I made a 10 Minute California Sushi Bowl that layers tender crab, sushi rice and fresh veggies with an unexpected pantry ingredient to keep things intriguing.
I never thought a bowl could feel like a sushi overhaul, but this California Sushi Bowl does it. Tender imitation crab and creamy avocado somehow taste like a secret cheat code for weeknight dinners.
I know it sounds like a gimmick, but trust me, the textures snap together and keep you digging for more. I even scribbled it under 10 Minute California Sushi Bowl in my messy notes, and it ended up on my Sushi Recipes Homemade list because friends keep asking for it.
Try it once and you’ll wonder why you ever waited so long to try this.
Ingredients
- Sticky short grain rice, mostly carbs, some protein, fills you up, it’s the classic base.
- Mildly sweet and tangy, it adds brightness, low calories, helps balance flavors.
- Surimi, they’re mostly processed fish, low fat, some protein, not as real crab.
- Creamy avocado, packed with healthy fats and fiber, makes bowl rich and satisfying.
- Crunchy cucumber, hydrating and low calorie, adds fresh texture and light flavor.
- Seaweed nori gives iodine and umami, low calories, adds salty sea notes.
- Kewpie mayo makes it creamy, sriracha adds heat, overall higher in fat.
- Soy adds saltiness, pickled ginger is sweet and tangy, wasabi gives a sharp punch.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups sushi rice (short grain)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 8 ounces imitation crab (surimi) or cooked lump crab
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (Japanese/Kewpie preferred)
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 ripe avocados, sliced
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 to 3 sheets nori, torn or cut into strips
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger
- 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
- 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
How to Make this
1. Rinse 2 cups sushi rice under cold water until water runs mostly clear, drain, then combine with 2 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker or heavy pot; bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 15 to 18 minutes, then remove from heat and let rest covered 10 minutes.
2. While rice cooks, warm 1/3 cup rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt in a small saucepan just until sugar dissolves, cool slightly.
3. Transfer hot rice to a wide shallow bowl or tray, gently spread it out and fold in the vinegar mixture with a rice paddle or wooden spoon while fanning the rice a bit so it cools and gets shiny; don’t mash the grains.
4. Shred 8 ounces imitation crab or lump crab with your fingers or a fork, then mix with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (Kewpie if you got it), 1 tablespoon sriracha and 1 teaspoon sesame oil; split the 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice between the crab and the avocado (see step 5) and taste, adjust sriracha or mayo if you want it spicier or creamier.
5. Slice 2 ripe avocados and toss them immediately with the portion of the lime/lemon juice you set aside so they don’t brown; thinly slice 1 English cucumber and 3 green onions, and tear 2 to 3 sheets nori into strips.
6. Make a quick dipping drizzle by mixing 1/4 cup soy sauce with 1 teaspoon wasabi paste, whisk until smooth; taste and add a tiny pinch more wasabi if you like heat, or leave it on the side for guests.
7. Divide the seasoned sushi rice among bowls, press a little into each bowl so it holds, then top with the crab mixture, avocado slices, cucumber, green onions and torn nori.
8. Finish each bowl with 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds scattered over the top, and drizzle a little of the wasabi soy or plain soy around the edges; add 1/4 cup pickled ginger to the side of the bowl for cleansing bites.
9. Serve right away with extra soy, wasabi and pickled ginger on the side; leftover crab mix keeps 1 to 2 days refrigerated, but sushi rice is best eaten the same day.
Equipment Needed
1. Rice cooker or a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid
2. Fine-mesh sieve or colander for rinsing the sushi rice
3. Small saucepan for warming the rice vinegar, sugar and salt
4. Wide shallow bowl or rimmed baking sheet to spread and cool the rice
5. Rice paddle or wooden spoon for folding the vinegar into the rice
6. Medium mixing bowl for the crab mayo mixture
7. Measuring cups and spoons (1/3 cup, 1/4 cup, tablespoons, teaspoons)
8. Sharp knife and cutting board for avocado, cucumber and green onions
9. Small whisk or fork for the wasabi soy, plus serving bowls and chopsticks or spoons
FAQ
California Sushi Bowls Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Sushi rice: swap for Calrose or any short grain white rice, they get sticky like sushi rice; rinse well and cook same way, brown short grain works too but needs more water and time.
- Imitation crab (surimi): use cooked shrimp, flaked canned salmon, or real lump crab if you want richer flavor — texture will change a bit but it’s still great in the bowl.
- Kewpie mayonnaise: regular mayo plus 1/2 tsp rice vinegar or a tiny splash of soy will mimic the tangy, slightly sweet Kewpie taste; for a lighter option mix half mayo half Greek yogurt.
- Rice vinegar: use apple cider or white wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar to soften the edge, start with 3/4 the amount and taste, you can always add more.
Pro Tips
1. Fan and fold the rice while you add the vinegar mix so the grains stay glossy and separate, dont mash them or you will end up with gluey rice.
2. Make the crab mayo mix a little at a time and taste as you go, add sriracha slowly because heat builds, and shred imitation crab with your fingers so it keeps a nice texture.
3. Toss avocado in the lime juice right before putting the bowls together to stop browning, but dont soak it or the slices get mushy; a tiny splash of mayo on the avocado makes it silkier if you like that.
4. Keep nori and toasted sesame seeds till the last second so they stay crisp, and mix wasabi into soy sparingly then taste because it can jump on you fast.
California Sushi Bowls Recipe
I made a 10 Minute California Sushi Bowl that layers tender crab, sushi rice and fresh veggies with an unexpected pantry ingredient to keep things intriguing.
4
servings
685
kcal
Equipment: 1. Rice cooker or a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid
2. Fine-mesh sieve or colander for rinsing the sushi rice
3. Small saucepan for warming the rice vinegar, sugar and salt
4. Wide shallow bowl or rimmed baking sheet to spread and cool the rice
5. Rice paddle or wooden spoon for folding the vinegar into the rice
6. Medium mixing bowl for the crab mayo mixture
7. Measuring cups and spoons (1/3 cup, 1/4 cup, tablespoons, teaspoons)
8. Sharp knife and cutting board for avocado, cucumber and green onions
9. Small whisk or fork for the wasabi soy, plus serving bowls and chopsticks or spoons
Ingredients
2 cups sushi rice (short grain)
2 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
8 ounces imitation crab (surimi) or cooked lump crab
3 tablespoons mayonnaise (Japanese/Kewpie preferred)
1 tablespoon sriracha
2 ripe avocados, sliced
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 to 3 sheets nori, torn or cut into strips
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pickled ginger
1 teaspoon wasabi paste
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
Directions
- Rinse 2 cups sushi rice under cold water until water runs mostly clear, drain, then combine with 2 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker or heavy pot; bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 15 to 18 minutes, then remove from heat and let rest covered 10 minutes.
- While rice cooks, warm 1/3 cup rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt in a small saucepan just until sugar dissolves, cool slightly.
- Transfer hot rice to a wide shallow bowl or tray, gently spread it out and fold in the vinegar mixture with a rice paddle or wooden spoon while fanning the rice a bit so it cools and gets shiny; don’t mash the grains.
- Shred 8 ounces imitation crab or lump crab with your fingers or a fork, then mix with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (Kewpie if you got it), 1 tablespoon sriracha and 1 teaspoon sesame oil; split the 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice between the crab and the avocado (see step 5) and taste, adjust sriracha or mayo if you want it spicier or creamier.
- Slice 2 ripe avocados and toss them immediately with the portion of the lime/lemon juice you set aside so they don’t brown; thinly slice 1 English cucumber and 3 green onions, and tear 2 to 3 sheets nori into strips.
- Make a quick dipping drizzle by mixing 1/4 cup soy sauce with 1 teaspoon wasabi paste, whisk until smooth; taste and add a tiny pinch more wasabi if you like heat, or leave it on the side for guests.
- Divide the seasoned sushi rice among bowls, press a little into each bowl so it holds, then top with the crab mixture, avocado slices, cucumber, green onions and torn nori.
- Finish each bowl with 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds scattered over the top, and drizzle a little of the wasabi soy or plain soy around the edges; add 1/4 cup pickled ginger to the side of the bowl for cleansing bites.
- Serve right away with extra soy, wasabi and pickled ginger on the side; leftover crab mix keeps 1 to 2 days refrigerated, but sushi rice is best eaten the same day.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 455g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 685kcal
- Fat: 24.7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.03g
- Polyunsaturated: 20g
- Monounsaturated: 62.2g
- Cholesterol: 13mg
- Sodium: 2192mg
- Potassium: 622mg
- Carbohydrates: 102.4g
- Fiber: 10g
- Sugar: 15.3g
- Protein: 19g
- Vitamin A: 200IU
- Vitamin C: 13.4mg
- Calcium: 72mg
- Iron: 4mg
