These cucumber bites from Halle Burns’ CALL ME VEGAN are a fun, refreshing snack you can put together quickly. They’re kind of like inside-out sushi rolls – stuffed cucumber rounds filled with rice, avocado, and crunchy veggies like carrots or bell peppers. You slice out the core of the cucumber, pack it with filling, then cut it into bite-sized rounds.

They’re light, crisp, and perfect for warm days or when you want something fresh without cooking. You can serve them with soy sauce or a creamy vegan ranch for dipping. They look great and are easy to make ahead if you’re taking them somewhere – just keep the cucumber whole and slice it right before serving.

Want to make it more filling? Add smoky tofu, seasoned lentil ground beef, or mashed chickpeas for a protein boost. These bites are simple, versatile, and fun to eat. They’re great as a snack, a party plate, or a light lunch that doesn’t feel like a salad.

Cucumber bites

These crisp and fresh vegan cucumber bites are a fun way to eat different veggies in one bite. Build your own roll with your favorite "sushi" ingredients or whatever feels best in the middle of a cucumber.

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Servings bites

Ingredients

1 medium cucumber with stripes of peel removed
¼ cup One Week’s Worth of Sushi Rice
¼ peeled and thinly sliced avocado and/or
1 handful of any combination of the following:
½ thinly sliced bell pepper
½ julienned small carrot
1 thinly sliced green onion
Sprinkle of fine sea salt
Sesame seeds for serving
2 tablespoons Ranchy Dressing (below) or soy sauce for serving

One Week’s Worth of Sushi Rice*

5¼ cups water plus more for rinsing
4 cups sushi rice
⅔ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup or
organic cane sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Ranchy Dressing**

Large handful (about 1 cup) of fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, basil, and/or oregano
½ cup oats cashews, or sunflower seeds, soaked in water to cover overnight and drained
¼ cup water
¼ cup unsweetened soy-based yogurt such as Silk
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Slice off both ends of the cucumber, and using a metal straw (or very stiff plastic one), pierce through the center of one end of the cucumber and push the straw through to the opposite side, removing the seeds as you push.
A chopstick or small paring knife works well for this job, too. Continue to pierce through the original hole, cleaning out the cuke center, until the opening is ¾-inch wide. To make cleaning easier, you can cut the cucumber in half so you have two tubes instead of one.
Hold the cucumber vertically on a flat surface, and using the straw or a chopstick if needed, stuff half of the empty space with rice and avocado, then stuff the cucumber with any vegetables you are using.
There is no wrong way here. Just try to pack in as much rice and as many vegetables into the cuke tube as possible. Slice the stuffed cucumber horizontally into 6 to 8 rounds (like a sushi roll).
Sprinkle the bites with salt and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with the Ranchy Dressing for dipping.

One Week’s Worth of Sushi Rice

Rinse the rice in cold water until it runs clear. In a large pot over high heat, combine the rice and the 5¼ cups water.
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low so the rice cooks at a slow simmer. Cover and let cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, and soy sauce. Heat for 30 seconds.
Stir until well combined (or the sugar has dissolved).
Pour the mixture over the cooked rice and stir to combine.
Cover the rice with a damp towel until cool.
Divide the rice into sealable containers for 5 to 7 days of meals and store in the fridge.

Ranchy Dressing

In a blender, combine the herbs, oats, water, yogurt, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, dill, garlic, onion powder, pepper flakes, and salt. Process on high until smooth.
Enjoy with fresh veggies right away, or store in a lidded jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Excerpted from CALL ME VEGAN: Easy Plant-Based Recipes for Every Craving. Copyright @ 2024 by Halle Burns. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Lauren Volo. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

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