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Picking up a California roll with chopsticks.
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5 from 5 votes

Easy California Rolls

Making California rolls at home is easier than you might think! These classic sushi rolls are filled with imitation crab, avocado, and cucumber, with sticky sushi rice and sesame seeds on the outside.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Seafood
Servings: 12
Calories: 432kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Ingredients

  • 6 cups Sushi Rice See our Homemade Sushi Rice Recipe
  • 6 sheets Nori dry roasted seaweed
  • 1 cucumber peeled, de-seeded, and sliced into long strips
  • 2 avocados peeled, pitted and sliced
  • 6 sticks Imitation crab meat easiest if it is in the sticks, but the crab pieces work too
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds or to taste

Instructions

  • Lay the bamboo sushi rolling mat on a cutting board with bamboo strips going horizontally from you. Cover the bamboo with plastic wrap. Put a sheet of nori on top of the mat, shiny side down.
    Bamboo mat covered in plastic wrap with a piece of nori on top.
  • Spread a layer of prepared sushi rice evenly over the nori, pressing gently to help it stick. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the rice.
    Bamboo mat with sushi rice on top of Nori sheet.
  • Carefully flip the rice-covered nori over so the rice faces down and the nori faces up. Arrange cucumber, avocado, and imitation crab lengthwise across the nori.
    Bamboo mat with flipped nori with rice topped with sliced imitation crab, avocado and cucumber.
  • Use the bamboo mat to roll the sushi forward, keeping the filling tucked inside. Press gently but firmly to shape the roll into a tight cylinder.
    Rolling California roll sushi with bamboo mat.
  • Remove the bamboo mat and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
    Rolled California roll on a bamboo mat.
  • Using a very sharp knife, cut each roll into even pieces. Wipe or lightly dampen the blade between cuts as needed. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger, if desired.
    Cut California roll on a cutting board with a sharp knife.

Video

Notes

  • Use prepared, seasoned sushi rice made with short-grain Japanese rice or Calrose rice. Long-grain rice won't hold together as well.
  • Keep your hands slightly damp when spreading sushi rice to prevent sticking.
  • Don't overfill the rolls, or they'll be difficult to close and slice.
  • Imitation crab is precooked, so no raw fish is needed. Cooked real crab meat may be substituted.
  • Check imitation crab and soy sauce labels if you're managing wheat, soy, fish, or shellfish allergies. Imitation crab isn't necessarily gluten-free or shellfish-free.
  • The 15-minute recipe time assumes the sushi rice is already prepared. Allow additional time if cooking and cooling the rice.
  • Serve freshly made when possible. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and enjoy within 24 hours for the best texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg