California Roll Cucumber Salad with Crispy Rice

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California Roll Cucumber Salad hops on the cucumber salad trend, but adds kani and crispy rice for sushi-inspired crunch in every bite.

California Cucumber Roll Salad

This California Roll Cucumber Salad takes all the flavors of your favorite sushi roll—kani, creamy avocado, scallions, and a drizzle of soy sauce—and tosses them with crisp cucumber ribbons for a refreshing twist. A little chili crisp adds heat, while crunchy rice brings the texture you crave, making it hearty enough for a main dish salad. If you’re a cucumber lover, you’ll also enjoy my Creamy Cucumber Salad, and if you’re all about kani, don’t miss my Crab Salad Recipe for another quick, protein-packed lunch idea.

Why You’ll Love This Cucumber Salad

If you love sushi but don’t always want to roll your own, this salad is for you. It’s inspired by the classic California roll but tossed into a refreshing, hearty salad loaded with cucumber. I love how this one balances fresh vegetables with protein and crunch!

• Sushi-inspired: This deconstructed California roll is excellent when you’re craving sushi but want a lighter, lower-carb option.
• Hearty Enough for Lunch or Dinner: This salad has protein, vegetables, and carbs for a filling meal.
• Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free (if substituting soy sauce and kani), dairy-free

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here are the ingredients for this easy California roll cucumber salad. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

• Chili Crisp is a spicy Chinese condiment, consisting of oil infused with chiles and other crunchy aromatics. This S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil is one of my new favorites.
• Soy Sauce gives the rice a salty, umami flavor.
• Rice: Use any kind of precooked white or brown rice. I have Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, Instant Pot Brown Rice, and Stovetop Brown Rice instructions. You can also use microwavable frozen rice.
• Cucumber Salad Dressing: Chili crisp, soy sauce, grated ginger, rice vinegar (Seasoned is better, but you can use unseasoned vinegar, too.)
• English Cucumbers have a thin skin, so they don’t need to be peeled, but you can if you want to. Slice the cucumber into thin half-moons.
• Scallions for a fresh, mild onion flavor
• Avocado for healthy fat and a creamy texture
• Kani: Try to find the surimi-style kani, which shreds, rather than the kind that comes in thick chunks.

How to Make A California Roll Cucumber Salad

The air fryer is a quick and easy way to get the rice crispy, but if you don’t have one, you can bake it in the oven. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.

Mix the rice with soy sauce and chili crisp

Bake or air fry until browned and crispy

1. Make Crispy Rice: Mix the rice with chili crisp and soy sauce. Line your air fryer with perforated parchment paper and air fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer, bake it at 400°F for 25 minutes.
2. Make the Cucumber Salad: Put the remaining chili crisp and soy sauce, ginger, and rice vinegar in a large bowl. Then, stir in the vegetables and kani.
3. How to Serve: Top with crispy rice and furikaki or sesame seeds.

Make the dressing

Toss cucumber, avocado and crab with dressing

Tips & Variations

• Use a mandolin for quick slicing: It gives you even, thin cucumber slices in seconds. Wear a cut-proof glove to protect your fingers!
• Use what you have: Garden cucumbers work great—just peel and slice them thin.
• Swap the kani: Use lump crab meat or cooked shrimp for a twist.
• Keep it gluten-free: Swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos and a different protein since kani isn’t typically gluten-free.
• Adjust the heat: Skip the chili crisp if you’re spice-sensitive or add extra if you love it hot.
• Make it creamy: Drizzle with spicy mayo (or mix mayo and sriracha) before serving.   
• Bulk it up: Add extra vegetables, like edamame, shredded carrots, or diced bell peppers.
• Skip the crunch: Omit the rice if you want to keep it low-carb.
• Make it meal-prep friendly: Serve over rice to make it more filling.

Storage

• Refrigerate: This salad is best eaten after preparing it because the cucumbers can become soggy, and the avocado will brown. However, you can store the salad and crispy rice in separate containers for up to 2 days.
• How to Reheat: Air fry the rice at 350°F for about 5 minutes until warm and crispy. Add fresh avocado to the salad, and top with crispy rice.

FAQ

What is kani?

Kani is flake-style imitation crab, which primarily consists of Alaskan pollock.

Can I use real crab?

Kani is much more affordable than fresh lump crab, but real crab meat would be delicious in this salad.

More Sushi-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love

For more dinner ideas, check out these five delicious sushi-inspired recipes to inspire your next meal!

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Yield: 2 servings

Serving Size: 2 generous cups

Cook Mode

• Combine rice with 1 tablespoon chili crisp and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.

• Line an air fryer basket, or sheet tray, with parchment paper. Air fry the rice at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes. If baking, bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, stirring halfway.

While the rice crisps, mix salad:

• In the bottom of a large bowl combine remaining chili crisp, remaining soy sauce, ginger and rice vinegar. Add cucumber, scallion, avocado & kani. Stir.

• Top with crispy rice.

Last Step:

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• Makes about 4 ¼ cups.
• Try to find the surimi style kani, that shreds, rather than the thick chunks.

Serving: 2 generous cups, Calories: 317 kcal, Carbohydrates: 41 g, Protein: 10 g, Fat: 13.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Sodium: 1062 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 9 g