Description
This California Roll Sushi Bowl is a vibrant and delicious deconstructed sushi recipe that brings together tender sushi rice, flavorful imitation crab, fresh veggies, and creamy avocado, all topped with a spicy sriracha mayo and a savory soy sauce drizzle. Perfect for sushi lovers looking for an easy, no-fuss meal that captures all the classic tastes of a California roll in a wholesome bowl.
Ingredients
Rice and Seasoning
- 2 cups dry sushi rice (or calrose rice)
- 5 Tbsp rice vinegar, divided
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Spicy Mayo
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise (or regular mayonnaise)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sriracha
Sauce
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
Main Ingredients
- 10 oz imitation crab or lump crabmeat, torn or chopped into small bite size pieces
- 1 1/2 cups diced English cucumber
- 3/4 cup roughly chopped matchstick carrots
- 1 nori sheet, chopped or crumbled into small pieces (add more if you’d like)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped pickled sushi ginger
- 1 large avocado, peeled and diced
Garnish
- Black and toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Rinse the Rice: Place the sushi rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear, about 2 minutes, to remove excess starch. Tap the bottom of the strainer with your palm to drain thoroughly.
- Cook the Rice: Transfer the rinsed rice to a medium saucepan with 2 1/4 cups water. Bring to a full boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat and keep covered to rest for 10 minutes.
- Prepare Vinegar Mixture: While the rice rests, combine 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Season the Rice: Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the cooked rice. Gently toss to evenly coat the rice with the seasoning, enhancing flavor and texture.
- Make Spicy Mayo: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and sriracha until smooth. Transfer to a sandwich bag and set aside for drizzling later.
- Prepare Soy Sauce Dressing: In another small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce with the remaining 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. Set aside for topping the bowls.
- Combine Bowl Ingredients: In a large bowl, gently toss together crab meat, diced cucumber, matchstick carrots, chopped nori, pickled ginger, and diced avocado. Alternatively, keep these ingredients separate to arrange in sections over each rice bowl for a classic sushi bowl presentation.
- Assemble the Bowls: Divide the seasoned sushi rice evenly among 4 or 5 serving bowls. Top each bowl with the crab and vegetable mixture prepared earlier.
- Finish and Serve: Drizzle the soy sauce vinegar dressing over each bowl. Cut a small tip off the corner of the spicy mayo bag and drizzle the sriracha mayo on top. Garnish with black and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately to enjoy the freshest flavors and avoid avocado browning.
Notes
- Use calrose rice if sushi rice is unavailable as a good substitute.
- Adjust sriracha according to your spice preference for the mayo sauce.
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of regular soy sauce.
- To keep avocado from browning longer, squeeze a bit of lime juice over the diced avocado before assembling.
- Feel free to add additional toppings like sliced green onions or pickled radish for extra flavor and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
