Latin Sushi is easily one of my favorite foods… ever! In this recipe I combine shrimp tempura with tropical ingredients like sweet plantains, and avocado for the ultimate fusion of Japanese and Caribbean flavors.
Other variations of Latin fusion sushi can include ingredients like plantains, queso blanco, mango, avocado, and even churrasco and chimichurri. I remember the first time I tasted Latin sushi, I was at a Caribbean restaurant with my husband a few years ago and I have been obsessed ever since. I enjoy traditional sushi, but adding Latin flair with Caribbean ingredients just elevates it to new levels!
What is Caribbean sushi?
Caribbean sushi is a fusion of Japanese and Caribbean cuisine. A Latin sushi roll is typically made with tropical ingredients like plantains, queso blanco, mango, guacamole, and even churrasco and chimichurri. Dominican sushi in particular has become quite popular, which combines Dominican salami, queso frito, sweet plantains, avocado, and salsa rosa. I have even seen sushi rolls with mangú or mofongo inside. Some refer to this type of roll, sushi aplatanao, which means it contains plantains. When it comes to making Latin sushi, the options are endless!
Latin sushi ingredients:
Sushi Rice
- Rice
- Water
- Salt
- Sugar
- Rice vinegar
Filling
- Sushi nori sheet
- Shrimp tempura (store-bought)
- Cucumber
- Carrot
- Avocado
Toppings
- Sweet plantain
- Sesame seeds
- Scallions
- Eel sauce
- Spicy mayo
How to make Latin sushi?
How to make sushi rice:
Place a pot over high heat. Add the water and rice to the pot and stir well. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Cook for 25 minutes. Uncover the rice and fluff it up a bit. Allow to cool for about 15-20 minutes.
In a bowl, combine rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Stir well until everything is dissolved. Drizzle the mixture over the rice, a little at a time while stirring. Keep fluffing the rice until it is evenly coated.
Prep the sushi filling
I like using Trader Joe’s frozen shrimp tempura. It’s delicious and the perfect size for making sushi rolls. You can also use store-bought frozen fried shrimp or just buy raw shrimp and cook it to your liking.
If using frozen shrimp tempura, place it in an air fryer. Cook at 375℉ for 10 minutes, flipping halfway. In the meantime, julienne the carrot and cucumber. Cut the avocado into thin slices.
Prep the sushi toppings
Slice the sweet plantain lengthwise into thin strips, about 3 long slices. Add oil to a frying pan. Fry the sweet plantain until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side.
Thinly slice scallions and set aside. Fill squeeze bottles with the sauces so you can get a nice drizzle on the sushi. (I linked my favorite squeeze bottles in the recipe notes below.)
Assemble sushi
Place the bamboo sushi rolling mat on a flat surface. Then, place a sheet of parchment paper or saran wrap on top to prevent food from sticking to it. Next, place a nori sheet on the parchment paper. *Note: Trim the nori sheet to your desired size. Add sushi rice on top of the nori sheet. With damp fingers, spread the rice into a thin, even layer. Be sure not to leave any open gaps. Sprinkle the rice with sesame seeds. I like using a mix of black and white sesame seeds.
Flip the nori sheet over. *Note: If you want the nori on the outside of the sushi roll, don’t flip it over. Place the shrimp tempura on the nori sheet, with the tails facing outwards. Add slices of carrots, cucumber, and avocado. Gently lift the bottom of the bamboo mat up and carefully roll the sushi. Press and shape the roll as you go. Apply pressure so you get a firm roll. When you reach the end of the nori sheet, apply cold water to seal the edge of the nori sheet.
Place the long strip of sweet plantain on top of the sushi roll. Slice the sushi roll in half with a sharp knife. Then cut each half into four pieces, so you end up with 8 pieces of sushi. To get a nice clean cut, wet the knife with water each time you make a slice. Drizzle the sushi roll with eel sauce and spicy mayo. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Serve and enjoy!
What to serve with Latin sushi?
Latin sushi is typically served with Latin + Caribbean food like arroz con gandules, mofongo, pernil or chicharrones, churrasco with chimichurri, guacamole, tostones, and so on. Since this is a fusion dish it also pairs well with Asian foods like dumplings, ramen, chicken wings, shrimp tempura, and fried rice.
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Latin Sushi Recipe (Sushi Latino)
Equipment
- 1 Air-fryer see notes for links
- 1 bamboo sushi rolling mat
- parchment paper or saran wrap
- chopsticks
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 2 cups short grain white rice
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
Sushi Filling
- 1 sushi nori sheet
- 2 pieces shrimp tempura Trader Joe's
- 1/2 cucumber julienned
- 1/2 carrot julienned
- 1/4 avocado cut into thin strips
Sushi Toppings
- 1/4 cup canola oil can use corn, peanut, or avocado oil
- 1 ripe sweet plantain sliced into thin strips, lengthwise
- sesame seeds black and white
- scallions thinly sliced
- eel sauce
- spicy mayo
Instructions
Sushi rice
- Place a pot over high heat. Add the water and rice to the pot and stir well. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Cook for 25 minutes.
- Uncover the rice and fluff it up a bit. Allow to cool for about 15-20 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Stir well until everything is dissolved.
- Drizzle the mixture over the rice, a little at a time while stirring. Keep fluffing the rice until it is evenly coated.
Sushi Filling
- Place shrimp tempura in an air fryer. Cook at 375℉ for 10 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Julienne carrot and cucumber. Cut avocado into thin slices.
Sushi toppings
- Slice the sweet plantain lengthwise into thin strips, about 3 long slices.
- Add oil to a frying pan. Fry the sweet plantain until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side.
- Thinly slice scallions and set aside.
- Fill squeeze bottles with the sauces so you can get a nice drizzle on the sushi. (I linked my favorite squeeze bottles in the notes below.)
Assemble sushi
- Place the bamboo sushi rolling mat on a flat surface. Place a sheet of parchment paper or saran wrap on top to prevent food from sticking to it.
- Place a nori sheet on the parchment paper. *Note: Trim the nori sheet to your desired size.
- Add sushi rice on top of the nori sheet. With damp fingers, spread the rice into a thin, even layer. Be sure not to leave any open gaps.
- Sprinkle the rice with sesame seeds. I like using a mix of black and white sesame seeds.
- Flip the nori sheet over. *Note: If you want the nori on the outside of the sushi roll, don't flip it over. Place the shrimp tempura on the nori sheet, with the tails facing outwards.
- Add slices of carrots, cucumber, and avocado.
- Gently lift the bottom of the bamboo mat up and carefully roll the sushi. Press and shape the roll as you go. Apply pressure so you get a firm roll.
- When you reach the end of the nori sheet, apply cold water to seal the edge of the nori sheet.
- Place the long strip of sweet plantain on top of the sushi roll.
- Slice the sushi roll in half with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Then cut each half into four pieces, so you end up with 8 pieces of sushi. To get a nice clean cut, wet the knife with water each time you make a slice.
- Drizzle the sushi roll with eel sauce and spicy mayo. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
How to make eel sauce:
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
How to make spicy mayo:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp sriracha
- 1/8 tsp sesame oil (optional)
Amazon items I used for this recipe:
Sushi bamboo mat: shop here Black chopsticks: shop here Ramekins: shop here Air Fryer: shop here Hexclad pan: shop here Food chopper: shop here Squeeze bottles: shop here Plates: shop hereHealthy Rican Discount:
I love to use Healthy Rican seasonings because they are free of harmful ingredients like MSG and dyes. Use my code: madewithsazon for 10% off your Healthy Rican order!Tropical Fruit Box Discount:
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