Last Updated on November 26, 2021 by Kathryn Donangelo
Homemade sushi is made easy at home! This classic California Roll is rolled with crab, cucumbers, avocado and brown rice to make it healthier!
HOMEMADE CALIFORNIA ROLLS
I could eat sushi pretty much everyday. We are basically regulars at our favorite sushi restaurant (Saporos) and thought it was time to make my own! I am so glad I rediscovered my sushi rolling mat I bought off Amazon a while ago. Sushi is SO easy to make at home and fun too! I am always thinking about new rolls to make at home and my favorite fillings are crab, shrimp, smoked salmon, tuna, cucumbers, and avocado- listed in no particular order.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS HOMEMADE CALIFORNIA ROLL
Water
Jasmin Rice or Short Grain Rice
White wine vinegar
Sugar
Cucumber
Avocado
Imitation crab
Seaweed sheets
Sesame seeds
Soy sauce
Wasabi
Ginger
Check out this Veggie Roll I recently made with brown rice, you can find the video on my Insta HERE!
I have experimented between white rice, brown rice and quinoa for the ‘starch’ part. White rice is still my favorite when making homemade sushi. The brown rice in this recipe is great for a healthy alternative and for an extra fiber boost.
The flavor in your rice makes a huge difference..it’s important to add vinegar when flavoring the rice. If you are in a hurry and don’t have time to use the sushi rolling mat, simply cut the seaweed sheet in half and make a hand-roll! Another lesson I learned was make sure your knife is sharp when cutting your rolls. This will help tremendously so you can be sure to get perfect looking pieces .
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST CALIFORNIA ROLL
- Make sure your knife is extremely sharp when cutting your sushi roll
- Season your rice well- it will make ALL of the difference
- Don’t add too many ingredients inside your roll, otherwise it will be too big to roll and cut
- Make sure to wet your hands when pressing the rice on the seaweed to prevent stickiness!
We sometimes do take-out sushi from favorite sushi places in Monterey and making it at home is just so much easier. If I want to make a meal out of it, I also will make Miso soup, steamed edamame and gyoza (aka Japanese dumplings). You can find the dumplings in pretty much any store. Trader Joe’s has my favorite; pork, veggie, or shrimp filling! California Rolls are still my favorite sushi even though it is the most basic roll.
FUN FACT!
Even though California Rolls originated from California, Los Angeles to be exact..they are made all over the world! Because the California Roll was invented, it has become one of the biggest causes of global interests in Japanese cuisine!
If you love that sweet brown sauce they serve a sushi restaurants AKA Eel Sauce, you can makes yours at home with this homemade Eel Sauce Recipe! Drizzle a bit on these California Rolls to give it extra flavor!
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The Easiest Homemade California Roll
Ingredients
- 4 cups of water
- 2 cup of jasmine rice or short grain rice
- 4 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp. white sugar
- 1 avocado; sliced
- 1 cucumber; sliced into thin strips; about 1/4 inch
- Imitation crab sticks; cut each in half lengthwise
- Seaweed sheets
- Sesame seeds
- Soy sauce; optional
- Wasabi; optional
- Ginger; optional
Instructions
- Place plastic wrap on top of a sushi rolling mat about an inch extra on both ends of the mat. Set aside.
- Bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and add rice vinegar. Stir using a wooden spoon and season with sugar. Set the rice aside and let cool for about 30 minutes.
- Once the rice has been cooled, place a sheet of seaweed on the sushi mat. Spread a thin layer of rice on top of the the seaweed. In no particular order, place 2 to 3 avocado slices lined across the center, then add the cucumber slices and then the crab meat.
- Using the mat as a guide, carefully roll the California roll into a tight log. Cut roll into 6 even pieces using a sharp wet knife. Repeat with remaining sheets of seaweed and filling.
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