California Roll Bento with Avocado and Cucumber

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 rolls (32 pieces), serves 2–4
• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (285 g) sushi rice
• 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) water
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar + 2 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp fine salt (sushi vinegar)
• 4 full sheets nori
• 8 oz (225 g) imitation crab sticks, shredded
• 1 large ripe avocado, sliced
• 1/2 English cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• For serving: 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tsp wasabi paste, 1/4 cup pickled ginger
• Optional: 2 tbsp Japanese mayo; 1 tsp lemon juice

Do This

• 1) Rinse rice until water runs mostly clear; cook in 400 ml water: simmer 15 minutes on low, then rest 10 minutes covered.
• 2) Dissolve sugar and salt in rice vinegar; fold into hot rice. Cool 20 minutes until just warm.
• 3) Prep fillings: shred crab (mix with mayo if using), slice avocado (toss with lemon), julienne cucumber.
• 4) Set up: wrap bamboo mat in plastic; halve nori sheets; keep a small bowl of water with a splash of vinegar for wetting hands.
• 5) Spread about 3/4 cup rice on nori, cover edge-to-edge; flip rice-side down for inside-out rolls.
• 6) Add crab, avocado, and cucumber in a line; roll tightly with the mat. Coat exterior with sesame seeds.
• 7) Slice each roll into 8 pieces with a damp, sharp knife. Pack in bento with soy, wasabi, and pickled ginger.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic California roll flavors with a tidy bento-friendly presentation.
• Clear, step-by-step guidance for perfect seasoned rice and neat, tight rolls.
• Light, fresh, and customizable; great for lunch, picnics, or meal prep.
• Uses easy-to-find ingredients and simple techniques for consistent results.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 large avocado, 1/2 English cucumber, optional 1 lemon
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Sushi rice, nori sheets, rice vinegar, sugar, fine salt, toasted sesame seeds, imitation crab sticks, soy sauce, wasabi paste, pickled ginger, optional Japanese mayonnaise

Full Ingredients

Seasoned Sushi Rice

• 1 1/2 cups (285 g) sushi rice (short-grain Japanese rice)
• 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) water
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp (24 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp (5 g) fine sea salt or kosher salt

Fillings & Assembly

• 4 full sheets nori (seaweed), standard size
• 8 oz (225 g) imitation crab sticks (kanikama), shredded
• 1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 English cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch matchsticks (remove watery core if not seedless)
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (white, black, or a mix)
• Optional: 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (for mixing with crab)
• Optional: 1 tsp lemon juice or 1 tsp rice vinegar (to keep avocado green)
• For handling: 1/2 cup cool water mixed with 1 tsp rice vinegar (to dampen hands and knife)

For Serving

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
• 1 tsp wasabi paste
• 1/4 cup pickled ginger (gari)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and cook the rice

Place the sushi rice in a bowl and rinse under cold water, gently swishing with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear (about 3 rinses, 2–3 minutes). Drain well. Combine rinsed rice and 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) water in a medium pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then immediately cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered to steam for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Make sushi vinegar

While the rice cooks, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring just until the sugar and salt dissolve (1–2 minutes); do not boil. Set aside.

Step 3: Season and cool the rice

Transfer the hot rice to a wide, nonreactive bowl or hangiri. Pour the warm sushi vinegar over the rice. Using a rice paddle, fold the rice with gentle slicing motions to distribute the seasoning without mashing the grains. Fan or lightly blow across the rice as you fold to help it cool and become glossy. Cool until just warm and no longer steaming, about 20 minutes.

Step 4: Prep the fillings

Shred the imitation crab into strands; if using, mix with 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise. Slice the avocado and toss very lightly with 1 tsp lemon juice (or rice vinegar) to slow browning. Cut the cucumber into 1/4-inch matchsticks. Keep everything within reach at your rolling station.

Step 5: Set up your rolling station

Wrap a bamboo sushi mat tightly in plastic wrap (helps prevent sticking and keeps the mat clean for inside-out rolls). Halve each nori sheet crosswise to make two rectangles. Prepare a small bowl with 1/2 cup cool water plus 1 tsp rice vinegar to dampen your fingertips and knife as needed.

Step 6: Roll the California rolls (inside-out)

Place a half sheet of nori, shiny side down, on the mat. With damp fingertips, spread about 3/4 cup seasoned rice evenly over the nori, all the way to the edges. Flip the nori so the rice faces down against the plastic-wrapped mat. Arrange a line of crab across the lower third, then a row of avocado and cucumber. Using the mat, lift the edge closest to you over the filling and roll tightly to enclose it, pressing gently to form a cylinder. Unwrap the mat, sprinkle the surface with toasted sesame seeds, then re-roll lightly to set the seeds into the rice. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 4 rolls.

Step 7: Slice and pack the bento

Moisten a very sharp knife with the vinegar water and trim the ragged ends. Slice each roll into 8 even pieces, cleaning and dampening the blade between cuts for neat edges. Arrange the pieces snugly in a bento box or lunch container. Serve with soy sauce, a dab of wasabi, and pickled ginger on the side so the rice stays pristine.

Pro Tips

• Use just-damp hands when handling rice—too much water will make the rice slippery and hard to spread.
• Do not overfill; a modest line of filling makes a tighter, cleaner roll that slices beautifully.
• Plastic wrap on the mat is essential for rice-on-the-outside (inside-out) rolls.
• For razor-sharp slices, use a long, non-serrated knife and wipe it clean between each cut.
• Keep the seasoned rice warm (not hot) while rolling for the best texture and stick.

Variations

• Classic nori-out: Skip flipping the nori and roll with the seaweed on the outside; sprinkle sesame seeds on the cut pieces.
• Spicy crab: Mix crab with 2 tbsp Japanese mayo and 2 tsp sriracha or chili crisp.
• Real crab upgrade: Substitute lump crab meat for imitation crab and add a few chives or shiso leaves.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Seasoned rice can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept covered with a damp towel at room temperature. Rolls are best eaten the day they are made; assemble up to 6 hours ahead and keep refrigerated in an airtight container, then return to room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving (cold rice can taste firm). Pack soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger separately to keep the rolls dry. For bento, store cool with an ice pack and enjoy within the same day.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per 1 roll (8 pieces), without optional mayo: 330 calories; 9 g fat; 53 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 5 g fiber; 390 mg sodium. Adding 1/2 tbsp mayo per roll adds about 50 calories and 5 g fat.