Philadelphia Rolls

5 from 15 votes

These smoked salmon Philadelphia rolls (aka Philly rolls) taste just like your favorite restaurant sushi. They’re filled with smoked salmon, cream cheese, crisp cucumber, and creamy avocado.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Additional Time10

Total Time35

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: Philadelphia rolls, Philly rolls, smoked salmon rolls

Servings: slices

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Sushi rice:

2 cups Sushi Rice (Japanese short-grain rice); uncooked
2 cups water
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt

For the Rolls:

2 cups cooked sushi rice from above see below
4 sheets Sushi Nori dried seaweed sheets
5 ounces smoked salmon
4 to 5 ounces cream cheese sliced into long thin strips
1 Japanese cucumber sliced into long thin strips
½ avocado sliced into long thin strips

Instructions

For the sushi rice:

Rinse the rice grains in cool water until the water is clear. Place the rice and the 2 cups of water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
When the water starts to boil, turn the heat to low and put the lid on. Cook, covered for 15 minutes. Then remove it from the heat and let it sit, still covered for 10 more minutes. Let the rice cool down.
While the rice is cooling, place the vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan or microwaveable bowl and heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Place the rice in a wooden or glass bowl. Slowly pour the vinegar mixture over the rice and fold/stir until the rice is coated with the vinegar. Use a slicing and folding motion to separate the grains and ensure they get completely coated.
Keep the rice covered with a damp towel until you are ready to make your sushi rolls.

For the Philly rolls:

Once the sushi rice is ready, set all the ingredients out on your counter.
Place a seaweed sheet (shiny side down) on a bamboo mat.
Cover the seaweed sheet with the sushi rice.
Arrange the smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, and avocado slices on top of the rice.
Use the bamboo sheet to lift and roll the sheet. Press down as you roll the sheet up so it stays compressed tightly.
Slice the roll into six to eight pieces. It is helpful to have a wet towel nearby to wipe the knife blade with after each slice.

Video

Notes

Extra sushi rice: The sushi rice recipe makes about 4 cups of cooked rice. Cut the recipe in half if you don’t want extra rice.

Keep the rice off your hands: Keep a small bowl of water nearby and lightly wet your hands before handling the sushi rice. This prevents the sticky rice from clinging to your fingers.

Use a sharp, clean knife: Slice the sushi rolls with a very sharp knife. Keep a damp towel nearby and wipe the blade clean between cuts so the rice doesn’t stick and the slices stay neat.

Avoid using a metal bowl: When making the sushi rice, mix the vinegar into the rice in a wooden or glass bowl rather than a metal one. Avoid metal utensils as well, since the vinegar can react with some metals and affect the flavor.

Nutrition