California Rolls are a type of maki sushi (巻き寿司 - rolled sushi) made by rolling ingredients, such as imitation crab sticks and avocado, in nori and seasoned rice. Although rolled sushi originates in Japan, California Rolls are not from Japan.
There's some debate over who invented the California Roll. Several chefs in the United States from Los Angeles, California claim to be the inventor, including Ichiro Mashita, and Ken Seusa. More recently, Hidekazu Tojo who ran a restaurant in Vancouver, Canada, has laid claim to the dish. While it's unclear who invented it, it does appear to have been created in the early 1970s.
Most versions of California Roll include crab and avocado. Although I prefer using real crab meat, if you don't have access to fresh seafood, imitation crab meat (a.k.a. surimi) will do in a pinch. I also like to add cucumbers. Any thin-skinned, seedless variety such as Japanese, Lebanese, and Persian will work. You can also use other varieties, like English cucumber, if you peel them first and remove the seeds. Some people also like to spread some tobiko (flying fish roe) on the rice, which garnishes the exterior of the roll with a vibrant orange hue due to the food coloring that's often added to it. Instead of tobiko, I like using toasted sesame seeds, which gives the roll more flavor than tobiko.
The phrase "sushi rice" can be a bit confusing because uncooked Japanese short-grain rice is often labeled as "sushi rice." For the purposes of making sushi, the phrase "sushi rice" refers to cooked Japanese short-grain rice that has been mixed with seasoned rice vinegar. Check out my tutorial on how to make sushi rice. 
In Japan, most maki sushi (巻き寿司 - rolled sushi) is made with rice and filling rolled up in a sheet of nori. Uramaki (裏巻き) literally means "inside-out roll" and it's a style of rolling the sushi with the rice on the outside with the nori on the inside. California roll is an example of uramaki. Although there are some types of this inside-out style of sushi in Japan, it is not common, and it's thought to have become popular outside of Japan as a way of hiding the nori from people who may be turned off by the thought of eating seaweed.
You're probably not too surprised by the fact that California Roll wasn't created in Japan, but did you know that rolls in general aren't especially popular in Japan? Known as makisushi (rolled sushi), most sushi restaurants in Japan only serve a handful of simple rolls, such as kappa maki (cucumber), tekka maki (tuna), or takuan maki(yellow pickle). For many, they're considered an inexpensive filler reserved for the end of a meal when you start to worry about the escalating bill.
Nori sheets should be jet black with a slightly green hue. Brown or reddish-black nori is either old or made with the wrong type of seaweed. The seaweed sheet should also be the same thickness throughout, with no holes or thick areas; otherwise, it can be tough. Finally, the nori should be crisp enough to break in half by folding it. 
Generally speaking, the more oblong an avocado, the smaller the seed is. The more egg-shaped ones tend to have a larger seed. You also want to look for avocado with relatively smooth satiny looking skin that's relatively even in color without any wrinkles. Avocados start out green, but they darken as they get ripe, so a dark color is one good indicator that it is ready to eat. The problem with relying on the color of the skin alone is that overripe avocados are also dark. The most reliable method I've found for telling when an avocado is just right is to remove the stem and look at the color of the navel. If the stem is difficult to remove and the exposed area is green, this means the avocado is not ripe. If the stem is not present, or the navel is brown, the avocado is most likely overripe. If the stem is easy to remove and the navel is a yellowish color, it should be perfect!
More Ways to Enjoy
Sushi takes time and practice to master. If for any reason you can't manage to make rolls, you can always enjoy the flavors of sushi in a California Bowl. You may also like to try Chirashi Sushi, a family-style version of a sushi bowl.
Other Sushi Recipes
- Spicy Tuna Roll
- Caterpillar Roll
- Tempura Shrimp Sushi
- Pickled Sushi Ginger
- Temaki Sushi
- Cucumber Roll
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 1 batch prepared sushi rice
- 1 avocado (sliced into 16 wedges)
- 200 grams crab meat (or immitation crab)
- 1 small cucumber (julienned)
- 6 half sheets nori (3.75 inch x 8 inch)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare a batch of sushi rice.
- Wrap your makisu (bamboo sushi mat) with plastic wrap to keep the rice from sticking to it. You'll also want to prepare a small bowl of tezu by mixing a tablespoon of rice vinegar into a cup of water.
- Lay a half sheet of6 half sheets nori towards the bottom edge of the mat. Lightly wet your fingers in the tezu and grab a small handful of rice. Spread the rice from one side of the nori to the other to form a speed bump on the nori.
- Make sure your fingers stay moist with the tezu and then use your fingertips to gently press the rice out to the edges of the nori in a thin even layer. Be careful not to smash the grains of rice.
- Sprinkle the rice with some of the 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, then flip the rice and nori over so the nori faces up.
- Place a few strips of 1 small cucumber down along the bottom edge of the nori (edge closest to you). Follow the cucumber with a few slices of 1 avocado, then spread some 200 grams crab meat across the roll. Don't add too much filling, or your roll won't seal shut.
- To roll the sushi, tuck your thumbs under the bottom edge of the sushi mat. Use your remaining fingers to hold the filling in place, then roll the mat up and over the filling.
- Use the mat to continue rolling the rice over the filling until the rice hits the nori on the other side. You'll need to peel the mat away as you continue to roll so it doesn't get rolled into your sushi.
- Once the two sides of the roll have made content, give the mat a firm press from the top and sides using your fingers to compress the rice so it doesn't fall apart when you cut it.
- To slice your California roll, use your fingers to support the sides of the sushi and use a wet, sharp knife to cut it in half by pulling back on the knife and pushing forward. I don't recommend using one long stroke (like when you cut fish) because it will cause the roll to stretch. Line the halves up and then slice them into 3 to 4 pieces using the same technique.
- Serve your California Roll sushi with soy sauce and wasabi.
Joe M. says
Hello. This all looks very interesting. Is there any vegan options as I only eat meat.
Thanks
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Joe, it wouldn't be a California roll without the crab, but you can add what ever you like into a sushi roll. My recommendation would be seasoned inari. It's a sheet of fried tofu that's seasoned with soy sauce, sugar and sake. You can slice it into strips and add it to the roll. I have a recipe for making inari age here (it's for a noodle soup but you can use just the topping): https://norecipes.com/kitsune-udon-vegan/
Michael Zwalley says
Very helpful. Thanks
Marc Matsumoto says
Glad to hear it was helpful!
JAN says
THIS looks like red pepper or is there a red cucumber?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jan, I’m assuming you’re referring to the crab... The cucumber is julienned and wedged in there between the avocado and crab.
Jane H. says
Made CA rolls a few weeks ago and they were marvelous (had used your tutorial from a few years back). Have to say, while I love this version of sushi, I also love making inari sushi which is FAR less labor intensive. I enjoy the sweetness of the tofu pouches for a change in pace. 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jane, that's a great idea for a post! I'll put that on the list of things to make. Fair warning, I'm not going to use canned Inari wrappers so there's going to be a bit of effort involved in cooking the wrapper😉
DSantos Marcio says
i just wanna leave a comment, california roll was created in Vancouver, Canada.
Vanessa Cummings says
It was NOT originated in California, it was originally from Vancouver, BC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/tojo-1.3628563
Kit Berris says
Wow. I admit, the California roll that I know of (I'm from the Philippines) uses sliced mangoes instead of avocados and fish roe (orange in color) instead of sesame seeds. I should try this sometime. Thanks.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Tara, there should be enough crab and avocado for 4-5 rolls. You will likely have some rice left over though.
Tara Clark says
Sorry, I'm not sure where the rest of my message went in the previous post. For this recipe, how many rolls (not yet cut into pieces) will this make? Thank you 🙂
Tara Clark says
Hi
Marc Matsumoto says
Click the link for "sushi rice" in the ingredients list for the preparation steps for the rice.
Marc Matsumoto says
In the US most stores sell crab pre-cooked. If its not pre-cooked where you live, you should look up a recipe for boiling crab
Khaled says
Rice, too
Khaled says
dont you have to cook the meat?
darkinvader doomirken says
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Peter says
Very good recipe and I love the sushi rice recipe too. Thank you. I used thin carrot strips, red peppers and green peppers instead of the crab meat and it was really good.
Personally, I was using a whole sheet of seaweed and making larger rolls with the rice on the inside. I found that doing this made making them quicker. The half sheets were pretty hard for me to roll for some reason.
Thanks again.
narayan bahadur says
chef narayan bahadur
alice chan says
thank you so much
Rhonda says
ugh i wish i knew
Rhonda says
What are sushis ingredients fart
Hina Khan says
Thank you for making great food easy to learn how to make.
Charity says
Great recipe. This was my first attempt for any sushi like food. Next time, I probably won't make the rice quite so sweet, but this was super easy. Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Good luck, let us know how it goes!
bobby says
Did I mention I'm from Scotland and a fan of yours Marc!
bobby says
hoping to help others in the art of fine cooking. thought we would start with this!
carston says
Just FYI, Soy Sauce (which you listed to serve the rolls with) has gluten in it, so you may want to note that in your recipe since it's listed as a Gluten-Free dish. There is GF soy sauce or Bragg's "Liquid Aminos" which tastes just like soy sauce but is healthier and much lower in sodium.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kathleen, click the link in the ingredients list to go to the sushi rice recipe.
Kathleen says
what is sushi rice, and where would you get it or do you have to make it?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Anne, I think you should use whatever you enjoy the most. That is, after all, one of the main reasons for cooking at home. If you're looking for my personal opinion, I'd never pick imitation crab over the real thing. It's a processed food that's loaded with artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and MSG and doesn't taste like real crab at all.
Anne Chovey says
Hey, Marc....very nice tutorial. Photos are very helpful. I know what I'm about to say will be considered blasphemy by many but here goes...I've had great success and plenty of compliments when using artificial crabmeat in rolls and nigiri zushi. It's inexpensive, easy to handle and has great color. What do you think?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Cindy, I'm not entirely sure what you're asking. If your asking for permission, then yes, you're free to make it however you want. If you're asking if it will taste the same, then no, it won't.
cindym says
Hello I was wondering with the sushi rice if regular vinegar is ok to us or non at all. Does it have to have the sushi powder or the sushi vinegar it calls for
jack says
im from china
jack says
hi
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Elena, lump crabmeat will work fine. Just make sure you pick out any remaining bits of shell and cartilage before you use it.
Elena says
Do you have to buy an actual crab or can you buy crab meat (fairly cheaply) from the store? I'm a college student.. haha! Thanks for the great recipes.
Sohel chowdhury says
Can i have spicy mayo sauce recipe
thanks
Sohel chowdhury says
i like your way and its very simple to learn
Marc Matsumoto says
Personally I'm a fan of dungeness for California rolls for a number of reasons. Dungeness strikes a good balance between flavor, texture, and yield, and it's also arguably the most authentic, since this dish was invented in Los Angeles, and California has an abundance of dungeness crab. That said, there are tastier crabs out there, so I'd recommend using whatever crab you enjoy and can get locally.
bob says
what kind of crab meat? opilio, dungeness, blue crab? what tastes best?
casey says
some have cream cheese in them
Brandonreed56789 says
I'll be useing this page tonight. My wife and I have been wanting to try making our own rolls for years. wish us luck.
Brandonreed56789 says
Thank you for making great food easy to learn how to make.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ashley, tell me where you had trouble and I might be able to help you fix it for next time.
ashley says
I Just could't quite get the rolling technique right. But i'll try again soon.
cindyj says
I just made this tonight, but I have made this exact version before & it was good with my friends who won't eat raw tuna or anything raw in sushi!! I love it & thye did too!!! It takes alot of time to adapt to eating any kind of sushi especially raw tuna!!! I know because the first time I tried it I hated the raw tuna over rice! It was cut so thick it made me sick trying to eat it, but now I LOVE ALL KINDS OF SUSHI! Especially spicy tuna Rolls!!!!!
cindyj says
I just made this tonight, but I have made this exact version before & it was good with my friends who won't eat raw tuna or anything raw in sushi!! I love it & thye did too!!! It takes alot of time to adapt to eating any kind of sushi especially raw tuna!!! I know because the first time I tried it I hated the raw tuna over rice! It was cut so thick it made me sick trying to eat it, but now I LOVE ALL KINDS OF SUSHI! Especially spicy tuna Rolls!!!!!
thata says
i love to make sushi's,i put inside of it slice carrots,cocumber,ripe mango and sweet slice pickles... 😀
SheSaid says
Thank you so much on the sushi recipes.. my husband and I have wanted to learn for some time now and your instructions are the best I have ever seen. We love your site..
Marc Matsumoto says
I've seen them made with mayonnaise before.
Dhammika Wijesundera says
Most California rolls I have eaten have some kind of a creamy sauce in them. Is it Japanese mayonnaise?
Dhammika Wijesundera says
Most California rolls I have eaten have some kind of a creamy sauce in them. Is it Japanese mayonnaise?
Oui, Chef says
Marc - This is a great step by step guide to making rolls, thanks so much!
Lisa says
Looks great, but I sadly have to agree with Baby Sumo- this is the first CR I have even seen with real crabmeat. Now, that would be worth tasting!
Lisa says
Looks great, but I sadly have to agree with Baby Sumo- this is the first CR I have even seen with real crabmeat. Now, that would be worth tasting!
Marilia says
That looks good, especially since u used real crabmeat. Unfortunately in KL, lots of california rolls are made from crabstick 🙁
Rachel Lee says
I wrote about everything and it took me 4 hours
mik says
If you have no bamboo mat, use a mouse pad.
Lorraine Rafols says
We use mangoes instead of avocado, and it's quite interesting too 🙂
Lina_rkha says
j'ai fait ca ! et je trouve ca super bon !!! Merci pour ta preparation 🙂
2dare says
actually it wasn't invented in california. It was invented by Tojo in Vancouver BC canada.
Sam@BingeNYC says
Beautiful rolls! California rolls are a total fav. Delish!
Sam@BingeNYC says
Beautiful rolls! California rolls are a total fav. Delish!
Jeff says
I am more of a roll guy just because the places tend to be way more relaxed and less rigid. Plus saki bombs rule.
I use to have a party every now and then that basically buy everything to make rolls or sashimi with. People come over make their own creations but the rule was you could not eat what you made instead had to give it to someone else or throw it in a community plate that people would graze over. Of course the more booze consumed the sloppier we got.
Jeff says
I am more of a roll guy just because the places tend to be way more relaxed and less rigid. Plus saki bombs rule.
I use to have a party every now and then that basically buy everything to make rolls or sashimi with. People come over make their own creations but the rule was you could not eat what you made instead had to give it to someone else or throw it in a community plate that people would graze over. Of course the more booze consumed the sloppier we got.
cheffresco says
Very nice looking rolls!
Claudia says
Good explanation, Marc. It's been so long since I've done it, now want to try again. And, there's a good reason for having the nori on the inside. When it's outside, and you try to bite through, the thing usually falls apart. At least for less nimble types like me.
Re your comment about the stoic Japanese guy, one of our local sushi chefs is so beyond stoic, I want to tell jokes and try to cheer him up. He does a good job though.
cheffresco says
Very nice looking rolls!
Claudia says
Good explanation, Marc. It's been so long since I've done it, now want to try again. And, there's a good reason for having the nori on the inside. When it's outside, and you try to bite through, the thing usually falls apart. At least for less nimble types like me.
Re your comment about the stoic Japanese guy, one of our local sushi chefs is so beyond stoic, I want to tell jokes and try to cheer him up. He does a good job though.
Christina@DeglazeMe says
a step by step photo tutorial! this may be the first i have seen from you. of course, your photos are beautiful, and you got me craving sushi tonight!
White On Rice Couple says
awesome tutorial and info! I'm a big fan of octopus, shashimi or anything octopus. Squid too, yum.
Want me more sushi and your rolls, please!
-diane
Enjeong Noh says
This is quite thoughtful and thorough teaching of making uramaki & its origin, Marc. Thanks!
Christina@DeglazeMe says
a step by step photo tutorial! this may be the first i have seen from you. of course, your photos are beautiful, and you got me craving sushi tonight!
White On Rice Couple says
awesome tutorial and info! I'm a big fan of octopus, shashimi or anything octopus. Squid too, yum.
Want me more sushi and your rolls, please!
-diane
Enjeong Noh says
This is quite thoughtful and thorough teaching of making uramaki & its origin, Marc. Thanks!
Kitchen Butterfly says
Lovely. I'll make this...I have the seeweed and the sushi mat 🙂 so I'm not far off. Looks lovely
diva says
i love all kinds of sushi even the really crazy makizushi things that are being whipped up in popular chain restaurants these days. i must say my favourite is inarizushi - i just love anything soy; and otoro sushi 😀 yum yum.
this california roll looks damn fine. it's my sister's favourite in fact! she'd be in heaven if she saw this.
noobcook says
They're gorgeous, looks just like those that I ordered at Japanese restaurants. When are you opening your own restaurant 😉
Kitchen Butterfly says
Lovely. I'll make this...I have the seeweed and the sushi mat 🙂 so I'm not far off. Looks lovely
diva says
i love all kinds of sushi even the really crazy makizushi things that are being whipped up in popular chain restaurants these days. i must say my favourite is inarizushi - i just love anything soy; and otoro sushi 😀 yum yum.
this california roll looks damn fine. it's my sister's favourite in fact! she'd be in heaven if she saw this.
katiek says
interesting about the kombu - i never knew.
There is an art to trashy California rolls. love em.
noobcook says
They're gorgeous, looks just like those that I ordered at Japanese restaurants. When are you opening your own restaurant 😉
katiek says
interesting about the kombu - i never knew.
There is an art to trashy California rolls. love em.
Carolyn Jung says
I cheer you for using REAL crab in your California roll. Nothing I hate more than the fake stuff in it. Just such a disappointment. Sigh.
Carolyn Jung says
I cheer you for using REAL crab in your California roll. Nothing I hate more than the fake stuff in it. Just such a disappointment. Sigh.
colloquial cook says
Do you cover the rice and tobiko with a layer of clingfilm before you flip it?
Great instructions Marc! Love the step by step tutorial. Are nigiri next?
colloquial cook says
Do you cover the rice and tobiko with a layer of clingfilm before you flip it?
Great instructions Marc! Love the step by step tutorial. Are nigiri next?
The Little Teochew says
I applaud your effort. It looks easier than it really is (to me, at least). Eating is probably the easiest part!
dawn says
yes I have to agree with you east coast is not so good w/ cali rolls. but my love for uni runs deep. used to eat uni fresh from the ocean in maine.
The Little Teochew says
I applaud your effort. It looks easier than it really is (to me, at least). Eating is probably the easiest part!
dawn says
yes I have to agree with you east coast is not so good w/ cali rolls. but my love for uni runs deep. used to eat uni fresh from the ocean in maine.
chika says
Hello Marc,
Wow, that's one beautiful roll! Being a clumsy (and lazy) cook, I've never really managed to roll up one as neat as yours, rice inside or out. Personally, I prefer to make temari- or chirashi-zushi, for you don't need to be a skilled cook to make them look reasonably presentable :p
I think we are having an increasingly wider choice of maki-zushi here, many of them inspired by California Rolls. Though not as big as regular nigiri-zushi, of course.
Have a good weekend!
Laura @ Hungry and Frozen says
Nice step by step tutorial! I haven't really had a craving for sushi in forever but all of a sudden I do...I actually love the taste of the rice, I could eat sushi rice with its sugary vinegar seasoning by the bowlful and have done!
chika says
Hello Marc,
Wow, that's one beautiful roll! Being a clumsy (and lazy) cook, I've never really managed to roll up one as neat as yours, rice inside or out. Personally, I prefer to make temari- or chirashi-zushi, for you don't need to be a skilled cook to make them look reasonably presentable :p
I think we are having an increasingly wider choice of maki-zushi here, many of them inspired by California Rolls. Though not as big as regular nigiri-zushi, of course.
Have a good weekend!
Laura @ Hungry and Frozen says
Nice step by step tutorial! I haven't really had a craving for sushi in forever but all of a sudden I do...I actually love the taste of the rice, I could eat sushi rice with its sugary vinegar seasoning by the bowlful and have done!
Laura [What I Like says
How very beautiful! I suspect that I've never had a California roll as good as the one you have made here, despite a childhood in California.
chiara.u says
Hi Marc! nice to meet you again 🙂 thanks for the wide explanation of making rolls... now I think I try, but with veg ingredients at first...
Bye, see you soon!
Peter G says
Thanks for explaining the history behind the California roll Marc...and thank you for the detailed instructions on how to make them. They do many versions here in Australia too...a favourite being tempura style vegetables in the roll!! Interesting!
Eralda says
And I am craving a California roll, too 🙂
Eralda says
Great information and step by step instruction. I am very inspired!
Holly says
I like it all, maki, nigiri. As long as it has the best ingredients( no imitation crab,or frozen tuna), I am happy.
Laura [What I Like says
How very beautiful! I suspect that I've never had a California roll as good as the one you have made here, despite a childhood in California.
chiara.u says
Hi Marc! nice to meet you again 🙂 thanks for the wide explanation of making rolls... now I think I try, but with veg ingredients at first...
Bye, see you soon!
Peter G says
Thanks for explaining the history behind the California roll Marc...and thank you for the detailed instructions on how to make them. They do many versions here in Australia too...a favourite being tempura style vegetables in the roll!! Interesting!
Eralda says
And I am craving a California roll, too 🙂
Eralda says
Great information and step by step instruction. I am very inspired!
Holly says
I like it all, maki, nigiri. As long as it has the best ingredients( no imitation crab,or frozen tuna), I am happy.