California Roll Cucumber Salad Recipe
This California Roll Cucumber Salad is a fresh and flavorful twist on the classic sushi roll. Combining crisp cucumber slices with creamy avocado, imitation crab meat, shredded carrot, and a tangy whipped cream cheese dressing, this quick salad brings the sushi flavors to your bowl in just 10 minutes. Finished with a sprinkle of furikake and optional sriracha for a spicy kick, it’s perfect as a light lunch or a vibrant side dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Japanese-inspired
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 English cucumber
- 1/2 cup chopped imitation crab meat
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot
Dressing & Seasoning
- 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons furikake, divided (optional or to taste)
Optional Garnishes
- Seaweed squares or Nori (optional, to taste)
- Sriracha and/or sriracha mayo (to taste)
- Sliced green onion (for garnish)
Instructions
- Slice Cucumber: Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, carefully slice the English cucumber into thin, even slices to achieve a delicate texture that blends well with the other salad ingredients.
- Combine Ingredients: Place the cucumber slices into a 32-ounce plastic lidded container or any container with a tight-fitting lid that can be shaken. The cucumber should fill roughly half the container when gently pressed down. Add the chopped imitation crab meat, diced avocado, and shredded carrot on top.
- Add Dressing: Spoon the whipped cream cheese, mayonnaise, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and half of the furikake over the ingredients in the container. Secure the lid tightly to prepare for mixing.
- Shake and Mix: Shake the container vigorously until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. The salad won’t look very neat at this point but rest assured the flavors are well mingled. Once shaken, sprinkle the remaining furikake over the top to taste.
- Serve and Garnish: For a casual meal, enjoy the salad directly from the container. To serve more elegantly, pour the salad into a serving bowl, add extra cucumber slices if available, and garnish with a drizzle of sriracha or sriracha mayo. Finish by sprinkling additional furikake and sliced green onion for added flavor and color.
Notes
- You can substitute imitation crab with real crab meat for a more authentic flavor.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha or sriracha mayo depending on your preferred spice level.
- Using a mandoline helps to achieve uniformly thin cucumber slices for better texture.
- If you don’t have whipped cream cheese, softened regular cream cheese can be whipped with a fork as a substitute.
- The salad is best served fresh but can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 hours before serving.
- Furikake is optional but adds a wonderful umami flavor; omit if unavailable or if you want to keep it simple.
