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Nori rolls are a great addition to summer picnics. These, made with a flavorful walnut paste, are delicious served plain, but are also excellent with a Tamari dipping sauce spiced with a dab of wasabi paste and some pickled ginger on the side. They are best eaten within a few hours of assembling as the nori wrapper becomes soft and chewy over time. Though some people I know like that part the best! This recipe was inspired by the amazing Walnut Nori Rolls at my favorite restaurant in Vancouver, BC—Eternal Abundance Café.

Yields – 8 Rolls

Prep Time – 15 Minutes

Assembly Time – 35 Minutes

Resting Time – 2 Hours

Ingredients

Walnut Paste:

• ½ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup pecans
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 ½ tablespoons mellow white miso
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ cup parsley or mint

For Roll Filling:

• 8 nori sheets
• 1 cup mixed sliced raw vegetables
• (carrots, peppers, cucumber, avocado, etc.)
• Sprouts, such as alfalfa or broccoli

Instructions

Step 1

For the Walnut Paste: In a medium bowl combine the walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. Cover with filtered water and allow to soak at room temperature for about 2 hours to soften. Drain thoroughly. This step is optional but gives a smoother texture to the paste.

Transfer the nuts to a food processor and add the bell pepper, celery, carrot, nutritional yeast, miso, paprika and fresh herb. Blend thoroughly until the mixture becomes an even paste. Transfer to a bowl or refrigerate for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Step 2

Toast nori sheets before assembling. Hold each sheet separately about 4-5 inches away from the heat source of a stovetop burner, turning the sheet and toasting it evenly.

Step 3

To assemble, place a bamboo sushi mat on your work surface with the stitched lines vertical in relation to the front edge of your work surface.
(In other words, so you can roll it from bottom to top when making the roll).

Place a toasted nori sheet on the mat, shiny side down. Spread a thin layer of walnut past on the nori, covering the entire surface evenly, leaving a 1/4-inch strip at the top uncovered.

Step 4

Arrange slices of cucumber in a line across the roll about 1/4 up. Arrange other vegetables on either side and sprouts on top. Do not over fill.

Step 5

Using the mat, roll the nori around the filling, pulling tightly to make a neat roll with the far edge down when you finish rolling.

Step 6

Transfer to a cutting surface and cut into slices with a sharp knife. Store in an airtight container, or better yet serve immediately.