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Best California Roll
4.5 from 54 votes

Best California Roll

The Best California Roll recipe features sushi rice combined with fresh avocado, cucumber strips, crab meat or imitation crab, and toasted sesame seeds, all wrapped in nori seaweed sheets. The method involves shaping seasoned sushi rice carefully on nori to create cylindrical rolls with balanced fillings for a classic sushi experience at home.

Prep Time
20 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 6 rolls
Calories: 190 kcal
Course: Main Course, Appetizer
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

  • 1 batch sushi rice prepared
  • 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 sesame seeds toasted

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Make 1 batch prepared sushi rice.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Repeat on the opposite side before spreading the rice in the center to the bottom of the nori. 
  6. When your nori is evenly covered with rice, sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds.
  7. Flip the rice and nori over from top to bottom (so the nori border is closest to you)
  8. Stagger a few wedges of avocado so the thin ends overlap in the center of the nori.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. Hold the edge of the sushi mat and use it to continue rolling the roll so the seam is on the bottom.
  12. 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. 
  13. 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. 
  14. 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 Information

Calories 190kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 25g (8%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 4g (20%) Cholesterol 14mg (5%) Sodium 287mg (12%) Potassium 286mg (6%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 128IU (3%) Vitamin C 7mg (8%) Calcium 39mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 rolls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 190

% Daily Value*

Calories 190kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Sodium 287mg 12%
Potassium 286mg 6%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 128IU 3%
Vitamin C 7mg 8%
Calcium 39mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.