Philadelphia Roll
A creamy, luxurious sushi roll with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and cucumber. This restaurant-quality roll is surprisingly simple to make at home with a bamboo mat and sharp knife.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 12g
Ingredients
- 4 oz sushi-grade smoked salmon, thinly sliced
- 3 oz cream cheese, cold
- 1.5 cups sushi rice, cooked and cooled
- 2 sheets nori (seaweed sheets)
- ½ medium english cucumber, unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1
If your sushi rice is still warm, spread it on a large plate and let it cool to room temperature—this prevents the nori from becoming soggy. While the rice cools, prepare your ingredients: cut the cold cream cheese into thin strips about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch thick, then slice the english cucumber lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Cut those planks into matchsticks about 2 inches long.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 0.5 teaspoon sugar, and 0.25 teaspoon kosher salt. Once the sushi rice is cool, gently fold this seasoning mixture into the rice using a wooden spoon or plastic paddle—use a cutting motion rather than stirring to avoid breaking the grains. The rice should taste lightly tangy and subtly sweet.
- 3
Place a bamboo sushi mat on your work surface with the slats running horizontally. Lay one sheet of nori shiny-side down on the mat, positioning it so that one of the long edges is closest to you.
- 4
Wet your hands with water—this prevents the sticky rice from clinging to your fingers. Grab a handful of seasoned sushi rice (about 3/4 cup) and spread it evenly across the nori in a thin layer, leaving a 0.5-inch border at the far edge. Use your fingertips and the heel of your hand with a gentle pressing motion to distribute the rice evenly without compacting it.
- 5
Along the center of the rice, create a horizontal line of filling: lay about 2 ounces of thinly sliced smoked salmon in a strip, then place 2-3 cream cheese strips directly above it, followed by a small handful of cucumber matchsticks. Don't overfill—a thin, even line of ingredients is key to rolling without tearing.
- 6
Using the bamboo mat, fold the nearest edge of the nori up and over the filling, using your fingers to tuck the filling in as you roll. Apply gentle, even pressure with the mat to create a snug cylinder. Continue rolling away from you, lifting and folding the mat as you go—the mat should never be rolled into the sushi itself. The uncovered nori border will seal the roll shut once it touches the rice on the far side.
- 7
Place the finished roll seam-side down on a cutting board. Let it rest for 1-2 minutes—this allows the nori to set and helps the roll hold its shape when slicing.
- 8
Using a very sharp, wet knife (dip it in water and wipe it dry between each cut), slice the roll gently into 6-8 pieces. Use a single, smooth downward motion for each cut rather than sawing back and forth—this prevents the rice and nori from tearing. Wipe the blade clean between cuts.
- 9
Arrange the sliced roll on a serving plate with the cut side up so the beautiful spiral of salmon, cream cheese, and cucumber is visible. Serve immediately with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce on the side for dipping.
Tools you’ll need
- large plate
- small bowl
- wooden spoon or plastic rice paddle
- bamboo sushi mat (makisu)
- cutting board
- sharp sushi knife or sashimi knife
- small bowl for water
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
