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    Home » 30 Minutes or Less » No Rice Sushi with Smoked Salmon (Keto Philadelphia Roll Without Rice)

    No Rice Sushi with Smoked Salmon (Keto Philadelphia Roll Without Rice)

    Published: Mar 31, 2022 · Modified: Jul 17, 2022 by Low-Carb Simplified · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Anyone can make these delicious, easy peasy, sushi rolls without rice at home. Plus, they taste like no-rice sushi rolls you'd order at a Japanese restaurant!

    No-riced smoked salmon sushi rolls on a plate with chopsticks and a small bowl of soy sauce on the side.

    You won't regret making these low-carb and keto sushi rolls without rice! And since these rolls take less than 15 minutes to make and are easy to prepare, you'll likely make them again and again.

    Our no-rice sushi with smoked salmon is very similar to a Philadelphia roll since it's made with roasted nori seaweed sheets, cream cheese, smoked salmon, and thin slices of cucumber and avocado. It's just missing the rice, and you likely won't miss it!

    You can likely find all of the ingredients at your local grocer, too. And, no, you don't need any fancy equipment for making these rolls — just a super sharp knife for slicing. We use a bamboo sushi rolling mat for creating the roll, but it's not necessary. These rolls are much easier to roll without rice and the cream cheese helps keep the roll together.

    You can make these no-rice sushi rolls however you like, too. You can use sushi-grade salmon and/or tuna, cooked shrimp and/or crab (no imitation crab if you're looking to keep carbs low), or even skip the cream cheese. It's up to you and what you prefer. Just be sure to serve with some soy sauce (or Tamari or coconut aminos)!

    You can serve these no-rice sushi rolls as a snack, appetizer or light lunch or dinner. You can make the rolls a day ahead of time, too, so you can quickly serve when needed or pack for work, school, or travel.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients of no-rice sushi on a cutting board and labeled.
    • Roasted Nori Seaweed Sheets: Roasted or toasted nori seaweed sheets are thin, dried seaweed wrappers used for maki rolls. Most grocers or specialty grocery stores carry them. Be sure to buy roasted or toasted nori seaweed sheets since unroasted or untoasted nori can be chewy.
    • Smoked salmon: You can find smoked salmon at most grocers. Look for smoked salmon that does not include any added sugars. Smoked salmon made from wild salmon will have higher protein than ones made from farmed or Atlantic salmon.
    • Sliced cucumber: Cucumber slices are important for adding a crunchy texture. You'll want to slice the cucumber into thin strips that are a few inches long as seen in the picture.
    • Sliced avocado: Sliced avocado enhances the filling and taste of the roll. You'll want to use thin slices of avocado.
    • Cream cheese: We purchase cream cheese spread in a small container. You want to make sure the cream cheese is soft and spreadable so it doesn't tear the seaweed wrapper. Before doing anything, remove the cream cheese from the fridge to let it soften at room temperature.
    • Diced jalepeno: We love the kick that diced jalepeno adds to the roll, but it's an optional ingredient.
    Image of roasted nori seaweed sheets in wrapper and labeled.
    Roasted Nori Seaweed Sheets for No-Rice Sushi

    How to Make Sushi Without Rice

    STEP 1: Slice the cucumber and avocado into thin slices as shown in the picture.

    STEP 2: Place the roasted nori sheet shiny-side down on a cutting board. Spread the softened cream cheese over the bottom third of the nori sheet.

    Thin slices of cucumber (6 pieces) and thin slices of avocado (4 slices)
    Seaweed with cream cheese spread at bottom third of sheet

    STEP 3: Place the salmon, sliced cucumber and sliced avocado in overlapping rows, starting an inch from bottom and filling the bottom third or half of the seaweed sheet. Sprinkle diced jalapeno over the sushi fillings.

    STEP 4: With a bamboo sushi rolling mat or your hands, roll up the filled seaweed sheet as tightly as possible. Wet the last inch of the nori sheet with water to seal the wrapper together after rolling. Place the roll seam-side down on the cutting board.

    Fillings in rolls overlapping starting with smoked salmon, cucumber, avocado and sprinked with diced jalapeno.
    Rolling sushi roll with bamboo roll.

    STEP 5: With a super sharp knife, slice the roll in half. Then, slice each of those halves in half until you get 8 pieces. Note: the end pieces won't hold together as well as middle pieces.

    Slicing sushi roll in half.
    Slicing sushi roll into 8 pieces.

    STEP 6: Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with soy sauce (or Tamari or coconut aminos) and wasabi if desired.

    Sliced sushi on a plate with chopsticks and a small bowl of soy sauce.

    Recipe FAQ

    Is sushi keto?

    Generally, most sushi is not keto friendly aside from sashimi (essentially just fish without rice). However, you can make sushi rolls keto-friendly by ditching the rice and any sweet sauces typically used in the rolls.

    Are nori seaweed wrappers keto friendly?

    Nori wrappers are dried sheets of seaweed made from algae. They're the most common type of sushi wrapper and are keto-friendly at roughly 1 gram of net carbs per sheet.

    Can I use sliced cucumber instead of nori seaweed sheets as an outside wrapper?

    Yes, you can, but the rolls won't hold together as well. We actually prefer the taste of nori seaweed sheets over slices of cucumber as wrappers since the cucumber tends to overtake the flavors in the sushi roll.

    Is imitation crab keto friendly?

    No. Imitation crab is made from fish that is turned into a paste and then has high-carb fillers added to it (like cornstarch). According to the USDA, a 3 ounce serving of imitation crab has 2.8 grams of carbs and more than 60% of the calories are from carbohydrates, which makes it high in carbs.

    Related Recipes

    • Shoyu Poke with Salmon
    • Nobu's New Style Sashimi with Salmon
    • Low Carb Lavash with Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese
    • Keto Spicy Soy Salmon

    If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

    No Rice Sushi with Smoked Salmon (Keto Maki Roll Without Rice)

    Low-Carb Simplified
    Anyone can make these delicious, no-rice sushi rolls with smoked salmon at home! Plus, they're so quick (just 15 minutes!) and easy to make.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Snack
    Cuisine Japanese
    Servings 1
    Calories 161.9 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 roasted/toasted nori seaweed sheet
    • 1.5 tablespoons cream cheese spread
    • 1.5 ounces smoked salmon, cut into strips
    • 1.2 ounces cucumber, cut into 6 thin strips, each a few inches in length
    • 1 ounce sliced avocado, about 4 thin slices
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno (optional)
    • Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare the roll: Place the roasted nori sheet shiny-side down on a cutting board. Spread the softened cream cheese over the bottom third of the nori sheet. Place the salmon, sliced cucumber and sliced avocado in overlapping rows, starting an inch from bottom and filling the bottom third or half of the sheet. Sprinkle diced jalapeno over the sushi fillings.
    • Roll the sushi: With a bamboo sushi rolling mat or your hands, roll up the filled seaweed sheet as tightly as possible. Wet the last inch of the nori sheet with water to seal the wrapper together after rolling. Place the roll seam-side down on the cutting board.
    • Slice and serve: With a very sharp knife, slice the roll in half. Then, slice each of those halves in half until you get 8 pieces. Note: the end pieces won't hold together as well as middle pieces. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with soy sauce (or Tamari or coconut aminos) and wasabi if desired.

    Notes

    Be sure to buy roasted or toasted nori seaweed sheets since unroasted or untoasted nori can be chewy.
    Before doing anything, remove the cream cheese from the fridge to let it soften at room temperature.
    We use a bamboo sushi rolling mat for creating the rolls, but it's not necessary. 
    You can make the rolls a day ahead of time and store in fridge for up to a day.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 161.9kcalCarbohydrates: 6.3gProtein: 14.5gFat: 10.2gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 22.5mgSodium: 681.4mgFiber: 3.1gSugar: 1.4gNet Carbs: 3.2gProtein Percentage: 36%
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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