, I've worked out which culinary shortcuts I can take and which ones are worth doing the old-fashioned way. When it comes to sushi, and more specifically, keto sushi (aka sushi without the sweetened sticky rice), I find there's a little less anxiety because you don't have to worry about getting the rice right. You have to get the texture and seasoning to be just so, not to mention learning how to cut your sushi into pieces that look appetizing (that rice is sticky!).
Thankfully, keto sushi typically uses riced cauliflower instead of sushi rice. Keto sushi rolls also use nori sheets, which you buy already prepared and ready to use out of the package. We keep our keto salmon hand rolls gluten-free with our Jalapeño Lime Vegan Mayo as the main sauce—no soy sauce needed! Our keto spicy salmon hand rolls are even more straightforward than other keto sushi because you simply roll the cauliflower rice, salmon, and other ingredients up in a seaweed wrapper—no cutting with ninja-sharp knives necessary. That said, if you would like to create individual circular pieces of keto sushi using our spicy salmon hand roll recipe, it’s doable. Just follow the steps below.
How to Make Keto Spicy Salmon Sushi Rolls
Get all of the keto spicy salmon hand roll ingredients ready; see recipe below.
- Use a larger piece of toasted nori (seaweed) spread flat on top of a silicone mat or bamboo sushi mat.
- Pile about ¾ cup of the seasoned cauliflower rice on top of the nori, leaving about a quarter-inch border of nori poking out.
- Add the salmon and mayo on top of the cauliflower rice in a half-inch layer. Place the rice about a half-inch from the nori edge closest to you.
- Lift the edge of the silicone or bamboo mat closest to you while using your hand to cover the ingredients so they don’t move.
- Slowly roll the mat over the top of the salmon and mayo and keep going until you’ve rolled everything into a tidy log.
- Remove the mat and, using a very sharp knife, slice the sushi log into pieces.
Pro tip: Start your first slice in the middle of the log to avoid pushing the rice out of the ends.
Keto Spicy Salmon Hand Rolls Recipe
Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Spray
- 2, 5-oz. wild salmon fillets 3 cups cauliflower rice
- ⅓ cup Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 3 stalks green onions, minced
- ½ cup Primal Kitchen Jalapeño Lime Vegan Mayo
- SeaSnax Nori Sheets
- 2 Tbsp. black or white (or both) sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Place salmon onto a sheet pan sprayed with Avocado Oil. Bake for 25 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.
- Meanwhile, grate garlic cloves and chop green onions. If using store-bought cauliflower rice, scroll down to the next step.
How to Make Your Own Cauliflower Rice
- Wash and dry the head of cauliflower. Remove the leaves and cut away the core of the stem. Break the cauliflower into florets, removing any extra-long pieces of stem.
- Place cauliflower florets into a food processor, and pulse until florets resemble rice. Work in batches, as it can be challenging to pulse an entire head of cauliflower at once.
- Heat a large frying pan to medium-high heat and add riced cauliflower, garlic, and 1/3 cup of Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette. Cook until tender, approximately 7–8 minutes.
- Arrange all of your hand roll ingredients to assemble the hand rolls.
- Place the cooked salmon in a bowl and flake the filets with a fork.
- Place your cauliflower rice in a bowl and sprinkle with green onion. Have the mayo and the sesame seeds ready.
How to Assemble Hand Rolls
- Place the seaweed in the palm of your hand, shiny side down, and add a thin layer of cauliflower rice on the left third of the nori sheet. Place fillings—salmon, mayo, sesame seeds—vertically across the middle of the rice.
- Fold the bottom left corner of nori over and begin folding into a cone shape. Keep rolling the nori sheet to form a cone.
Nutrition info (per serving; 1 hand roll):
Calories: 173
Carbs: 3 grams
Fat: 14 grams
Protein: 9 grams
Keto Sushi FAQs
Have questions? We’ve got answers! Here are some commonly asked questions and answers about eating sushi while on a keto diet.
What sushi can I eat on keto?
Dive into all of the sashimi, which are slices of raw fish. If your local sushi joint offers rice-free rolls that contain cauliflower rice or other ingredients, dig in! Additional keto-friendly sushi choices include hand rolls without rice filled with spicy tuna or spicy salmon or other fish, and vegetables such as sliced avocado, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, or pickled turnips and radishes.
What is the best keto sushi to make?
Making keto sushi and keto hand rolls at home can be the best option because you can control the ingredients used. Experiment with sushi-grade tuna, other high-quality raw fish, or use pole-caught canned salmon or tuna to keep things super simple. Use keto-friendly condiments like our Keto Certified mayos made with avocado oil or our Keto Certified Buffalo Sauce if you want an extra spicy kick.
How can I order sushi on keto?
Here are some great picks for ordering sushi at a restaurant:
- Hand rolls filled with fish or vegetables and no rice
- Sashimi Naruto-style rolls, which are wrapped in cucumber instead of rice
- Sushi made with cauliflower rice, if available.
Pro tip: Be wary of sweetened sauces; unagi sauce can be a sneaky source of unwanted sugar.
Is mayo keto?
Yes, indeed! We’re a little particular about our mayo, understandably, and we prefer to use our Keto Certified Mayo made with Avocado Oil to make keto sushi and hand rolls.
Can I eat rice on keto?
Keto diets typically advise cutting grains, such as rice. A typical sushi roll contains about 3-4 ounces of white rice seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. According to Cronometer, 3 ounces of sushi rice contains 289 calories and 66 grams of carbs.
