California Roll Sushi Burrito

If you don't live in a big city, your only chance at enjoying a sushi burrito is making one at home! Learn how to make this easy California roll sushi burrito. 

A few months ago when I went to Virginia/DC for my sister-in-law's bachelorette and to wrap up work on Joyful Eating with Alex and Anne, I had a not so top secret side mission - to get a sushi burrito.

I kept seeing my New York and DC friends posting pictures on instagram with both hands clutching an extra large sushi roll stuffed with all things delicious. Can you say food FOMO? Come on Columbia, can we get with the program and convert one of our million burger joints to a sushi burrito place?

As it got closer to my trip, I googled all the sushi burrito joints in and around DC and plotted them on a map to see if I would be nearby. Unfortunately, I wasn't, but I figured it was worth a special trip. But somehow, when I was there, time slipped away from me and I never had a chance to fulfill my sushi burrito fantasy.

So, I decided to make it at home, which turned out to be a lot easier than I thought. Thanks to this handy video from my friend Lisa at Healthy Nibbles and Bits, I got my wrapping skill down pat. Rather than rehash the details and tips, I'll just point you over there!

For filling, I turned to the classic California roll for inspiration. I found canned crab clawmeat at Trader Joe's, which tasted not quite as good as fresh, steamed crab, but mixed with a little mayo and stuffed into a sushi burrito, I couldn't taste the difference. Just don't use imitation crab, which isn't actually crab but rather a processed stick of starch and random bits of white fish. Blech.

California Roll Sushi Burrito

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup short grain brown rice

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar

  • 8 ounces crab meat

  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 4 sheets of nori seaweed

  • 1 small cucumber, sliced

  • 1 large carrot, shredded

  • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

  • 1 small avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

  • 1 scallion, sliced

  • Optional, for serving: wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger

Instructions

  1. Place rice in a colander and rinse under cold water, shaking rice from side to side until water runs clear. Place rice in a pot with 2 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer 40-50 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Uncover and let rice cool 15 minutes. Whisk together vinegar and sugar, drizzle over rice and stir to combine.

  2. While rice is cooking, mix together crab meat, mayo and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

  3. Place seaweed shiner side down on the counter or on a bamboo sushi mat. Scoop a quarter of the cooked and seasoned rice over the top. Using wet fingers (keep a bowl of water nearby for dipping your fingers), spread the rice evenly over the top. About 1 inch away from the end of the roll, scoop a quarter of the crab filling. Next to it, lay a few sticks of cucumber, then a line of shredded carrot, a few slices of red pepper, a few slices of avocado. Sprinkle sliced scallion over the top of the fillings.

  4. Check out this video for rolling technique. If you have foil, wrap it up in foil to prevent filling from falling out the bottom (not biggie if you don't!). Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi, if desired.

mainRachael HartleyAsian, avocado, brown rice, cucumber, nori, seafood, whole grain8 Comments