My sister has been a vegetarian for two years now, so there are lots of recipes she cannot eat. These Vegan Kimbap Rolls however, are not one of them. These healthy and colorful rolls are made with nori and seasoned rice, then filled with blanched spinach, carrots and oshinko.
There are so many variations on Kimbap (or Gimbap) because of the many different fillings you can put into the roll. Some other filling ideas for your Kimbap include kimchi, any cooked meat, eggs, other julienned veggies or even cheese! (Yes I know, cheese sounds weird, but it’s good, trust me ?)
This is a fun recipe to make with the kids, as everyone can pick what they would like to fill their kimbap rolls with. Just think of it as a pizza party, but with kimbap.
Below, you will see that I chose to make smaller kimbap rolls that are easily rolled up for a snack or served in four or five to be a tasty lunch. A word of caution before we proceed with the recipe is that you must NOT overstuff these rolls, especially if you are making mini ones like I am. A surprisingly thin layer of rice and filling is all you need to roll up the kimbap. Overstuffing will result in kimbap that is impossible to hold together, making it difficult to eat.
Alright, now that we’ve spent enough time talking about kimbap, let’s get to the actual recipe! Remember, your imagination can take your meal from plain jane to mind-blowingly awesome, so don’t be afraid to experiment and try to use exotic or new combinations of flavor 🙂
Happy chewing ?
- Nori sushi seaweed
- Four cups of cooked, white rice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Two julienned carrots
- One bunch of spinach
- Oshinko, julienned
- Sesame oil, optional
- Any other fillings (meat, eggs, other veggies)
- Being a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the carrots and spinach until crisp-tender.
- In a medium bowl, season the rice with the soy sauce, sugar and rice vinegar. Adjust the seasoning to your taste and add toasted sesame seeds if you wish; mix well.
- Lay out the nori sheet and place ¾-1 cup of the seasoned rice on it. Use a rice paddle or your fingers to spread it evenly over ⅔ or the nori sheet.
- Place your desired fillings in the middle of where you put the rice, then roll up that puppy (carefully).
- Once your kimbap is rolled, you can rub a small amount of sesame oil over the nori to give shine and flavor. Slice the kimbap into slices or eat like a burrito if you are like me 🙂
Angela, this is such a fun post. Not only will I make these but I have a friend who will freak when she gets this recipe.
It’s ok for me to share right? I have the link for the post in my FB page and was just going to tag her. I’ll wait till I get your permission though in case there is another way you’d like me to share.
Kellie from The Princess & The Yard Ape
Hello Kellie 🙂 yes, I would be so happy if you shared this! Thanks for your support!
Mmm love the combo you used here! I keep meaning to make more sushi rolls…I have a dinner party coming up and can see myself doing these with some beef in the middle!
Oooh that sounds great with some beef, Taylor! These are definitely versatile 🙂
Angela, they look and I bet they taste amazing! Love every ingredient, especially the seaweed (I snack on them 😉 ). We have a T&T in Edmonton, we’re going to buy the oshinko and make them (when I’m back). I’ll let you know. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Nicoletta! I’m glad to hear that you’ll be trying this, thanks for your support <3
Ohhh yummy! I’ve never tried kimbap but I’ve been wanting to! I’ve had a sushi-rolling party before and it was a ton of fun so I bet a kimbap party would be awesome too 🙂 one question- what is oshinko and where would I find it?
Hi Mel, thanks for your compliment! Oshinko is a Japanese radish that has been pickled in rice vinegar, sake, salt and sugar 🙂 I buy it at an asian grocery store called T&T, do you have this store where you live? 🙂
They look so tantalising! Beautiful colours too.
Thank very much, the colors are so nice!
These look really fresh and light–perfect for a light lunch or a snack!
Thanks Dana!