California Roll Crab Avocado (Printable)

Delicate crab, creamy avocado, and cucumber wrapped in seasoned rice and nori for a fresh bite.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sushi Rice

01 - 1 ½ cups sushi rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 2 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon sugar
05 - ¾ teaspoon salt

→ Filling

06 - 4.2 ounces cooked crabmeat or imitation crab sticks, shredded
07 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced into strips
08 - ½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced into thin strips
09 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)

→ Assembly

10 - 4 sheets nori (seaweed)
11 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

→ To Serve

12 - Soy sauce
13 - Pickled ginger
14 - Wasabi

# Steps:

01 - Rinse sushi rice under cold water until clear. Combine with water in saucepan, bring to boil, cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
02 - Mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Gently fold into cooked rice and cool to room temperature.
03 - Place a bamboo sushi mat on a clean surface and cover with plastic wrap. Position a sheet of nori shiny side down on the mat.
04 - With wet hands, spread about ¾ cup of rice evenly over the nori, leaving a ¾ inch (2 cm) border at the top. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
05 - Carefully flip the nori sheet so the rice side faces down.
06 - Arrange crab or surimi, avocado, and cucumber in a line along the bottom edge of the nori. Add a thin line of mayonnaise if desired.
07 - Using the bamboo mat, tightly roll the sushi away from you, pressing gently to shape. Seal the edge with a little water.
08 - With a sharp, damp knife, slice each roll into 6 pieces. Repeat for remaining sheets.
09 - Present with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can customize every roll to your exact taste without paying restaurant prices.
  • It's surprisingly forgiving once you get the hang of the rolling technique.
  • Making sushi feels impressive but becomes easy after just two or three tries.
  • The ingredients are simple and available at any grocery store.
02 -
  • Wet your hands before touching the rice or it will stick to your fingers like glue.
  • Don't overfill the roll or it won't close, and you'll end up with a beautiful mess.
  • A damp, sharp knife is the only way to get clean slices without squashing the roll.
03 -
  • Cover your bamboo mat with plastic wrap every time or you'll spend forever scrubbing rice out of the slats.
  • Flip the nori rice-side-down for an inside-out roll, which is what makes it a true California roll.
  • If the rice feels too sticky, wet your hands again and again, it's the secret to smooth spreading.
Go Back