Forget boring veggie rolls. Forget sad supermarket sushi. These asparagus sushi rolls are light, fresh, and gloriously inviting. Picture golden-crisp tempura asparagus and creamy avocado slices all wrapped in perfectly cooked sushi rice and savoury nori. Plus, bonus avocado on top (because who doesn’t like more avocado)?

I used to think sushi just wasn’t for me. To start, there’s boundless misinformation that sushi must have fish (fake news!). Secondly, it seemed that everywhere I went, the only vegetarian option was the same old cucumber maki — frankly, that wasn’t inspiring enough to convert me.

Suddenly, when I stayed in SoCal, I was introduced to a whole world of veggie-friendly sushi: creamy peanut avocado sushi rolls, tempura fillings, cream cheese, vegan seafood, smoked tofu, purple rice, spicy sauces. Flavour, texture, crunch, and freshness — it was all there.

That trip totally changed my perspective. Sushi could be exciting, filling, and fun.

These tempura asparagus sushi rolls are delicious enough to convert anyone who’s on the fence about sushi. I wish I’d known about them back then! Simple, but with that oomph, you know?

Asparagus sushi is filled with creamy avocado, fresh asparagus covered in crisp tempura batter, and gorgeously flavoured, perfectly cooked sushi rice. All wrapped up in characteristically salty, umami-boosted nori seaweed.

In other words? Restaurant-worthy, satisfying, and shockingly easy to make at home — perfect if, like me, you’ve ever found your local veggie sushi offerings lacking. By the way … did I forget to mention that these rolls are vegan, too?!

And if you want to mix and match flavours, I highly recommend pairing them with my California-style peanut avocado sushi rolls. Double the rolls, double the joy.

💚 Why You’ll Love This Asparagus Sushi

No raw fish! This is a vegan/vegetarian sushi that’s perfect for those with dietary requirements or sushi newcomers who aren’t comfortable with the idea of raw fish.
Perfect for lunchboxes or sharing platters. Sushi is always best served cold (or at room temp), which makes it ideal for a fancy lunch, potluck, party, or elegant “picky bits” dinner!
Fresh, crunchy, creamy. This sushi has got all the textures going on: crisp tempura asparagus, buttery avocado, sticky sushi rice. And then there’s the freshness of the vegetables. Delicious.

Labelled ingredients for asparagus sushi rolls on a white background.

🥑 What Is An Asparagus Roll Made Of?

Here’s everything you need to roll homemade sushi!

Most of these ingredients are pantry staples, but you may need to visit the Asian section of your grocery store (or a specialist market) for a handful of items. It’s all an adventure, though!

Sushi rice: Short and sticky (glutinous), sushi rice is worlds apart from typical long-grain rice and cannot be substituted for any other variety.
Sugar: Needed for flavouring the sushi rice with a characteristic touch of sweetness. White caster sugar or granulated sugar will do.
Rice vinegar: Again, for flavouring the sushi rice. This balances out the sugar, adding just a hint of tangy tartness.
Asparagus: This vegetable is mild and grassy. For sushi, I recommend using fine asparagus tips (no woody stems and more evenly sized).
Plain flour: For our tempura batter. As I mentioned in my tempura seaweed chips recipe, cake flour is best for tempura as it has low protein, but plain (AP) flour is more accessible.
Mayonnaise: Great tempura batter needs fat and richness, which is usually developed through adding an egg yolk. This sushi is vegan, so I’m using vegan mayonnaise (but you can also use standard, or for the best results, Japanese).
Avocado: Large and buttery Hass avocados are my choice. I use these in the filling and as a fancy topping!
Sushi seaweed: Also known as nori, this class of seaweed is salty, savoury, and full of umami.
Sesame seeds: Optional, and for garnishing.

Adapting for Diet and Allergies

These asparagus sushi rolls are 100% vegan, vegetarian, nut free, and soy free.

If you need to follow certain dietary restrictions, I don’t need to tell you how fantastic it is that these rolls are suitable for so many people to enjoy. If you’re planning on bringing the sushi rolls to potlucks or hosting a party, it’s a massive boon.

Regrettably, this recipe isn’t gluten free. The tempura batter uses plain (AP) flour as per standard. But, making gluten free tempura asparagus rolls is relatively straightforward: combine rice flour with cornflour (ultimate crunch combo!) and sparkling water (soda) to make the batter. Keep the vegan mayonnaise for richness and a few ice cubes for cold contrast.

Fun Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

For my spice lovers (I know there’s a lot of you!), I suggest drizzling over sriracha vegan mayonnaise. Mayo pairs surprisingly well with sushi and complements the creaminess of the avocado, while hot sauce cuts through the richness with some fiiiiiire.

Colour your sushi rice with spinach or matcha powder for a superfood all-green look. This is a MUST for parties!

If you don’t like asparagus, try the tempura sushi rolls with green beans or tenderstem broccoli (broccolini). The flavour will be different, but the shapes of both work equally as well!

🧑‍🍳How to Make Tempura Asparagus Sushi Rolls (Step-by-Step Photos)

Let’s break down the method step-by-step — there’s no sushi chef training required!

Plus, if you don’t have a bamboo sushi rolling mat, don’t let that stop you. I’ll cover how to make sushi without a mat.

First, you’ll want to cook the tempura asparagus.

One: Cut the hard ends off the asparagus.

Two: Blanch the asparagus in boiling water.

Three: Instantly drain and submerge in ice-cold water.

Four: Pat the asparagus dry.

Five: Dust in plain (AP) flour. This helps the batter stick better!

Ingredients for tempura batter in a bowl.

Six: Add plain (AP) flour, vegan mayonnaise, and ice-cold water to a large, shallow bowl.

Seven: Whisk the batter until combined.

Eight: Dip the asparagus in the batter.

Nine: Coat until covered on all sides.

Ten: Add the asparagus to hot oil, and deep-fry until crisp.

Eleven: Drain on kitchen towel.

Twelve: Deep-fry for a final time to get that beautiful golden colour (optional).

Next, cook and season the sushi rice.

One: Thoroughly wash the sushi rice, then add to a saucepan with water. Cover and cook.

Two: Once the sushi rice has cooked, all the water should be absorbed, the grains should be plump, and it should be sticky.

Three: Combine sugar, a touch of salt, and rice vinegar in a bowl.

Four: Pour the seasoning into the rice and use a wooden (important!) spoon to mix it through.

Finally, roll the asparagus sushi rolls.

Here’s where I’ll cover how to make sushi without a mat.

Typically, I do use a bamboo mat to roll sushi. They’re inexpensive and make things much easier. However, I’ve recently moved home and haven’t located it yet!

So, I just brought out a basic tea towel covered in plastic wrap. That’s all you need.

It doesn’t quite have the structure of a bamboo mat … However, it does the job! If you’ve already rolled a few sushi rolls, you’ll have no issues. If you’re a beginner, you’ll get the hang of things quickly enough! The most important thing is to keep a firm hand.

One: Lay your sushi nori flat with the rougher, duller side facing up.

Two: Wet your hands and spread the rice over the sushi nori, leaving a small border at the top.

Tempura asparagus on top of rice and nori.

Three: Lay two tempura asparagus over the bottom third.

Four: Arrange avocado slices on top.

Five: Carefully use the tea towel (or bamboo mat) to roll up the sushi, pressing tightly until you achieve a roll.

Six: Use a clean, sharp knife to cut the roll into eighths. (Pictured here in quarters)

Seven: Very finely slice the avocado at a diagonal angle. Gently fan it out.

Eight: Transfer the avocado to the sushi roll. Cover in clingfilm and gently press to cover the roll in avocado, bending it to conform to the shape of the roll.

Remember, the complete recipe (with ingredient quantities and instructions) can be found at the bottom of this page. You can also print the recipe, save the recipe, adjust the servings, and much more from there!

My Best Tips

It’s no surprise that chefs train for years to become sushi masters — it’s a very technical dish.

Don’t let that put you off, though. If you follow my recipe and pay close attention to these tips, you’ll be on your way to becoming a sushi master in no time at all!

First, here’s my advice regarding the tempura:

For the crispiest tempura batter, use ice-cold water (water straight from the freezer is ideal!). The contrast between the hot oil and cold batter should make for a light, crisp, and crunchy result.
Don’t overmix the tempura batter! Overmixing develops too much gluten, which can make your tempura chewy, not light.
Of course, you also need to avoid overcrowding the fryer and make sure your oil is at the right temperature to avoid greasy tempura.

Next, some expert suggestions for cooking sushi rice:

Add the seasonings to the sushi rice while it’s still hot. This is the only way the rice will absorb those gorgeous flavours.
Only use a wooden spoon to mix the rice. Metal spoons can react with the vinegar, causing an unpleasant metallic taste. I learnt this from a sushi chef!

And finally, the holy grail: neat sushi rolls (totally worthy of your Instagram feed)! There are really only two things to know:

Wet your hands while handling sushi rice. I mention it in the instructions, but this is so important! Sushi rice is unbelievably sticky, and wet hands is the only way to handle the situation. Otherwise, it’ll devolve into a mess before you know it!
Use a sharp knife for clean cuts. In a similar vein as above, wet your knife between cuts to avoid the sushi rice sticking to the blade.

Chopsticks holding asparagus sushi roll.

❄️Storing Asparagus Sushi

Keep the rolls refrigerated in an airtight container and eat within 24 hours for the best flavour. While you can keep asparagus sushi refrigerated for up to three days, the nori will become soft and the flavours will take a drastic nosedive.

Sushi isn’t suitable for freezing, as the texture doesn’t hold up well.

Since sushi is always eaten cold (or at room temperature), there’s no need to reheat.

🍜Serving Suggestions and Pairings

Sushi is traditionally paired with soy sauce for dipping, wasabi, and pickled ginger. That’s a good shout for these asparagus rolls, too!

Miso soup, vegetable gyoza, wakame salad (seaweed salad), or crunchy edamame are sought-after side dishes to complete your sushi feast.

Serve the asparagus sushi with inari sushi, my avocado peanut rolls, cucumber maki, and other veggie sushi delights for a scrumptious mix-and-match platter.

Or, go big and bold with a steaming hot bowl of ramen. Spicy tomato ramen is another dish inspired by my time in California, while the hearty and meaty vegan tantanmen ramen is an all-time reader favourite.

So, you’ve scrolled, you’re tempted — time to roll up your sleeves and get ready to roll your sushi!

If you tried this asparagus sushi recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know your thoughts in the ✍️ comments at the bottom of the page. Thanks for being a part of my community!