California Rolls are a type of maki sushi (巻き寿司 - rolled sushi) made by rolling ingredients, such as imitation crab sticks 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 Roll. 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 laid claim to the dish. While it's unclear who invented it, it does appear to have been created in the early 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 meat (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, like English cucumber, if you peel them first and remove the seeds. Some people also like to spread some tobiko (flying fish roe) on the rice, which garnishes the exterior of the roll with 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 Japanese short-grain rice that has been mixed with seasoned rice vinegar. 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 inside-out 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 sheets 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 seaweed sheet 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!
More Ways to Enjoy
Sushi takes time and practice to master. If for any reason you can't manage to make rolls, you can always enjoy the flavors of sushi in a California Bowl. You may also like to try Chirashi Sushi, a family-style version of a sushi bowl.
Other Sushi Recipes
- Spicy Tuna Roll
- Caterpillar Roll
- Tempura Shrimp Sushi
- Pickled Sushi Ginger
- Temaki Sushi
- Cucumber Roll
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 1 batch prepared sushi rice
- 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
Instructions
- Prepare a batch of sushi rice.
- Because a California Roll gets rolled inside out, you need to cover your makisu (bamboo sushi 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 edge 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.
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.
Eralda says
Great information and step by step instruction. I am very inspired!
Eralda says
And I am craving a California roll, too 🙂
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!
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!
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.
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.
Eralda says
Great information and step by step instruction. I am very inspired!
Eralda says
And I am craving a California roll, too 🙂
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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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?
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?
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.
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.
katiek says
interesting about the kombu - i never knew.
There is an art to trashy California rolls. love em.
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.
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.
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 😉
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.
Kitchen Butterfly says
Lovely. I'll make this...I have the seeweed and the sushi mat 🙂 so I'm not far off. Looks lovely
Enjeong Noh says
This is quite thoughtful and thorough teaching of making uramaki & its origin, Marc. Thanks!
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
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!
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
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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
Sam@BingeNYC says
Beautiful rolls! California rolls are a total fav. Delish!
Sam@BingeNYC says
Beautiful rolls! California rolls are a total fav. Delish!
2dare says
actually it wasn't invented in california. It was invented by Tojo in Vancouver BC canada.
Lina_rkha says
j'ai fait ca ! et je trouve ca super bon !!! Merci pour ta preparation 🙂
Lorraine Rafols says
We use mangoes instead of avocado, and it's quite interesting too 🙂
mik says
If you have no bamboo mat, use a mouse pad.
Rachel Lee says
I wrote about everything and it took me 4 hours
Marilia says
That looks good, especially since u used real crabmeat. Unfortunately in KL, lots of california rolls are made from crabstick 🙁
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!
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!
Oui, Chef says
Marc - This is a great step by step guide to making rolls, thanks so much!
Dhammika Wijesundera says
Most California rolls I have eaten have some kind of a creamy sauce in them. Is it Japanese mayonnaise?
Dhammika Wijesundera says
Most California rolls I have eaten have some kind of a creamy sauce in them. Is it Japanese mayonnaise?
Marc Matsumoto says
I've seen them made with mayonnaise before.
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..
thata says
i love to make sushi's,i put inside of it slice carrots,cocumber,ripe mango and sweet slice pickles... 😀
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!!!!!
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!!!!!
ashley says
I Just could't quite get the rolling technique right. But i'll try again soon.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ashley, tell me where you had trouble and I might be able to help you fix it for next time.
Brandonreed56789 says
Thank you for making great food easy to learn how to make.
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.
casey says
some have cream cheese in them
bob says
what kind of crab meat? opilio, dungeness, blue crab? what tastes best?
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.
Sohel chowdhury says
i like your way and its very simple to learn
Sohel chowdhury says
Can i have spicy mayo sauce recipe
thanks
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.
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.
jack says
hi
jack says
im from china
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
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.
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 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.
Kathleen says
what is sushi rice, and where would you get it or do you have to make it?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kathleen, click the link in the ingredients list to go to the sushi rice recipe.
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.
bobby says
hoping to help others in the art of fine cooking. thought we would start with this!
bobby says
Did I mention I'm from Scotland and a fan of yours Marc!
Marc Matsumoto says
Good luck, let us know how it goes!
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!
Hina Khan says
Thank you for making great food easy to learn how to make.
Rhonda says
What are sushis ingredients fart
Rhonda says
ugh i wish i knew
alice chan says
thank you so much
narayan bahadur says
chef narayan bahadur
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.
darkinvader doomirken says
Remove Google plus remove twitter remove Facebook and remove DMCA and remove eula and remove nsa and remove the safe harbor worshippers and it's terrible acts and remove apple technology and remove Skype and remove Microsoft technology and remove netflix and remove DRM and remove Hulu and remove red box and remove the ndaa and remove all copyright acts and remove all the utility bills and insurance commercials and remove all the taxes and fees and remove mpaa and remove riaa and remove IRS and Remove Fbi and remove Sony and remove ACTA and remove COPPA and remove AOL and remove ACA and remove Verizon and remove AT&T and remove etrust and remove FOIA and remove adobe and remove Spotify and remove TPP and remove governments and remove congresses and remove FDA and remove DEA and remove ACLU and remove verisign and remove Kindle and remove nook and remove Mozilla Firefox and remove safari too and save the link from the FCC and remove TRUSTe and stay in business
Khaled says
dont you have to cook the meat?
Khaled says
Rice, too
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
Marc Matsumoto says
Click the link for "sushi rice" in the ingredients list for the preparation steps for the rice.
Tara Clark says
Hi
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 🙂
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.
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.
Vanessa Cummings says
It was NOT originated in California, it was originally from Vancouver, BC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/tojo-1.3628563
DSantos Marcio says
i just wanna leave a comment, california roll was created in Vancouver, Canada.
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😉
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.
Michael Zwalley says
Very helpful. Thanks
Marc Matsumoto says
Glad to hear it was helpful!
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/