Crispy California Roll Bowls

Everything we love about the California Roll, but in a bowl – with crispy rice! The mix of flavors and textures is incredibly satisfying, bite after bite!

What you’ll need to make Crispy California Roll Bowls:

• 2 cups uncooked sushi rice – see notes
• 5 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar – see notes
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise – I use Kewpie Japanese mayo
• 1 tbsp sriracha – I add more but I kept it mild for the recipe
• 8 oz lump crab meat (½ lb)
• 3 Persian cucumbers 
• 1 avocado 
• 2 scallions 
• 2 Nori sheets sliced or crumbled
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds 
• wasabi paste
• pickled ginger

How To Make Sushi Rice:

I like to keep things simple when it works, which is why I cook my sushi rice in the rice maker using the ‘white rice’ setting. It’s a foolproof method, as long as you add the right amount of water. Personally, I think cooking it on the stove can be trickier and more prone to mistakes.

If you’re using a rice maker, once the rice is done, quickly transfer it to a large bowl. Don’t leave it on the warming setting. Use a rice spatula (usually included with the rice maker) to move the rice, then gently fold in the seasoned rice vinegar. Let it cool uncovered.

Seasoned Rice Vinegar VS Unseasoned Rice Vinegar:

The key difference between seasoned rice vinegar and unseasoned rice vinegar is that the seasoned version contains added sugar and salt, giving it a sweeter and saltier flavor, while unseasoned rice vinegar is milder and more acidic.

If you don’t have seasoned rice vinegar, you can easily make your own by heating the ingredients below until the sugar and salt dissolve. You can do this by warming them in a small saucepan on the stove or microwaving in a small bowl for about 30 seconds.

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Make Ahead Tip For Crispy California Roll Bowls:

Prepare the seasoned sushi rice the night before and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. This saves you a good hour! Since I knew I’d be using it for lunch the next day, I cooked the sushi rice in the rice maker while preparing dinner.

This step reduces the total cook time for the Crispy California Bowls by two-thirds!

How to make Crispy California Roll Bowls:

MAKE THIS SEASONED SUSHI RICE

Place cooked sushi rice in a large bowl. Gently fold in seasoned rice vinegar to the cooked rice using a rice spatula or wooden spoon. See notes if you want to know how I cook the sushi rice.

MAKE THE CRISPY RICE

Preheat the oven to 400℉ and set a rack to the middle position. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pan. Once melted, turn off the heat. Add the cooled sushi rice to the pan, pressing it down to create an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle 2 tbsp of soy sauce over the rice. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

MAKE THE SPICY MAYO

Mix mayo and sriracha together in a small bowl; set aside.

ASSEMBLE THE CRISPY CALIFORNIA ROLL BOWLS

To assemble the bowl, divide the crispy rice between 4 bowls, and top with crab, cucumber, avocado, nori sheets, and green onion. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with spicy mayo. Serve with wasabi paste and pickled ginger.

Are you into Crispy California Roll Bowls? If you’re looking for more crab recipes, try my Old Bay Crab Dip or Baked Crab Cakes (pictured below)