These California Roll Sushi Bowls are packed with savory, spicy, and umami flavors. A healthy Asian-inspired dish, it’s made with imitation crab, veggies, Sriracha mayo, and topped with sesame seeds.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I absolutely love these California Roll Sushi Bowls. They’re light, delicious, and a great mix of flavors and textures. They are basically deconstructed sushi rolls and you can make them at home. You’ll be serving these bowls every chance you get once you’ve tasted one!
- TASTE: This bowl is full of sweet and tangy sushi rice, delicious imitation crab meat, and fresh vegetables.
- TEXTURE: The crunch of the cucumber with the tender crab and creamy avocado, drizzled with rich spicy mayo, make this sushi bowl absolutely amazing.
- TIME: It will take just over 20 minutes to make this dish.
- EASE: This recipe explains how to make your own sushi rice, and with easy to follow directions, it’ll be a breeze.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Calrose sushi rice– This short-grain rice is very starchy and will be sticky when cooked.
- Seasoned rice vinegar (Marukan)– This makes the rice both sweet and tangy.
- Japanese mayonnaise– This type of mayo is rich, tangy, and sweeter than regular mayo.
- Sriracha– This ingredient is used to add spice to the mayo.
- Imitation crab– This crab is actually cooked fish that has been molded to appear like crab, but it has a denser texture.
- Nori sheets– These sheets of seaweed usually used for making sushi rolls add a distinct flavor to the bowl.
- Black and toasted sesame seeds– These seeds have a mild nutty flavor.
- Low-sodium soy sauce– I like this lower-sodium version, but you can use whatever soy sauce you like. It adds a slightly salty, umami flavor to the dish.
- Nori furikake– This topping tastes salty, savory, and nutty with hints of the sea and a little sweetness. It’s also nicely crunchy.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute the sushi rice- Sushi rice is short grained so it gets sticky, but you can use medium or long grain if it’s all you have. The rice just won’t be as sticky.
- Use another protein- Besides crab, this can be made with salmon, ahi tuna, shrimp, or yellowtail. You can also substitute spicy crab or spicy tuna.
- Substitute the cucumber- Try this recipe with other crunchy vegetables, like carrots or radish. You can also use other types of cucumber, like English or Persian.
- Use regular mayonnaise- If you don’t have any kewpie mayo, then you can make your own Japanese mayonnaise with mayo + sugar + rice vinegar.
How to Make California Roll Sushi Bowls
- Cook the rice. Rinse the sushi rice in a mesh sifter. Then put the rice in the rice cooker with 2 cups of water and turn it on. Once it’s done, transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet.
- Season the sushi rice. Pour the seasoned rice vinegar over the rice and fold it in with a rice paddle. Be careful not to mash it up. Then let the rice cool completely.
- Make the spicy mayo. Combine the Japanese mayonnaise with the Sriracha and stir. Set aside.
- Chop the vegetables and crab. Chop up the imitation crab meat and English cucumber. Then crumble the nori sheets, and peel and slice the avocado.
Pro Tip: Chop the crab and vegetables to a similar size so that you get a little of everything in each bite.
- Build your California sushi bowl. Finally, add the cooled sushi rice to a bowl, then top it with chopped crab, cucumber, sliced avocado, and drizzle with spicy mayo. Sprinkle crumbled nori, sesame seeds, and furikake over it all and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Wash the rice thoroughly- Make sure the rice gets washed before cooking to remove starch that clings to the outside and makes it sticky once cooked.
- Add the rice vinegar to hot rice- When rice is hot, it is better able to absorb the vinegar. The acidity of the vinegar then breaks down the starch inside the rice, making it even more absorbent and fluffy when cooked.
- Gently fold in the rice vinegar. Use a rice paddle to keep from being too rough with the hot rice. It is easy smashed, so you have to fold it gently or it will become a blob of rice.
- Let it cool completely. Don’t rush the cooling of the rice. In order for it to hold its shape and not melt the toppings (like the spicy mayo), it needs to be completely cool.
FAQs
The sauce in this California Roll Sushi Bowl is spicy mayo. It’s a combination of sweet and tangy Japanese mayo mixed with Sriracha for added heat. It’s a rich and creamy addition that complements the crab, sticky rice, and crunchy fresh vegetables.
Sushi bowls are very versatile and you can put lots of different ingredients in them. The base is usually sushi rice that is sticky and tangy. Proteins like crab, shrimp, or tuna are popular, as are vegetables like cucumber, avocado, scallions, or radish, and even fruit like mango. Spicy mayo, soy sauce, or yuzu sauce can add extra flavor, and topping it with nori or furikake for crunch and nuttiness is also delicious.
Serving Suggestions
These homemade California Roll Sushi Bowls are deliciously rich with spicy, tangy, and umami flavors. They’re great with sushi rolls, vegetables, appetizers, or grains and noodles.
- Sushi: Serve these sushi bowls with a Shrimp Tempura Roll, Easy Sushi Bake, Volcano Roll, or Dynamite Roll.
- Vegetables: Pair this dish with Sauteed Garlic Asparagus, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, or Green Bean Salad with Bacon.
- Appetizers: Enjoy them with Fried Spring Rolls (VIDEO), Kani Salad, Crispy Shrimp Tempura, or Teriyaki Chicken Wings.
- Grains/Noodles: Serve them with Hibachi Fried Rice, Quinoa Fried Rice, Chow Mein (VIDEO), or 30-Minute Shrimp Chow Mein.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: Yes, you can make some components of your sushi bowl beforehand to save time. The sushi rice can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months in ziplock freezer bags. Just defrost overnight in the fridge before using. The spicy mayo can be prepped 2 days ahead. Keep it in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap. Let it come to room temperature before serving.
Storing: Once you’ve put the California Sushi Bowl together, it can only last for about a day, stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The ingredients, besides the mayo and rice, have to be eaten soon after they are chopped and assembled because they will brown and become soggy otherwise.
Freeze: I don’t suggest freezing this because the cucumber and avocado will not thaw well and the rice will be dry.
More Yummy Sushi Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions
California Sushi Bowls
California Sushi Bowls are so easy to make & taste amazing. Enjoy tender crab, tangy sushi rice & fresh veggies in this light, flavorful dish.
Servings: 4 Bowls
Calories: 402kcal
Instructions
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Start off by rinsing 1 1/2 cups of sushi rice in a mesh sifter. Once the rice is well rinsed, add it to your rice cooker along with 2 cups of water. Then turn on the rice cooker.
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Once the rice is cooked transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet.
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Then pour 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar over the rice and fold it in. You want to use a rice paddle to do this. Make sure be gentle with the rice and not mash it up. Then let the rice cool completely.
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Then make your spicy Mayo by combining 1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise with 2 teaspoons sriracha.
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Now chop cup 8 ounces of leg style imitation crab meat and 1/2 cup of English cucumber. You can also break up a few pieces of Nori (dried seaweed).
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Now add the cooled sushi rice to a bowl, along with the chopped crab, cucumber, and sliced avocado. Then drizzle on the spicy mayonnaise, and top with chopped nori, sesame seeds, and furikake.
Notes
Once you’ve put the California Sushi Bowl together, it can only last for about a day, stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The ingredients, besides the mayo and rice, have to be eaten soon after they are chopped and assembled because they will brown and become soggy otherwise.
Nutrition
Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 1007mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg
Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
