Fried Vegan crispy "Chicken" Uramaki

Learn how to make fried vegan crispy "chicken" uramaki – the sushi roll that looks innocent but takes some skill (and patience) to pull off. It’s not the easiest roll to prepare, but trust me: the crunch, the flavor, the “wow” factor? Totally worth it. Interesting in more Vegan Sushi recipes? Check out the recipes in the link!

Image: on top the fried crispy vegan "chicken" uramaki roll and on the bottom the fried tempura shrimp uramaki sushi roll.

Uramaki rolls are those sushi rolls where the rice is on the outside, which means you’ll have to flip the seaweed after spreading the rice. To make things extra dramatic, the rolls get dunked in tempura (or yogurt if you’re not vegan) and coated in crispy panko before a quick fry. Ever since I discovered fried uramaki, they’ve been a permanent guest at my sushi dinners—and everyone loves them.

Ingredients (for 1 fried crispy vegan “chicken” uramaki sushi roll)

• 50g (1/4 cup) prepared sushi rice

• 1/8 of a cucumber (cut lengthwise, use the leftover cucumbers in other rolls, garnish etc.)

• 1/2 Vegan crispy chicken patty (make 2 rolls to finish the complete patty)

• 1/2 Avocado

• 1 sheet of nori (dried seaweed)

• 20g (2 ½ tbsp) flour

• 20g (4 tsp) water

• ~20g (1/3 cup) Panko

Images: step by step preparation of the fried vegan crispy "chicken" uramaki!

Step 1: Prepare the Rice

• Rinse the sushi rice until the water runs clear (yes, it takes a few cycles).

• Cook with water, then let it steam for 10 minutes.

• Fold in rice vinegar gently—don’t mash it! Then let it cool slightly.

  
  

Step 2: Slice the Cucumber, avocado and vegan "chicken" patty

• Peel the cucumber if you want, then cut into long strips (1/8 of the cucumber). If it’s watery, ditch the seeds.

• Try to cut strips that roughly match the width of your nori sheet.

• Cut the vegan crispy “chicken” patty in 4 small strips and make sure that 2 strips are exactely the width of a nori sheet.

  
  

Step 3: Assemble the Roll

• Place a sheet of nori shiny side down on a bamboo or plastic mat.

• Spread rice evenly over about half the sheet, leaving the top edge bare.

• Flip it over so the rice faces down (don’t panic—it’s easier with cling film over a bamboo mat, or simply use a plastic mat).

• On the bare side of the nori, lay down the vegan “chicken”, cucumber, and avocado (or whatever filling you fancy).

  
  

Step 4: Roll and Slice

• Using the mat, roll it up tightly, starting from the filling side.

• Keep rolling until the rice is wrapped around the outside.

• Wrap the mat fully and give it a gentle squeeze to tighten.

  
  

Step 5: Panko Time!

• Get two plates ready: one with tempura mix: 50/50 all purpose flour/ water mixture (or thick yogurt for non vegans), the other with panko.

• Gently roll your sushi log through tempura mix (or yoghurt), then into the panko until fully coated.

• Fry in hot oil until golden and crispy. (I usually make 2–3 rolls before moving on to other sushi, so the frying in a pan doesn’t interrupt the flow.)

Pro tip: If you used egg, fry the leftovers into a quick omelet—it makes a great topping for egg nigiri with any extra rice to prevent leftovers ending up in the bin.

Step 6: Presentation is Everything

• Slice the fried roll and arrange neatly on a plate. Sideways or stacked, just make it pretty.

• These rolls look great as they are—no need for fancy toppings.

• Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger for that authentic sushi vibe.

With a little extra effort in presentation, your homemade fried vegan crispy “chicken” uramaki will look like it came straight out of a sushi restaurant. Make them, share them, and accept the compliments like a true sushi master.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving - 1/8 roll)

Nutrient	Amount per Serving
Calories	58 kcal
Total Fat	2.5g
Saturated Fat	0.4g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	83mg
Salt	0.21g
Total Carbohydrates	7.1g
Dietary Fiber	1.1g
Sugars	0.4g
Protein	1.9g