California Rolls are a type of maki sushi (巻き寿司 – rolled sushi) made by rolling ingredients such as crab 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, which several chefs in Los Angeles California claiming 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 late 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 (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 if you peel them first and remove the seeds. Some people also like to spread some tobiko (flying fish roe) on the rice, which gives the exterior of the roll 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 short-grain rice that has been seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. 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. Although there are examples of this 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 Rolls weren’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 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 nori 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!
Ingredients
- 1 batch
- 1 avocado (sliced into 16 wedges)
- 200 grams crab meat (or immitation crab)
- 1 small cucumber (julienned)
- 3 sheets unseasoned nori
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Steps
Prepare a batch of sushi rice.
- Because a California Roll gets rolled inside out, you need to cover your makisu (bamboo mat) with plastic wrap to keep the rice from sticking to the mat. You’ll also want to prepare a small bowl of water to dip your fingers in to keep the rice from sticking to them.
- Carefully fold your nori in half, if the nori is fresh, it should split in half along the fold to give you two 3.75 inch x 8 inch pieces. If your nori is stale and refusing to split, you can toast it by gently waving it over an open flame, or simply use a pair of scissors.
- Lay one sheet of nori towards the bottom of the mat. Lightly wet your fingers in the bowl of water and top with a small amount of rice.
- Making sure your fingers are moist to prevent the rice from sticking, use your fingertips to gently spread the rice out to the edges of the nori in a thin even layer. Don’t use too much pressure, or you’ll end up with mushy rice.
- Sprinkle the rice with sesame seeds, then flip the rice and nori over so that the rice is on the bottom and the nori is facing up.
- Along the bottom edge of the nori, put a few strips of cucumber down, followed by a few strips of avocado. Finish, by spreading some crabmeat across the roll. Be careful not to add too much filling or your roll won’t seal properly.
- To roll, tuck your thumbs under the bamboo mat and use them to lift the mat and rice over the filling, while using the rest of your fingers to hold the filling in place.
- Use the mat to continue rolling the rice over the filling until the rice hits the nori.
- At this point you’ll probably need to start pealing the mat back away as you continue to roll, otherwise you’ll end up rolling the mat into the rice.
- Once, the rice has been completely rolled into a cylinder. Give the matt a firm hug with your fingers to compress the rice a little so it doesn’t fall apart when you cut it.
- If you’re not going to eat the roll right away, wrap it in plastic wrap until you are ready to eat your California Roll. Putting the rolls in the refrigerator will make the rice hard and is not recommended, but if it’s going to be more than an hour before you’re going to eat the roll, you should put it in the fridge to keep the crab from spoiling.
- To slice the rolls, use a long sharp knife, and place the back edge of the blade at the very center of the roll. Pull the knife towards you, letting the weight of the knife cut through the roll. If put pressure on the knife, it will squish the roll and the filling will come out. Repeat cutting each half into thirds to make 6 pieces of sushi.
- Serve your California roll with soy sauce and wasabi.
I like it all, maki, nigiri. As long as it has the best ingredients( no imitation crab,or frozen tuna), I am happy.
Great information and step by step instruction. I am very inspired!
And I am craving a California roll, too 🙂
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!
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!
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.
I like it all, maki, nigiri. As long as it has the best ingredients( no imitation crab,or frozen tuna), I am happy.
Great information and step by step instruction. I am very inspired!
And I am craving a California roll, too 🙂
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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
I applaud your effort. It looks easier than it really is (to me, at least). Eating is probably the easiest part!
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.
I applaud your effort. It looks easier than it really is (to me, at least). Eating is probably the easiest part!
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?
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?
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.
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.
interesting about the kombu – i never knew.
There is an art to trashy California rolls. love em.
They’re gorgeous, looks just like those that I ordered at Japanese restaurants. When are you opening your own restaurant 😉
interesting about the kombu – i never knew.
There is an art to trashy California rolls. love em.
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.
Lovely. I’ll make this…I have the seeweed and the sushi mat 🙂 so I’m not far off. Looks lovely
They’re gorgeous, looks just like those that I ordered at Japanese restaurants. When are you opening your own restaurant 😉
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.
Lovely. I’ll make this…I have the seeweed and the sushi mat 🙂 so I’m not far off. Looks lovely
This is quite thoughtful and thorough teaching of making uramaki & its origin, Marc. Thanks!
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
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!
This is quite thoughtful and thorough teaching of making uramaki & its origin, Marc. Thanks!
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
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!
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.
Very nice looking rolls!
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.
Very nice looking rolls!
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.
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.
Beautiful rolls! California rolls are a total fav. Delish!
Beautiful rolls! California rolls are a total fav. Delish!
actually it wasn’t invented in california. It was invented by Tojo in Vancouver BC canada.
j’ai fait ca ! et je trouve ca super bon !!! Merci pour ta preparation 🙂
We use mangoes instead of avocado, and it’s quite interesting too 🙂
If you have no bamboo mat, use a mouse pad.