What was the first sushi roll that you tried at a Japanese restaurant? For many of you, it might be California Roll (カリフォルニアロール) as it is probably by far the most popular style of sushi in the U.S. Today I’ll show you how easy you can make California roll at home.

What is a California Roll?

California roll is a type of sushi roll (makizushi 巻き寿司 or rolled sushi in Japanese) made of seasoned sushi rice, crab meat (real or imitation), avocado, and cucumber. It is an “inside-out” roll (we call it uramaki), where the fillings and nori (dried roasted seaweed sheet) are rolled inside the sushi rice.

Background of California Roll

Who invented California Roll?

Did you know that many creative-name sushi rolls like California roll and Dragon roll do not originate from Japan? Apparently, there were a few chefs that have been cited as the creator of the California roll, but the fact remains unclear. Every account of the original California roll is slightly different and the description of the sushi is also very different from the one we see today. The more recent and known story came from a Japanese-born sushi chef Hidekazu Tojo, a resident of Vancouver, who claimed he created the California roll at his restaurant in the late 1970s. He learned that most Western people didn’t eat raw fish and were not a fan of nori seaweed as well. So he substituted avocado for toro (fatty tuna) as it has a similar creamy texture, and hid the nori seaweed by using the uramaki technique so the nori is not visible from the outside.

Why do they call it a California Roll?

The sushi is called the “California Roll” because it consists of crab and avocado. The acronyms for both ingredients stand for C.A., which happens to be the same acronym for California. Thanks to this utterly random and uncanny coincidence, chef Tojo decided to go with the name California Roll. That’s how California roll turned into a popular menu item! In recent years, fast food-style sushi restaurants even started serving California roll on their menu. That tells the story of a successful adaptation and re-imagination of food.

What’s the difference between a Japanese sushi roll and a California roll?

You’ll find two main differences between a traditional Japanese sushi roll and a California roll:

Presentation: The fillings for traditional Japanese-style sushi rolls are wrapped in the center surrounded by seasoned sushi rice and the nori sheet as the outer layer of the roll. On the contrary, California roll wraps the fillings and the nori on the inside, and the rice is presented as the outer layer.Ingredient: While avocado is a popular filling for western-style sushi like California rolls, it is not typically used in traditional Japanese sushi rolls.

The most common styles of sushi rolls (makizushi) in Japan are Futomaki and Hosomaki (sushi rolls), which feature locally available seafood and ingredients. As you can see, it’s quite different from the sushi roll menus in the United States!

What’s in a California Roll

Unlike nigiri sushi or other kinds of sushi rolls, California rolls do not include any raw fish. That means you can easily make this sushi roll at home! Here are the key ingredients you need: Serve your California roll with Japanese soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled sushi ginger on the side.

Tools for Making California Roll

Bamboo sushi mat (makisu 巻き簾)Plastic food wrapsVinegar water (tezu) – for dipping your fingers to prevent the rice from stickersMixing bowlDamp towelOptional: Hangiri sushi rice bowl and paddle

Enjoy making sushi at home? You can buy a set of sushi oke/hangiri, bamboo mat, and rice paddles.

Watch How To Assemble A Sushi Roll

How To Roll Sushi Roll

Many people are intimidated by the sushi rolling part. Relax and take it one step at a time by following my recipe and tips. The key is not to overstuff the sushi and tug the roll compact enough for assembling. It’s not difficult and you should be able to make decent sushi rolls with some practice. My Recipe Card below shows you the step-by-step guide. You can also watch my video below which demonstrates the technique on how to assemble a sushi roll. I hope you enjoy making California rolls. They make a great appetizer or finger food at parties and potlucks!

Ultimate Sushi Guide: Sushi Types, Recipes, & EtiquetteInari SushiDragon RollMosaic SushiTemaki Sushi (Hand Roll)Sushi Rolls

Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram. Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Aug 19, 2011. The content has been updated in May 2017. They’ve been in business for over forty years and all the sashimi products we’ve tried from them are outstanding. Use J1COOK20 for 10% discount. Disclosure: We earn a small percentage commission from your purchase of products linked to Catalina Offshore.