I love bridging the culinary traditions of my Japanese roots with my California upbringing, so this California Roll recipe holds a special place in my heart. Today, I'm thrilled to share my version of this classic sushi roll, which brings together creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, and flavorful crab meat rolled with tangy sushi rice and umami-rich nori. It's the perfect bite of textures and tastes and embodies my journey from Japan to California and back again, blending the traditional with the modern.
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Why This Recipe Works
- The defining feature of sushi is seasoned sushi rice, which is the most important part of making any roll. This includes the type of rice and how it's prepared.
- The combination of savory crab, creamy avocado, and crunchy cucumbers provides the perfect balance of taste and texture for this sushi roll.
- A light sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds adds a nutty flavor and an additional layer of texture.
- I've broken down the techniques of how to make California Rolls with and without a sushi rolling mat.
California Roll Ingredients
- Sushi Rice - Rice is the foundation of any sushi, whether you're making rolls or nigiri. Sushi should always be made with Japanese short-grain rice because it has a high ratio of amylopectin, which makes the grains of rice stick to each other. The rice needs to be cooked and then seasoned with sushi vinegar. You can check out my sushi rice tutorial to see how to do this.
- Crab - Cooked fresh crab meat is always best; however, imitation crab sticks will work if you can't find real crab meat. Another option is to use canned shredded crab meat. As for the type of crab, I've made California Roll sushi with Dungeness crab, Blue Crab, Snow Crab, and King Crab, but any cooked crab meat will work.
- Avocado - Avocado is one of the most iconic California Roll ingredients. The creamy combo of avocado and crab is said to have inspired early sushi chefs in Los Angeles to invent the California roll, and it's a match made in heaven. When cooking avocados, look for one that is oblong (as opposed to round), as these tend to have a smaller pit. You also want to look for avocados with smooth, satiny-looking skin that's relatively even in color without any wrinkles. 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, don't force it, as it means it's not ripe. The avocado is most likely overripe if the stem is absent or the navel is brown. It should be perfect if the stem is easy to remove and the navel is yellow!
- Cucumber - I like to add cucumber strips to my California Roll recipe because it adds a nice crunchy texture. I use Japanese cucumbers because they are the perfect length, but Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers will work as well.
- Nori (Seaweed Sheets) - Nori gives sushi rolls structure, holding them together while adding a briny umami-rich flavor. Fresh nori sheets should be jet black with a slightly green hue and aroma like a clean ocean breeze. A fishy smell or brownish-red hue indicates that the nori is old and should not be used. The nori should be smooth and roughly the same thickness with no holes or thick areas. Finally, the nori should be crisp enough to break in half by folding it.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds - Sprinkling the rice with toasted sesame seeds adds a nutty aroma and an extra layer of texture. For variation, try using black sesame seeds or tobiko (flying fish roe), which are also good options here.
How to Make California Rolls with a Mat
The key to good sushi starts with the rice, so it's crucial to use Japanese short-grain rice, cook it properly, and then season it with a blend of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt called sushi-zu. This imparts a delicate balance of sweetness and tartness, while the stickiness of Japanese rice ensures the roll holds together.
Mix up a bowl of tezu by adding some rice vinegar or lemon juice to a small bowl of cold water. Next, you'll want to prepare your rolling station with all the tools and ingredients you need within reach. If you are using a bamboo sushi mat (makisu), you'll need to wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent sticking. If you don't have a sushi mat, I'll show you a technique for rolling without one, but first, you'll want to assemble your roll.
Lay a half sheet of nori on the edge of the sushi mat closest to you and moisten your hands with the tezu. Grab a potato-sized cylinder of sushi rice and spread it into a long mound from one side of the nori to the other, leaving a small border of nori uncovered along the top. Then, use one hand to form a border along the edge of the nori and use your fingertips on your other hand to spread the mound down to the bottom edge of the nori. Repeat on the other side and then spread the center of the rice down as well. This process requires a delicate touch to avoid crushing the rice grains, which will make the roll too dense.
Sprinkle the rice with toasted sesame seeds (or whatever else you want on the outside of the roll) and flip the nori so the rice faces down. Now, line up a few slices of avocado, a strip of cucumber, and some pieces of crab in the center of the nori. It's important not to overload the roll, or your roll won't seal shut. Use less filling on your first attempt, and gradually increase the amount you add as you get the hang of it.
To roll the sushi, lift the bottom edge of the mat with your thumbs while using your fingers to keep the fillings in place. Roll the mat forward until the rice contacts the nori on the other side of the fillings. If they're not meeting, unroll it and remove some fillings. Squeeze the roll to compress the rice, then continue rolling it until the seam is on the bottom.
Use your index fingers to apply even pressure to the top of the roll while you use your thumbs and remaining fingers to press in on the sides of the roll. This ensures a tight roll that will hold its shape even after you cut it.
To cut the roll into slices, use a sharp, wet knife. This prevents the rice from sticking to the blade and ensures a clean cut. Unlike sashimi, where you want to cut it in a single stroke, it's best to cut rolls using a backward and forward motion with the knife while supporting the sides with your fingers. This keeps the roll from getting stretched out.
How to Make California Rolls Without a Mat
If you don't have a sushi mat, get your California Roll to the point where all the fillings are in the center of the nori. Then, you want to slide your thumbs under the bottom edge of the nori and rice while using your fingers to hold the fillings in place. Flip the edge over the fillings until it makes contact with the nori on the other side. Continue rolling the rice until the seam is on the bottom of the roll.
Next, you'll want to use a double layer of parchment paper, plastic wrap, or a silicone baking mat to wrap the roll tightly. Then, you can use the paper to apply even pressure to the top and sides of the roll to compress the rice into a square shape.
Variations of California Rolls
There are many ways to customize your California Roll ingredients to make it your own. I sometimes like to add green shiso leaves or kaiware radish sprouts into the roll in place of cucumber. In the Philippines, California rolls are made with mango instead of avocado. The Spicy California Roll is a piquant twist on the classic, made by mixing shredded crab meat with a fiery blend of mayonnaise and sriracha. For texture enthusiasts, the Crunchy California Roll incorporates tempura flakes on the outside of the roll instead of sesame seeds. If you're craving the flavor of a California Roll but don't want to take the time to roll it, my California Roll Bowl recipe turns it into an easy rice bowl.
Serve it With
Since you're going to have sushi rice and nori on hand for this California Roll, it's simple enough to make a few other types of rolls and create a beautiful sushi platter. My Shrimp Tempura Roll recipe offers a delightful crunch with its crispy shrimp, and my Caterpillar Roll combines rice eel and refreshing cucumber under a blanket of creamy avocado. For my Spicy Tuna Roll, I show you three ways to roll it so you can have a variety of sushi shapes from the same ingredients on your platter. Hosomaki, or narrow rolls, are nice little bites to serve as well. I have recipes for Kappa Maki and Oshinko Maki you can check out. A classic pairing for California Roll is Inari Sushi, those delightful fried tofu pouches filled with sushi rice. If you want to turn this into a full sushi dinner, be sure to prepare some sides like my decadent Kani Salad or umami-rich Seaweed Salad. Don't forget to include pickled sushi ginger to cleanse your palate, and round the meal out with a soothing bowl of miso soup.
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 1 batch prepared sushi rice
- 1 medium avocado (sliced into 16-20 wedges)
- 1 small cucumber (seeds removed and cut into ⅕-inch strips)
- 200 grams crab meat (or immitation crab)
- 6 half sheets nori (4.13 inch x 7.5 inch)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare a small bowl of tezu by mixing a tablespoon of rice vinegar into a cup of water. If you are using a bamboo sushi mat, you'll need to wrap it in plastic wrap. If you don't have a sushi rolling mat, follow the directions above to shape your sushi without a mat.
- Lay one sheet of nori towards the bottom edge of the mat. Lightly wet your hands in the tezu and grab a cylinder of rice about the size of a potato. Stretch the rice cylinder from one side of the nori to the other to form a mound of rice along the top of the nori, leaving a ¼-inch border along the top.
- Make sure your fingers stay moist and use one hand to guide the shape of the rice along one side of the nori while you use the fingertips of your other hand to spread the mound of rice towards the bottom edge of the nori. Be careful not to smash the grains of rice.
- Repeat on the opposite side before spreading the rice in the center to the bottom of the nori.
- When your nori is evenly covered with rice, sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds.
- Flip the rice and nori over from top to bottom (so the nori border is closest to you)
- Stagger a few wedges of avocado so the thin ends overlap in the center of the nori.
- Place a strip of cucumber on the avocado slices. Add some pieces of crab or sticks on top of the vegetables. If you use sticks of imitation crab, you may need to split the sticks in half lengthwise to fit. Don't add too much filling, or your roll won't seal shut.
- To roll the sushi, tuck your thumbs under the edge of the sushi mat closest to you. Use your remaining fingers to hold the filling in place, then roll the mat up and over the filling until the rice meets the nori on the other side. Give the roll a light squeeze to adhere the rice to the nori.
- Hold the edge of the sushi mat and use it to continue rolling the roll so the seam is on the bottom.
- Now, use your forefingers to press on the top of the roll while you use your remaining fingers to press on the sides of the roll using even pressure. This will compress the rice and give your California roll its shape.
- To cut your California roll into slices, 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 four pieces using the same technique. Serve your California roll with soy sauce, wasabi, and sushi ginger.
Nutrition Facts
FAQ
California Rolls are a type of maki sushi (巻き寿司 - rolled sushi) made by rolling ingredients, such as crab and avocado with nori and seasoned sushi rice. There's some debate over who invented the California Roll sushi. 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 claimed the dish. While it's unclear who invented it, it does appear to have been created in the early 1970s.
The crab in California roll sushi should always be cooked. Unless you buy it live, most crabs sold in the US have already been boiled. If you're unsure, be sure to ask the store before you buy it.
If you're not going to eat your California sushi roll right away, wrap it in plastic wrap to hold its shape and keep it from drying out. 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 eat the roll, you should put it in the fridge to keep the crab from spoiling. I would not recommend making the sushi rolls more than 8 hours in advance. You can remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before serving so the rice can return to room temperature.
You're probably not too surprised that California Rolls weren't created in Japan, but did you know that rolls, in general, aren't the most popular type of sushi 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 oshinko maki(pickles). For many, they're considered an inexpensive filler reserved for the end of a meal when you start to worry about the escalating bill.
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" because the rice is on the outside. It's thought to have been invented in the US to hide the nori from customers uncomfortable eating seaweed in the 1960s.
C.C says
These California rolls turned out amazing and they were so much easier to make than I thought they would be! This was my first time making sushi rolls and I followed your video instructions with success on the first try. Definitely going to be making these again, very soon.
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm so happy this was helpful. I have a lot of other sushi roll recipes on here too if you're feeling adventurous😀
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😉
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?
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.
alice chan says
thank you so much
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!!!!!
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?
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!
Marilia says
That looks good, especially since u used real crabmeat. Unfortunately in KL, lots of california rolls are made from crabstick 🙁
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 🙂
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.
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!
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!
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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 🙂