California Roll Sushi Bowls (Printable)

Deconstructed California roll layered over seasoned sushi rice with crab, avocado, cucumber, nori, and spicy mayo.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sushi Rice

01 - 1½ cups sushi rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon salt

→ Toppings

06 - 7 oz imitation crab sticks (surimi), shredded or roughly chopped
07 - 1 large avocado, sliced
08 - 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced or julienned
09 - 2 sheets nori, cut into thin strips or small squares
10 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
11 - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie)
12 - 1 tablespoon sriracha (optional, for spicy mayo)
13 - 1 small carrot, julienned (optional)
14 - Pickled ginger, for serving
15 - Soy sauce, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.
02 - In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Gently fold into the cooked rice, then let cool to room temperature.
03 - In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and sriracha to make spicy mayo. Set aside.
04 - Start each bowl with a bed of seasoned sushi rice. Arrange imitation crab, avocado, cucumber, carrot (if using), and nori strips on top.
05 - Drizzle with spicy mayo, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and serve with pickled ginger and soy sauce on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • All the indulgent flavors of a California roll with zero rolling technique required.
  • It comes together in about forty minutes, most of which is waiting for rice to cook.
02 -
  • Skipping the rice rinse leaves a gummy film that turns your beautiful bowl into something closer to paste.
  • Folding the vinegar seasoning too aggressively breaks the grains and ruins the delicate texture you worked for.
03 -
  • Wet your knife blade before slicing avocado and the cuts will be clean and elegant rather than smeared and torn.
  • Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet just until you smell them, because thirty seconds past that point they turn bitter.

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