California roll

noun

: a type of sushi roll containing avocado, cucumber, and cooked crabmeat or imitation crabmeat with a wrapping of seaweed and rice

The California roll, a stout roll of avocado, imitation crab (actually compressed pollock) and cucumber, was perhaps the first sushi variant to be developed in North America.

—Matt Lee et al.

The most impressive sushi of the evening, however, was his version of the so-called California roll, which originated in Los Angeles.

—Caroline Bates

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above