Benihana California Roll — Price, Calories, Ingredients & Recipe (2026)

What Is California Roll?

The Benihana California Roll is the roll that introduced a generation of Americans to sushi. It is an inside-out roll (uramaki) filled with sweet crab stick, ripe avocado and crunchy cucumber, wrapped in seasoned sushi rice and finished with a dusting of toasted sesame seeds. Because it contains no raw fish, it is the go-to order for first-time sushi eaters and anyone who prefers cooked ingredients.

At Benihana it arrives as eight neat pieces with pickled ginger and wasabi on the side. The flavor is mild, creamy and slightly sweet, which makes it a great starter before hibachi or a light meal on its own. It is also one of the most affordable rolls on the Benihana sushi menu, so it shows up in plenty of combination platters too.

California Roll Ingredients

• Sushi rice
• Imitation crab stick
• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Nori seaweed
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Rice vinegar
• Sugar
• Salt
• Mayonnaise (light coating)

California Roll Nutrition Facts

Nutrition values are estimates based on standard restaurant preparation and may vary by location. Ask your local Benihana for their current official nutrition guide.

Copycat California Roll Recipe (Make It at Home)

Love California Roll but can’t get to Benihana? This copycat recipe captures the signature flavor at home.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked sushi rice
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 sheets nori
• 8 sticks imitation crab
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, julienned
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• Soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi for serving

Instructions

1. Stir the vinegar, sugar and salt into the warm rice and fan it until glossy, then let it cool to room temperature.
2. Lay a nori sheet shiny-side down on a bamboo mat lined with plastic wrap and spread 3/4 cup rice over it.
3. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, flip the sheet so rice faces down.
4. Arrange crab, avocado and cucumber in a line across the nori.
5. Roll tightly with the mat, pressing firmly as you go.
6. Slice into 8 pieces with a wet sharp knife.
7. Serve with soy sauce, ginger and wasabi.

Final Thoughts

The California Roll remains the safest, most crowd-pleasing pick on the Benihana sushi menu — affordable, light and endlessly customizable at home with the copycat recipe above.