California Roll Sushi Bowls (Printable version)
Deconstructed sushi bowls with crab, avocado, cucumber, and seasoned rice over traditional rolls.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Sushi Rice
01 - 1 1/2 cups sushi rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
→ Protein & Vegetables
06 - 7 oz imitation crab sticks, shredded (or real crab)
07 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
08 - 1 small cucumber, julienned
09 - 2 nori sheets, sliced into thin strips
10 - 2 tablespoons pickled ginger, chopped
→ Toppings & Garnishes
11 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
12 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
13 - 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional, for spicy mayo)
14 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
15 - 1 green onion, thinly sliced
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs completely clear. Drain thoroughly to remove excess starch.
02 - Combine the rinsed rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the grains to finish steaming.
03 - While the rice rests, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until fully dissolved. Gently fold the seasoned vinegar into the warm rice using a folding motion, being careful not to crush the grains. Allow the rice to cool slightly.
04 - Shred the imitation crab sticks into thin pieces. Dice the avocado, julienne the cucumber into matchstick-sized strips, slice the nori sheets into thin strips, and finely chop the green onion and pickled ginger.
05 - In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and sriracha until smooth and well combined. Adjust the sriracha quantity to your preferred spice level.
06 - Divide the seasoned rice evenly among four serving bowls. Arrange the shredded crab, diced avocado, julienned cucumber, nori strips, and chopped pickled ginger on top of the rice in separate sections.
07 - Drizzle each bowl with the spicy mayo and soy sauce. Sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions. Serve immediately with additional soy sauce on the side.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- All the satisfaction of sushi night with zero rolling technique required, which means you can stop worrying about your nori tearing and start eating sooner.
- The rice absorbs the vinegar seasoning beautifully and becomes the kind of base you want to build every bowl on from now on.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the rice or you will end up with a gummy, starchy mess instead of the distinct tender grains that make sushi rice special.
- Folding the vinegar seasoning into warm rice rather than cold rice allows each grain to absorb the flavor evenly, which I learned after one too many bowls of bland rice.
03 -
- Use a wooden spoon or rice paddle dipped in water to fold the vinegar mixture into the rice so it does not stick and the grains stay intact.
- Toasting your own sesame seeds in a dry skillet for two minutes transforms them from a garnish into something that actually matters.