How to make California rolls

How to make California rolls

Word from the author:

"This is the most popular sushi roll outside of Japan, and for very good reasons. If you can't have raw fish, or simply don't like this is the roll for you! It is super easy to make and tastes delicious. Enjoy my recipe!"

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    • Prep Time
    • Minutes
    • Cook Time
    • Minutes
    • Yield
    • 12 rolls

California roll recipe

Check out our “How inside out rolls” if you are making sushi for the first time. The California sushi roll is perfect for those who don’t care much for raw fish. The main ingredient is imitation crab sticks (made of cooked Surimi fish meat), and so this sushi roll is easier to make and is safe for pregnant women to enjoy. California rolls are quite easy to make, not half as difficult as the infamous Dragon roll sushi.

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 sushi rolls.

Variations may include:

How to make a California roll

Cover the bamboo mat

Wrap your bamboo mat with plastic wrap.

This is necessary to prevent rice from sticking to the mat and to allow easy clean up between rolls. You only need to do this once before you start making sushi, and replace it once finished – the surface is now much easier to clean in between rolls with a kitchen or paper towel.

 

Nori

Take a nori sheet, and break it in half. If it doesn’t break easily, you can toast it for a few seconds or use scissors to cut it. Place one half on the mat, with the shiny side facing down. In this example I actually used the entire nori sheet to get a larger roll, although it’s more common to use half.

Rice

Grab a handful of cooked and seasoned sushi rice (at room temperature), and spread it gently over the nori – about 1 cm high.

There’s no need to press the rice down onto the nori, only spread it to cover the sheet. Cover the entire sheet if you are using half a nori, and the about 80% of it if you are using a full nori.

Anything on top?

Sprinkle a spoonful of Masago or sesame seeds evenly over the top half of rice if you are using a full nori, or on all of it if you are using half a nori sheet.

The old Fliparoo

Flip the nori so that the rice is now facing down on the bamboo mat. Next we are going to place the ingredients on top of the nori (and not the rice).

 

First the crab sticks

Line up the crab sticks along the close end of the nori. The ones I have in the picture below are perfectly shaped for sushi. You might have to cut yours to fit it well into the roll.

Then the avocado

Next to it, line up 1-2 thick slices avocado. You can use as much avocado as you want – just remember you need to be able to close the nori around it so don’t over do it.

Tip – if you’re not serving the dish immediately, you might want to squeeze a few drops of lemon on the avocado, to prevent it from turning brown.

 

Almost there

Now simply Roll it inside out. You can find detailed instructions on how to roll inside out sushi here. Cut into 8 equal pieces. For best results first cut in half, then cut each half into two, and then again.

 

Best served with soy sauce, pickled ginger (gari) and wasabi.

 

Ingredients

No Ingredients Found !

Instructions

  1. Wrap your bamboo mat with plastic wrap
  2. Take a nori sheet, and break it in half
  3. Grab a handful of prepared sushi rice, and spread it gently over the nori
  4. Sprinkle a spoonful of Masago or sesame seeds evenly over the top half of rice
  5. Flip the nori so that the rice is now facing down on the bamboo mat
  6. Line up the crab sticks along the close end of the nori.
  7. Next to it, line up 1-2 thick slices avocado.
  8. Now simply Roll it inside out. You can find detailed instructions on how to roll inside out sushi here.
  9. Cut into 8 equal pieces.
  10. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger (gari) and wasabi.
  • Servings : 6 people
  • Ready in : 45 Minutes

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22 Responses to How to make California rolls

  1. Prepare the rice as close as possible to making your sushi. It is not meant to be kept in the fridge.
    Don’t use any other vinegar but rice vinegar. It won’t taste as good.
    The working temperature for the rice is room temperature, while some prefer ‘body temperature’.
    If you are making sushi rice for the first time, use only half the vinegar mixture. Mix. Taste. And decide if you want to add the rest.
    Soak the rice in water for at least 20 minutes before cooking. That helps soften the rice grain kernel.
    Use our calculator to decide exactly how much rice to make. It’s a shame make more than you really needed.
    The average dinner would enjoy having 2 rolls in one sitting. Sometimes more. Absolutely no judgment.
    Don’t forget to get creative. This is your sushi. Own it!
    The vinegar mixture is only added after the rice has cooked.
    Prepare the rice as close as possible to making your sushi. It is not meant to be kept in the fridge.
    Don’t use any other vinegar but rice vinegar. It won’t taste as good.
    The working temperature for the rice is room temperature, while some prefer ‘body temperature’.
    If you are making sushi rice for the first time, use only half the vinegar mixture. Mix. Taste. And decide if you want to add the rest.
    Soak the rice in water for at least 20 minutes before cooking. That helps soften the rice grain kernel.
    Use our calculator to decide exactly how much rice to make. It’s a shame make more than you really needed.
    The average dinner would enjoy having 2 rolls in one sitting. Sometimes more. Absolutely no judgment.
    Don’t forget to get creative. This is your sushi. Own it!
    The vinegar mixture is only added after the rice has cooked.
  2. sebr7358 August 19, 2022 at 6:25 pm

    the caviar was not available so im ill have to make the sushi rolls without it

    Reply
  3. sebr7358 August 19, 2022 at 2:44 pm

    im going to make this for a birthday party the caviar was unavailable on amazon so ill have to make the sushi without it

    Reply
  4. Robert Dukes July 19, 2021 at 2:06 pm

    There is no cucumber listed in the ingredients or the instructions but it is in the picture. Come on people!

    Reply
  5. Anonymous January 21, 2021 at 5:15 pm

    this recipe is amazing

    Reply
  6. Sola July 13, 2019 at 2:33 am

    Great recipe, and not too difficult to make for a novice like myself. I have a work friend who has never tried sushi (it’s very uncommon in her country) so I made a large platter to bring into the office. She loved it!

    Reply
  7. Violet TG August 13, 2018 at 7:56 pm

    Great read. Thanks for the recipes. I’ll try to put this into practice.

    Reply
  8. Honeybun December 7, 2017 at 1:14 am

    Thanks for the recipe my family is going to love this 😄

    Reply
  9. Antonella November 8, 2017 at 8:28 pm

    California roll seem to be quite easy for me these days. In fact, I have to teach some person out there and they wonder where I learnt it. This site is really helpful. I will explore more.

    Reply
  10. goku November 6, 2017 at 8:10 pm

    is that oranges mixed with pickled ginger

    Reply
  11. Jillian October 8, 2017 at 8:34 am

    This has been on my whitelist for a long time – I mean to learn how to make California roll, just stumble to this site last week and got the ingredients to try it out, the turn out was great. Not really perfect though but I’m sure the second attempt will be better. Many thanks!

    Reply
  12. Whitney Grey September 14, 2017 at 11:59 am

    This has awakened my desire to make the California roll. I was wondering how I could get the recipes, but I just landed here seeing everything for myself. I’m going to try it right away.

    Reply
  13. Kendall O July 19, 2017 at 3:23 pm

    I’ve always wanted to try and make sushi at home, but it looks so hard and I never understood what comes first. Your step-by-step pictures are so helpful! I am a visual learner, and now it feels like I could make California rolls at home.

    Reply
  14. Dmoney May 17, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    u forgot the cucumber.

    Reply
  15. Deb March 3, 2017 at 9:21 pm

    What is the best brand of immitation crab roll to buy? The last one I bought was tasteless.

    Reply
  16. Valera October 3, 2016 at 12:08 am

    I started to have interest in making sushi roll and came across you site while looking for some sushi roll recipe.
    Thanks so much for sharing tips on making a good sushi roll.
    I will definitely try this one. 🙂
    I already went to a Japanese Store to by my Masago 🙂
    Thanks so much…

    Reply
  17. Glyn September 21, 2016 at 8:05 pm

    After reading your guides I finally managed to make great rolls…I need some work on California.
    Thanks a lot

    Reply
  18. Esmeralda Garcia August 27, 2016 at 9:38 am

    How do you make the sushi rice?

    Reply
    • Eva Lee March 16, 2017 at 3:15 am

      Rice with vinegar

      Reply
    • Osowakki February 23, 2019 at 12:43 am

      Click here for the full recipe.

      Reply
  19. Tia Warren August 12, 2016 at 6:51 pm

    This recipe worked so well, it helped impress my friends who make sushi for a living. 5 stars from me

    Reply
    • osowakki August 12, 2016 at 11:14 pm

      Ah, great to hear! Thank you so much 🙂

      Reply

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