Learn how to make a Homemade Philadelphia Roll, with a creamy filling just like the sushi Restaurants, using Philadelphia cream cheese. It’s easy, much cheaper to make at home, and delicious! I often omit the smoked salmon to make it kid-friendly.

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Making sushi at home is much cheaper, and you get way more rolls for the price! My go-to sushi rolls to make are California rolls (really any leftover veggies with imitation crabmeat), Spicy Tuna Rolls, and these Philadelphia Rolls.

The Philadelphia sushi roll is one of my children’s favorite sushi rolls. Maybe it’s because I don’t add raw fish and make it with just cream cheese and cucumbers. The simple combination is always a winner in my house, dipped into spicy mayonnaise and homemade EEL sauce (so yummy)!

This is the best Philadelphia roll recipe, and it’s super adaptable to what you have in the fridge — avocados, smoked salmon, or scallions from the garden.

Sushi Rice

My favorite rice for making sushi has always been Botan Calrose rice, which I buy in bulk from Walmart in the Asian aisle.

These days, I’ve been making sushi rice much easier using my Instant Pot. I dump the rice and water (1:1 ratio) into this appliance and press a button, and the rice is cooked to perfection in 12 minutes.

If you don’t have a rice cooker or the Instant Pot, you can easily make the sushi rice on the stovetop. Just rinse the rice using a sieve and transfer it into a saucepan with cold water. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to low to simmer it for 20 minutes. I like to steam my rice after it cooks by leaving it covered for an additional 15 minutes.

After the rice is cooked, I then add the sushi vinegar mixture (a mixture of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, or you can use seasoned sushi vinegar instead) and stir it in.

What is In a Philadelphia Roll?

A good way to think of Philadelphia rolls is cream cheese roll-ups. Fill sticky rice with it and add a veggie, then roll up jelly-roll style. It’s a no-fuss sushi roll recipe because it’s not cooked. Our favorite dipping sauces are spicy mayonnaise and eel sauce. I’ve also been loving wasabi paste lately, or dipping with coconut aminos for a soy sauce substitute.

The main ingredient in a Philadelphia roll is Philadelphia cream cheese. Obviously, you can use any name-brand cream cheese to make this popular sushi roll filled with cucumbers and other desired ingredients. Sushi rolls often vary by Restaurant, so that a Philadelphia roll can consist of smoked salmon, avocado, or scallions.

I like to keep it simple by just using cream cheese and cucumbers, and they seem to store better than the rolls made with avocado or fish. Sushi rolls go quickly at our house, so they don’t generally keep for long anyway. Plus, they make a fabulous entertaining dish.

Watch How To Make Philadelphia Roll:

Watch this easy beginner’s video to learn how to make a Philadelphia roll at home, just like in a sushi restaurant!

Mise en Place

Equipment:

Instant pot or Saucepan- to cook the rice
Wooden Spoon to stir in the sushi vinegar
Mixing bowl
Sushi Mat
Sharp Knife – preferably a thin-bladed one, to cut through the cream cheese.

Philadelphia Roll Ingredients:

Philadelphia roll sushi has simple, no-fuss ingredients that you can make any night of the week.

Sushi rice- Calrose Botan Rice or any Japanese short-grain white rice will work. Short-grain rice is stickier and is what makes sushi rolls.
English Cucumber is long and easier to julienne.
Cream Cheese- Philadelphia cream cheese or any generic brand, cut into strips.
Seaweed Sheets – You’ll need full-sized roasted seaweed sheets. I cut them in half vertically before filling and rolling; otherwise, they become too large. You can find them at Walmart.
Additional Toppings: spicy mayonnaise, wasabi paste, Eel sauce, or coconut aminos.

How To Make Philadelphia Roll:

Make the sushi rice. Follow my sushi rice directions, or combine 3 cups of short-grain rice (rinsed and drained) and 3 1/4 cups of water into a pot and cook the rice until done. Add the sushi vinegar mixture and cool before handling.
Cut the seaweed sheets in half.
Julienne the cucumbers. Cut the cream cheese into thin strips. Dipping your knife into water will help the cream cheese from sticking.
Protect the sushi mat: Place the sushi mat into a gallon-sized freezer bag or wrap it with plastic wrap to avoid having to wash the mat.
Assemble the Philadelphia rolls. Spread a heaping handful of the prepared sushi rice over the seaweed sheet. Flip it over to the other side and place a row of cucumbers and cream cheese across the seaweed. The rice side should be facing down when filling. Roll up tightly using the mat.
To slice sushi rolls, place the roll onto a cutting board and wet the blade of a sharp knife. Cut the sushi roll in half and then align the halves together and slice into four equal pieces to make eight slices.
Serve with Spicy mayonnaise or your favorite dipping sauce.

Pro Chef Tip

Pro Tip: Dip your hands in water or use disposable vinyl kitchen gloves to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands when working.

Jump to Tips

Storing the Sushi Philadelphia Roll:

Sushi rice hardens once refrigerated. That is why it’s best to let it come to room temperature before serving. Always store leftovers in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap to prevent the rice from drying out. Philadelphia rolls are best kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Variations:

Cut smoked salmon into strips and add it to the cucumbers. A good alternative to smoked salmon is sushi-grade salmon, smoked carrots, or julienned cucumbers.
Avocado – Cut an avocado in half and twist it open. Remove the pit and run a sharp knife through the flesh to make thin slices. Using a spoon, gently loosen the sides and pop the slices right out. Arrange in a row when assembling rolls.
Scallions- place a couple of scallions across the center of the sushi roll when rolling.
Pickled Ginger is one of my all-time favorite sushi sides! Look for pink or ivory pickled ginger, sold in glass jars or in the refrigerated section.

Q&A

What is a Philadelphia Roll?

A Philly Roll (makizushi) is a type of sushi roll commonly made with cucumbers and cream cheese. Some Japanese Restaurants use avocados and salmon. So, it’s really the cream cheese that’s the most common ingredient among the variations of avocados or cucumbers.

What is Maki?

Maki is a Japanese term for Sushi Rolls! It’s when raw vegetables or fish are wrapped in seaweed and rice.

How To Make Spicy Mayonnaise

To make spicy mayonnaise, combine 1/2 cup of mayonnaise with two tablespoons of Sriracha sauce.

Philadelphia Roll vs California Roll

A Philadelphia roll mainly consists of cream cheese, whereas the California roll is mainly filled with imitation crab. Both sushi rolls can be filled with avocado or cucumbers, depending on the Restaurant. The California roll is often served with Tobiko (caviar).

Tips:

Dip your hands or a sharp knife in water when working with the sushi rice to make it easier to manage.
Wrapping the bamboo mat in plastic wrap or freezer bags makes for easier cleanup, as you can discard the plastic covering without washing the mat.
Out of Rice Vinegar? No Problem, Apple Cider Vinegar works as a great substitute!
Allow the sushi rice to cool before rolling it in seaweed sheets (Nori); otherwise, it can cause the seaweed to wilt.
Store leftover sushi rolls in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, to prevent them from drying out. Allow the Philadelphia roll to come to room temperature before serving (about 1-2 hours).

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