California Crab Avocado Roll (Printable)

Fresh crab, avocado, crisp cucumber wrapped in seasoned rice and nori with toasted sesame seeds.

# 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 cut 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
02 - In a small bowl, dissolve rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Gently fold this mixture into the cooked rice and allow it to cool to room temperature.
03 - Place a bamboo sushi rolling mat on a clean surface and cover it with plastic wrap. Place a sheet of nori shiny side down on the mat.
04 - With wet hands, evenly spread about ¾ cup of seasoned rice over the nori, leaving a ¾ inch (2 cm) border at the top edge. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
05 - Carefully flip the nori so that the rice side is facing down on the plastic wrap.
06 - Arrange shredded crabmeat, avocado strips, and cucumber strips 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 roll edge with a small amount of water.
08 - With a sharp, damp knife, slice each roll into six equal pieces. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
09 - Serve the rolls with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi on the side.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • No raw fish means everyone at your table will actually eat sushi without hesitation.
  • Once you nail the rolling technique, you'll feel like you're running your own sushi counter.
  • The combination of textures—creamy, crisp, tender—makes these genuinely crave-worthy, not just pretty to look at.
02 -
  • Temperature matters more than you'd expect—rice that's too warm will steam and stick; too cold and it becomes stiff and cracks when you try to roll it.
  • The nori's shiny side should face outward when you serve; if it's facing the rice, you've flipped it correctly for rolling, but people flip it back to see the presentation.
  • A sharp knife makes the difference between neat, clean slices and crushed rolls that fall apart on the plate—keep that blade wet and wipe it constantly.
03 -
  • Prepare all your ingredients and arrange them within arm's reach before you start rolling, because once you begin, you need both hands free and you won't want to hunt for components.
  • If your roll is falling apart as you slice it, your rice was probably too warm or your filling was too wet; chill the finished roll in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before slicing.
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