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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Japanese

    Philadelphia Roll

    Published: May 5, 2023 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    27 shares
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Jump to Recipe
    Philadelphia roll with a text title overlay.
    Philadelphia roll with a text title overlay.

    When it comes to sushi, this Philadelphia Roll is one of our favourites. Also knows as a Philly Roll, it is a sushi roll stuffed with Philadelphia cream cheese, cucumber and smoked salmon. Really light and fresh, and adaptable too. Just a few ingredients and SO simple to make.

    Pieces of cream cheese sushi on a wooden board with soy sauce, wasabi and ginger.

    Homemade sushi is much easier to make than you might think and once you get the hang of the rolling, these Philadelphia sushi rolls are a breeze to make.

    What is Philadelphia sushi?

    Whilst Philadelphia isn't an ingredient that you would traditionally find in sushi, this is a Western style sushi variation of a maki roll. Stuffed with some Philadelphia cream cheese, smoked salmon and avocado, it is a sushi favourite around the world. Really light and fresh, and packed full of flavour and texture.

    Jump to:
    • What is Philadelphia sushi?
    • Why you will love it
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • How to make Philadelphia roll - Step by step
    • What to serve with cream cheese sushi
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Extra tips
    • More Japanese recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • Easy - You might think sushi is hard to make, but these Philly Rolls are about as easy as it gets. All you need is a pan to cook the rice in and a sushi rolling mat too.
    • Adaptable - This is a really easy sushi roll, with just a few fillings. However, you can easily adapt it with other fillings - more ideas below.
    • Refreshing - This is a real summer favourite for us. A filling, but light, lunch and super refreshing too.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.
    • Nori - These are the sheets of edible seaweed that sushi is wrapped in. Choose a brand that is dark green in colour. You can find these in the world food aisle of most supermarkets.
    • Sushi rice - You have to use sushi rice for the best results. Basmati or jasmine rice will not work. Follow our recipe for Sushi Rice for the best sticky rice. The measurements in this recipe are for cooked sushi rice.
    • Cream cheese - Use Philadelphia full fat for the best flavour.
    • Smoked salmon - Choose brightly coloured fresh smoked salmon.
    • Cucumber - Traditionally you would use Japanese cucumber, which you can find in more Japanese supermarkets. However, any cucumber will work for this. If you don't like cucumber, you could just use avocado instead.

    A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

    How to make Philadelphia roll - Step by step

    Prep: Cook your sushi rice according to our Sushi Rice recipe.
    One: Lay a sheet of nori on a bamboo rolling mat, shiny side down. Put the cooked sushi rice onto the nori and spread to cover ¾ of the nori.

    A bamboo rolling mat with nori and sushi rice on it.

    Two: Carefully spoon the cream cheese along the centre of the rice. Lay the strips of cucumber and smoked salmon on top.

    Strips of cucumber, smoked salmon and some cream cheese laid on top of the rice.

    Three: Using a bamboo rolling mat, roll up from the bottom, tightly away from you (a). Leave a small amount of nori unrolled (b). Wet this part of the nori with water.

    Two shot collage of sushi being rolled in a mat, then the fully rolled roll.

    Four: Roll again to seal it.

    A fully rolled sushi roll in a full length.

    Five: Dip a sharp knife into some water and then slice the roll. Dip the knife into water each time you make a cut. Slice the roll into 10 pieces.

    Rolled sushi cut into nine pieces.

    What to serve with cream cheese sushi

    This Philadelphia roll sushi is great for a light lunch, but they are also a great addition to a bigger sushi meal. Try them with some of these sushi recipes:

    • Ten pieces of cucumber maki on a wooden serving board.
      Cucumber Maki
    • Hand roll sushi on a wooden board.
      Hand Roll Sushi (Temaki)
    • Thirteen pieces of rainbow sushi on a wooden serving board.
      Rainbow Sushi
    • Eight pieces of vegan sushi on a round wooden board.
      Vegan Sushi
    • Eight spicy tuna rolls on a board with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.
      Spicy Tuna Rolls
    • Seventeen pieces of avocado maki on a wooden serving board.
      Avocado Maki
    • Salmon maki on a wooden serving board.
      Salmon Maki
    • Collage of sushi recipes with a text title overlay.
      Easy Sushi Recipes

    You could also serve it with an edamame salad and some pickled seaweed.

    Of course some soy sauce, wasabi and ginger are a must served alongside sushi. But if you want something with a big more of a kick, then mix together some mayo and Sriracha to dip these maki rolls in.

    We love dipping sushi in our Healthy Teriyaki Sauce too.

    Variations

    The variation options are almost endless here. Other ingredients that you can add to this Philadelphia maki include cucumber, pickled radish, carrot or bell pepper slices, crab sticks or some tofu.

    These are meant to be thin rolls, so try not to add too many fillings otherwise you will end up with a much larger roll.

    You can finish off the cucumber maki with a sprinkling of sesame seeds

    Philadelphia roll sushi showing the filling of cheese, cucumber and salmon.

    Storage

    It is best to eat sushi within 1-2 hours of it being made, as the rice will go dry and stale. However, if you do have any leftovers then it can be stored.

    Refrigerate in an air tight container for up to 24 hours.

    Salmon and cheese sushi on a board with some soy sauce.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much sushi rice do you need per sushi roll?

    For each nori sheet, which makes one sushi roll, you need 100g of cooked sushi rice.

    How do you roll the sushi roll tightly?

    Using both hands, slowly roll it with the bamboo mat pressing down gently and equally as you roll. The pressure will make it stick together.

    What can I use instead of a rolling mat?

    We really would recommend getting a sushi rolling mat, and they are quite reasonable in shops or online. However, if you don't have one then you can use a flexible place mat instead. Just wrap it in clingfilm/serran wrap first.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • This recipe calls for 200g of cooked sushi rice. To make this amount of cooked rice, you will need 70g of raw rice. If you are altering the serving size in the recipe card, divide the amount of cooked rice by 3 to get how much raw rice you will need.
    • Make sure to wet the knife before making each cut. This prevents the rice from sticking to the knife.
    • You could also make these inside out rolls by following the instructions for our Vegan Sushi recipe.
    • You can finish the rolls off by sprinkling them with sesame seeds.
    • Always place the nori shiny side down on the rolling mat. This is because the rice sticks better to the rough side and it looks better for presentation.
    • With some nori brands, you might not be able to use water to seal the roll. You can use cooked rice grains as the "glue" instead, just squash a few grains across the nori where you want to seal it.
    • Make sure the sushi rice is fully cooled before adding it to the nori, as the steam of the hot rice can cause the nori to go soggy.
    • When handling the rice, use wet hands or a spoon, as it is very sticky.

    More Japanese recipes

    • A plate of air fryer gyoza.
      Air Fryer Gyoza
    • Quick Gyoza Sauce on a plate with gyoza.
      Quick Gyoza Sauce
    • Tofu Teriyaki Stir Fry on a patterned plate topped with sliced chilli
      Teriyaki Tofu Stir-Fry
    • Asian Slaw in a blue bowl surrounded by sliced chillies and herbs.
      Crunchy Asian Slaw

    If you’ve tried this Philadelphia roll recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Nine pieces of Philadelphia Roll sushi on a wooden board.

    Philadelphia Roll

    By: Dannii Martin
    When it comes to sushi, a Philadelphia Roll is one of our favourites. Really light and fresh, and adaptable too. Just a few ingredients and simple to make.
    A circular logo saying GF.
    Gluten Free
    5 from 10 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Prep: 10 minutes mins
    Total: 10 minutes mins
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 156kcal
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a carton of milk.
    Dairy
    An illustration of a fish.
    Fish
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 200 g (1 cups) Cooked sushi rice
    • 2 sheet Nori
    • 100 g (0.5 cups) Philadelphia cream cheese
    • 60 g (2 oz) Smoked salmon - cut into thin strips
    • 0.25 Cucumber - cut into thin strips

    Instructions

    • Cook your sushi rice according to our Sushi Rice recipe.
      200 g Cooked sushi rice
    • Lay a sheet of nori on a bamboo rolling mat, shiny side down. Put the cooked sushi rice onto the nori and spread to cover ¾ of the nori.
      2 sheet Nori
    • Carefully spoon the cream cheese along the centre of the rice. Lay the strips of cucumber and smoked salmon on top.
      100 g Philadelphia cream cheese, 60 g Smoked salmon, 0.25 Cucumber
    • Using a rolling mat, roll up from the bottom, tightly away from you. Leave a small amount of nori unrolled. Wet this part of the nori with water.
    • Roll again to seal it.
    • Dip a sharp knife into some water and then slice the roll. Dip the knife into water each time you make a cut. Slice the roll into 10 pieces.

    Recipe tips

    • This recipe calls for 200g of cooked sushi rice. To make this amount of cooked rice, you will need 70g of raw rice. If you are altering the serving size in the recipe card, divide the amount of cooked rice by 3 to get how much raw rice you will need.
    • Make sure to wet the knife before making each cut. This prevents the rice from sticking to the knife.
    • You could also make these inside out rolls by following the instructions for our Vegan Sushi recipe.
    • You can finish the rolls off by sprinkling them with sesame seeds.
    • Always place the nori shiny side down on the rolling mat. This is because the rice sticks better to the rough side and it looks better for presentation.
    • With some nori brands, you might not be able to use water to seal the roll. You can use cooked rice grains as the "glue" instead, just squash a few grains across the nori where you want to seal it.
    • Make sure the sushi rice is fully cooled before adding it to the nori, as the steam of the hot rice can cause the nori to go soggy.
    • When handling the rice, use wet hands or a spoon, as it is very sticky.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 5rolls | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 427IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sara Welch

      May 12, 2023 at 9:33 pm

      5 stars
      I have always been intimidated by sushi, but this was not only easy, but incredibly fresh and delicious! Definitely, a new favorite recipe!

      Reply
    2. Mimi

      May 12, 2023 at 9:13 pm

      Philadelphia Roll is a very delicious dinner. Looks yum!

      Reply
    3. Shelby

      May 12, 2023 at 9:09 pm

      5 stars
      I've never attempted to make this roll at home but now I'm inspired! Simple, delicious, and healthy too!

      Reply
    4. Neha

      May 12, 2023 at 9:09 pm

      Oh I absolutely love philadelphia rolls! These looks way too good to not to give these a try.

      Reply
    5. Nathan

      May 12, 2023 at 8:50 pm

      5 stars
      I adore sushi but I've never been brave enough to make it myself. But this Philadelphia roll seems simple enough, so I'm excited to give it a try!

      Reply
    6. Whitney

      May 12, 2023 at 6:52 pm

      5 stars
      This roll is so simple yet delicious, I love salmon and cream cheese plus having the veggies makes me feel like I am eating a well balanced meal!

      Reply
    7. Beth

      May 12, 2023 at 6:21 pm

      5 stars
      This is the best sushi I've ever made at home. I love Philadelphia rolls, and these came out perfectly.

      Reply
    8. Ali

      May 12, 2023 at 6:13 pm

      5 stars
      I love philadelphia rolls! This looks soo tasty.. I have some noori in my pantry, I think I’ll try these for dinner tonight!

      Reply
    9. Kushigalu

      May 12, 2023 at 5:38 pm

      5 stars
      Healthy and delicious rolls. Thanks for the recipe. Pinned to try this soon.

      Reply
    10. veenaazmanov

      May 12, 2023 at 4:48 pm

      5 stars
      I am a Sushi lover and I will definitely love this Philadelphia Roll too. Love the Cucumber, Salmon and cream cheese combination.

      Reply

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