California Rolls Recipe and Sushi Rice Recipe

5 from 3 votes

How to make easy California Rolls at home with perfect sushi rice for a healthy dinner everybody will love.

Course Appetizer, dinner, Main Course, Sushi

Cuisine American, Japanese

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 10

Total Time 35

Servings rolls

Calories 396kcal

Author Mihaela

Get Recipe Ingredients

Wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well.
Put the drained rice in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, until all water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. It's best not to remove the lid while it cooks.
Remove the pot from heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes covered.
Transfer the hot rice to a large bowl and fluff it with a bamboo paddle or a fork to break all clumps.

Meanwhile, make the sushi vinegar. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, and sea salt until the sugar is dissolved.
Once the rice has cooled, stir in the sushi vinegar.

The easiest way to assemble the California sushi rolls is with a bamboo mat. I wrap the mat in plastic wrap to make it re-usable and easier to clean. Actually, you don't even have to wash it, you'll only have to remove the cling film after you're done, and that's it!
Fold the pieces of nori in half, and gently split them along the crease. Place one half onto the bamboo mat.
Using wet hands, take a generous handful of sushi rice and place it onto the middle of the nori sheet. With a rice spreader or your wet hands, evenly spread the rice over the entire surface of the nori.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Quickly flip the nori so the rice is facing down. Place the crab meat, avocado, and cucumber slices down the center of the nori sheet. With the help of the bamboo mat, start rolling upwards.
Make sure it’s tight enough to prevent it from falling apart when you cut it.
Run a sharp knife through a damp paper towel to moisten the blade. Cut the roll in half, then quickly and carefully, slice the 2 halves into 1-inch pieces.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients. You should have about 6 sushi rolls.

Here's a brief summary of my best Tips & Tricks for this easy California rolls recipe:

At Tip #1 you'll find what ingredients can be changed in this homemade California sushi rolls recipe.
If you're a fan of spice, see Tip #2.
For my tips on how to make perfect sushi rice at home, read Tip #3.
Tip #4 includes storage instructions for leftover sushi rice.
And for the correct ratio of rice to water, don't miss Tip #5.