Keto Sushi
Published June 20, 2019 • Updated March 9, 2026
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My go-to keto sushi California roll uses a dry-skillet cauliflower rice that holds together, rolls tight, and tastes close to the real thing. Real crab, no imitation stuff.
I stopped ordering California rolls out years ago. Not because I don’t love sushi, but because I figured out how to make rolls at home that taste just as good for a fraction of the cost. The whole thing takes less than 30 minutes once your ingredients are prepped.
Traditional sushi rolls use rice, which puts them off limits on a keto diet (unless you stick to sashimi). California rolls add another problem: imitation crab is loaded with starch and sugar. I solve both issues here with cauliflower rice and real crab meat.
The technique that makes this work is my dry-skillet method. I add frozen cauliflower rice straight to a dry skillet, no oil, no water, and saute until every bit of moisture cooks out. This is what eliminates the pungent cauliflower smell that ruins most cauliflower rice sushi attempts. Once it’s dry, I stir in rice wine vinegar and toasted sesame oil. That sesame oil is the whole reason it works. Skip it and you’ve got sad cauliflower pretending to be rice.
I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count, and the two biggest lessons are: get the cauliflower rice completely dry (I mean bone dry, not just “pretty dry”) and wet your knife between every single cut. A dry blade drags through the roll and pushes the filling out the sides instead of slicing clean. One reader struggled with cutting until she tried the wet knife trick, and it solved the problem immediately.
Instead of imitation crab, I use canned crab meat because it’s accessible and budget-friendly. Fresh crab works too if you have it. For fillings, I go with cucumber, avocado, and cream cheese. If you want to skip the rolling entirely, try my cucumber-wrapped naruto roll or build a poke bowl with the same cauliflower rice base.
One reader told me she was two years into eating this way and this was the first time she felt like she hadn’t given anything up. That’s the reaction I’m going for. This isn’t a compromise version of sushi. It’s a different approach that genuinely satisfies the craving.
Yield: the ingredient amounts here make 2-3 full rolls (roughly 12-18 pieces), depending on how thick you go. If you’re feeding more than two people, double everything. Leftover cauliflower rice makes great shrimp fried rice the next day.
Storage: uncut rolls keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. I wouldn’t go beyond that because the nori starts getting soggy. Cut pieces are best eaten the same day. I don’t recommend freezing these.
FEATURED COMMENT
“Thanks, so far this is the best keto style sushi I have come across. I’ve missed going out for sushi, although I do get the occasional salad based poke bowl with spicy yellowtail and salmon. Yummy all around.”
➤ from YouTube subscriber @4449John
How to make keto sushi
I’ve rolled hundreds of these, and setup matters more than technique. Get everything prepped and lined up before you start.
Equipment you’ll need
- Nori sheets – The seaweed wrappers for your rolls. I grab mine from the international aisle at the grocery store.
- Bamboo sushi mat – Makes tight rolling so much easier. You can use a kitchen towel if you don’t have one, but the mat gives you way more control.
- Plastic wrap – Lay this over the mat to keep rice from sticking to the bamboo.
- Soy sauce and wasabi for dipping. I use tamari when I want to keep it gluten-free.
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Ingredients
10 oz frozen riced cauliflower -
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
-
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
-
4.25 oz canned crab meat, drained
-
4 tablespoons mayonnaise, divided
-
2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
-
1 tablespoon water
-
2 teaspoons wasabi paste
-
nori seaweed sheets
-
1/4 cucumber, julienne
-
1/2 avocado, sliced
-
4 oz cream cheese
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Make seasoned rice
Prepare the riced cauliflower according to the package instructions. Empty cauliflower into a bowl. Add in rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Stir to combine. Set aside to cool down a bit. You want the rice to be slightly warm when rolling the sushi. This will help it roll together and seal the ingredients together. For sticky cauliflower rice, mix cream cheese in with cauliflower rice; however, this is not necessary and the sushi will still roll successfully without it.
- 10 oz cauliflower rice, frozen
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
Make crab mixture
In a separate bowl, combine the crab meat, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and sriracha sauce. Mix until combined. Set aside.
- 4.25 oz canned crab meat
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
Make a spicy topping - wasabi cream
To make the wasabi cream, mix 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, water and wasabi paste together in a separate bowl and set aside.
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
Layer down cauli rice
To assemble your roll, place a sheet of Nori shiny side down on a bamboo mat. Spread out the cauliflower rice in a thin layer all the way to the side edges of the nori sheet, but leave a small gap on the top and bottom of the sheet to allow for sealing the edges together.
- nori sheets
Assemble the rolls
Line the julienned cucumber, avocado slices, and cream cheese in the row towards the bottom of the sheet. Top with a small layer of the crab mixture.
- 1/4 cucumber, julienne
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 4 oz cream cheese
Roll the sushi
Wet your fingers with water and spread a thin layer of water on the top of the Nori sheet. This will help seal the end of the sushi roll together after you finished rolling. Start rolling the bottom of the mat ¼ of the way and squeeze to press together, then unroll the mat. Repeat the process until the roll comes together. Squeeze together when done.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen cauliflower rice for sushi?
I actually prefer frozen. The key is sauteing it in a completely dry skillet until all the moisture evaporates. I've done this dozens of times and frozen rice gives me more consistent results than fresh. Just don't skip the dry-skillet step or you'll end up with soggy rolls that smell like cauliflower.
How do I keep sushi rolls from falling apart when cutting?
Two things I always do: first, I pop the uncut roll in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm it up. Second, I dip my knife blade in water between every single cut. A dry knife drags through the roll and pushes everything out the sides. Wet knife, clean slices.
How long do leftover sushi rolls keep in the fridge?
I've stored uncut rolls wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and they hold up for about 24 hours. After that, the nori gets soggy and the texture falls off. Cut pieces should be eaten the same day. I don't recommend freezing these since the cauliflower rice gets mushy when it thaws.
What's a dairy-free substitute for cream cheese in these rolls?
I've tested Kite Hill dairy-free cream cheese and it works, but use about 3 oz instead of 4 and make sure it's cold straight from the fridge. If you warm it up at all, it gets too loose and your roll won't hold together. For standard rolls where the nori is on the outside, you can skip the cream cheese entirely.
How many rolls does this recipe make?
The amounts listed make 2-3 full rolls, which comes out to roughly 12-18 pieces depending on how thick I slice them. I usually get 3 rolls when I spread the rice thin. If I'm feeding my whole family, I double everything.
Can I make sushi without a bamboo mat?
I've done it with a clean kitchen towel. Lay the towel flat, put a sheet of plastic wrap over it, then layer your nori and fillings on top. Roll it the same way you would with a mat. It works, but the mat gives you more control over how tight the roll is. My rolls come out cleaner with the mat every time.
What sushi is keto friendly at a restaurant?
I order sashimi, which is just the raw fish without rice. It's perfect with soy sauce and wasabi. I also ask if they'll do any roll without rice. Some places will wrap fillings in cucumber instead of nori and rice. My naruto roll is inspired by that same idea.
Sushi was the first thing I wrote off when I went keto, and I made peace with that. Made this on a cold Tuesday night and the cauliflower rice with sesame oil was close enough that I sat with it for a minute before I even reached for my phone. Two years in and this is the first time I felt like I hadn't given anything up.
Toasted sesame oil is the whole reason it works. Untoasted and you've got sad cauliflower pretending to be rice.
My husband has been cutting dairy, so I've been reworking our dinner rotation around that. Sushi nights are non-negotiable in our house, and the cauliflower rice approach sounds surprisingly convincing. My question is about the cream cheese. I've used Kite Hill dairy-free before with decent results, but I'm never sure how it holds up inside a tight roll. Is it a straight swap, or would you adjust the amount a bit given how much looser the consistency is than regular cream cheese?
Kite Hill is looser so yeah, back off a bit. I'd do about 3 oz and make sure it's cold straight from the fridge. Warm it up at all and it'll make your roll fall apart.
Hi, to start thank you for the recipe. You did a good job!
I tried making it today. The amount of avocado (1/2) is only enough for one or two rolls. I also used a double amount of all ingredients trying to make double amount of sushi. The amount of ingredients you wrote is enough to make 2, maximum
3 rolls, but I don’t think 4. I think the amount of ingredients is kinda wrong. Also, I had a lot of crab meat mixture left, more when a half. If I tried to put more of it after rolling sushi it would be squeezed over the both edges of the roll (I hope that makes sense). I couldn’t cut the sushi despite trying few different knifes, it would just squeeze the insides. It’s my first time making keto sushi and I hope that makes sense. But thank you anyway, it turned out to be delicious.
Wet the knife between every cut. That's what fixes it. A dry blade drags and squeezes the filling out instead of slicing through. And the yield really depends on how thick you roll them, mine come out closer to 2-3 when I go thicker.
I think this is a great easy to follow recipe and I made it today and its fabulous! Thanks! I used smoked salmon and mixed the cauliflower rice with cream cheese to make it easier to roll. Added small sliced cucumber and some sriracha sauce. Next time I will use your wasabi recipe!
Smoked salmon is such a good call here. And mixing the cream cheese into the rice so it holds together better. Hadn't thought to try that.
How many in a serving?
It depends on how many rolls you make and how big a roll you make. Generally a serving is 6 pieces of sushi.
What is the cream cheese for? Did I miss something in the directions?
You are right! Sorry about that. I update the directions. It gets cut into chunks and layered on with the avocado.