How to make sushi rice – the complete recipe
Preparing sushi rice may seem complicated at the beginning, but as you proceed with it you can see that it is a bit like cooking ordinary rice, but with vinegar added to it, and a bit of Japanese technique. Making sushi rice involves washing, soaking, cooking, and seasoning. Let’s review:
Choosing right
Japanese short-grain rice takes different amounts of water than long grain rice and is much shorter and stickier that the regular long grain rice. Long grain (‘regular’) rice just isn’t sticky enough for sushi making, so you cannot use it. Here is how a bag of sushi rice should look like.
Measuring sushi rice
Prepare 1 cup of sushi rice per 3 sushi rolls. Each roll makes up 6-8 little sushi pieces. 2 rolls are recommended per person, depending on personal preferences. Wash the rice (1 cup = 3 rolls) with running Water for 1-2 minutes until there is no more starch coming out of it. For best results, let the rice soak in water for 30 minutes to help soften it.
After washing the rice, place it gently in a pot and add more water than rice. It should be about 1.2:1 in favor of the water. That is 20% more water compared to the rice. Do not add excessive water, or you will have dough instead of rice.
Still not sure? Check out our Quantity calculator.Cooking the rice
Cook the rice on high heat at first, stir every minute or two, until the water boils. Then, lower the heat to low and cover the pot.
After 6-8 min, check the water level – If there is no more water, only bigger grains of rice in the pot, that means the rice is ready. If not, check back every minute, making sure not to burn the rice at the bottom.
Quantity calculator
We are here to help with all the calculations. Select how many sushi rolls you will be making and the widget will provide you with the quantities. Have a go!
Units:
Taking out the rice
It is important to keep a few things in mind when taking the rice out of the pot: Only use a wooden spoon to handle the cooked rice. A metal spoon will cause the rice to be damaged, and it can also react with the vinegar we will be adding later.
Second, do not scrape the rice out from the bottom of the pot. If it comes out easily, that is great. Otherwise, do not use it. The rice will taste bad. Put it in wooden or plastic bowls to chill.
Seasoning the rice
Rice vinegar mixed with sugar and salt is essential for giving sushi it’s distinct combination of flavors. If you neglect this part, your sushi won’t quite taste like sushi should. It is not recommended to substitute rice vinegar as most types of vinegar are much too strong. Rice vinegar is quite delicate and blends in perfectly with the rice.
How is this done?
For 3 cups of dry sushi rice, use 0.5 cup of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of salt. Use only rice vinegar! Any other kind of vinegar will taste bad. Alternatively, you could use Sushi rice seasoning powder.
Mix together in a small pot, on medium heat until all solids are mixed together.
Pour mixture on rice and mix well. That should take a minute or two.
Let the rice cool down for a few minutes until it reaches room temperature. Don’t put the rice in the fridge to make it cool faster – that will damage the rice. You can however use a fan, A/C or put it by the window.
Important tip – Some people prefer less seasoned sushi rice. Additionally, the strength from different brands of rice vinegar might vary. If it is your first time making sushi rice, or you are uncertain, prepare half the amount of seasoning described above. Mix it with the rice and taste.
Trust your own senses if you like to use the full amount or not.
Final thoughts
That’s it, you’ve made it! For the sake of the internet, please take a moment to share your experience in the comments section below. Did it turn out as you expected? Better? Ask any question you have, somebody able to answer and it might even help other folks with the same question in the future. And most importantly, enjoy making sushi!
The secret ingredient in this sushi rice recipe is the kombu. It adds an extra depth of flavor that’s hard to beat.
I was hesitant to make sushi rice at home, but this recipe made it a breeze. The rice turned out perfectly.
Made this today with well rinsed Kokuho Rose California Supreme Rice which then soaked in cold water for 30 minutes before cooking. The only change was the addition of a piece of kombu seaweed to the rice cooker, which was removed when done. It turned out wonderfully.
I have used this article more than 20 times, The quantity calculator is super helpful, and I will always have to place my guests number there .
Thanks for your great help!
Amazing recipe,very clear instructions. The quantity calculator was super helpful!
Thank you very much – That’s great to hear, and I’m glad it helped you.
Any other kind of vinegar will taste bad thats not true with apple vinegar Will taste the same and is perfect substitute for rice vinegar
It is not, it is close to rice vinegar but it is not the same
I have used apple cider vinegar for salmon teriyaki poke bowls. I can see it being a good substitute if it complements the other parts of the sushi especially used with salmon.
This recipe is Fantastic. 1st time maker here and it turned out perfectly thanks to these excellent instructions, well the rice turned out perfectly, I definitely need more practice on the rolling. Thank you!
Hi guys! I want to try my luck with sushi making at home. This recipe is definitely the best to follow (all replies help to build trust as well), but I have one question. It’s OK to use a glass bowl to rest and season the rice, instead of plastic or wood, right? Thanks in advance 🙏
You can use a glass bowl, yes. Just don’t use a reactive metal bowl of any sort. Avoid metal altogether – the vinegar reacts with the metal and can produce metalic flavours. Also, to rest, use the widest, and most flat bowl you have to maximise realease of steam.
Brilliant, just brilliant! I always thought sushi rice was too complicated so never tried. This was my first time and it turned out absolutely perfect. I still can’t believe it. Like others, I used a little less vinegar than you suggested but everything is a matter of taste. Following your instructions, the consistency was unbelievably good. I’m feeling rather smug now. Thank you 🙂
We’ve used this recipe several times and always been happy with the results. The best time was when three family members faced off in a sushi making challenge which was a lot of fun. By the way the winner was the then 11 year-old who had practiced ahead of time, leaving his parents in the dust so to speak!
This was a great sushi rice recipe. I grew up making white and brown rice for dinner every day, and this was perfect, thank you.
this recipe has the best sushi vinegar mixture. i prefer it very sour and not much sweet. other recipes are too sweet and no vinegar taste.
I make recipes exactly how recommended first to see if I like it and then adjust next time if not. Ive made sushi and poke bowls quite a few times and this recipe was the perfect consistency of all recipes I’ve tried but a tiny bit too much vinegar for my taste. Other than that great job!
First time I was able to make some decent sushi rice! Thank you so much for sharing!
This is the perfect way. The first time I made was from an on line video and exactly as described. To cool the rice I used a clean cloth soaked in cold water over a bowl which I put the rice in after cooking. If you find the method for making the seasoning fiddly it’s possible to buy the seasoning ready made and yes try a little at first if not sure. Also I always use a wooden spoon and am gentle with the rice once cooked. It also can be made hours before preparation of the sushi which is how I do and refresh my damp cloth over the rice. Seemed so complicated but with mindfulness and good preparation it becomes so easy. A very cheap and healthy meal. Delicious
Thank you for this recipe. I used it to make sushi at home tonight. It was perfect!
Probably too much Rice Wine Vinegar for me. Will use less next time.
This IS the PERFECT Sushi rice recipe! My guests couldn’t believe that this was my first time making sushi. It tasted exactly like the one served in restaurants 🙂 Thank you!
wow
I love it thank you
Glad I found this recipe, turned out great and easy to work with. I had tried 4 other recipes before, this has been the best so far (….and all others had claimed to be perfect sushi rice)
Thank you for this recipe! I don’t cook much, but this made it easy. My daughter who loves sushi said this was the best sushi rice she’s had. Now can you make a post for assembling and rolling? 🙂 Still not great at rolling a tight roll.
We used a sushi maker which is basically a two part mould with gaps to cut up evenly e.g. Pure Orinetal brand
I’ve used a variety of recipes to create sushi rice; this was the first time I didn’t have a thick layer of burnt rice at the bottom of the pan.
Also, other recipes I’ve used asked for a lot more rice vinegar, salt and sugar than this one, so I was a little worried it wouldn’t be enough, but it was absolutely fine.
I used it for poke bowls, so can’t tell you how well it would hold up for sushi, but it seems to stick together will enough, without being wet.
Thank you for sharing your method in so much detail.
Great recipe, only reason I gave it 4.5 stars is that for my personal taste I would cut down just a bit on rice vinegar.
It does say to use half the recommended amount of vinegar if this is your first time making sushi…
I love this recipe, works very well. The calculator is amazing and very helpful
Worked out great for me, thank you!
Is the seasoning poured over cooked rice or is it part of the cooking liquid?
No the seasoning is added after the rice is cooked
Why can’t the vinegar, sugar, salt be added to the water and cook the rice in this solution? Wouldn’t the flavor be better distributed throughout the rice?
Cooking vinegar evaporates it – so simply put you lose some seasoning by cooing it with rice. For best results add the vinegar solution right after the rice had cooked.
I don’t recommend cooking rice with salt because it will make it more mushy. Salt tenderizes things
Lovely mate. Just made it it, lovely rice, perfect for sushi.
Am currently making rice. Thx very much 🍣
You cannot make rice, it is the seed of a culivated plant. You can plant it, harvest it and cook it but you cannot possibly make it.
Are you just making this up?
you know what making rice is in plain english. you could say preparing rice, cooking rice… but making rice is universally accepted..
What kind of rice?
Look for “Japanese rice” or “sushi rice” on the label.
In the USA, you are more likely to find the Californian version of medium-grain Japonica as “Calrose”.
Thanks for your recipe, i made now
What happened to the section on cooking the rice? 😬
can i use FUKUIZUMI cooking wine for my sushi rice
Hello, can you explain if the measurement of cup here refers to a regular cup or a rice cup? The cup came with the rice cooker is a smaller size cup and is what I use when I cook rice. Thanks.
I think that the ratio is what is essential here, rather than the actual volume. 3 cups dry rice to 1/2 cup vinegar, so long as you use the same measuring vessel. It’s 6:1.
I know this was forever ago. I was always told when using a cup for rice it doesnt matter the size (measuring compared to coffee cupnor other cup) as long as you use the same size cup for water too.
I just cooked some perfect rice. Thank you!!!
Hi I just would like to know the portions in Grams since I live in Europe.
Can anyone help me??
I would like to know for 5 sushi rolls
You can change the measurement to metrics
I have read through many times and can’t seem to find the cooking time for stovetop cooking?
Great job on this recipe. Informative and concise. Turns out perfect each and every time.
Took your suggestion of having my girlfriend assemble the rolls and nigiri as part if her birthday dinner surprise.
Great recipe!! Made quarantine a little more fun
Mirin
A staple ingredient that is commonly used in Japanese cuisine, mirin is a sweet rice liquor that is fermented with koji, which is used to make the alcoholic drinks saké and shochu. Approximately 400-500 years ago, a typical seasoning comprised a mixture of shochu and mirin. This mixer was commonly consumed as an alcoholic liquor or as a sweetener to make shochu more tolerable to drink.
Mirin is made by adding shochu, a distilled spirit from rice, halfway through the saké brewing process. The shochu stops the process by killing the fungus in the fermenting rice. Mirin is also made by using steamed glutinous rice, a sweet mochi rice, mixed with rice malt and distilled rice shochu. Interestingly, glutinous rice is, in fact, gluten-free. Shochu alcohol stops the malt function, decomposes the protein and starch found in glutinous rice, and stops the saké fermenting and becoming sweet and thick. In general, the addition of shochu gives mirin a light, sweet, and slightly malty taste, which makes it suitable for either drinking or cooking. Amazake Saké is also made in the same way; however, it is stored and cured for an additional 18 months.
When it comes to purchasing a good-quality mirin, much of the products sold in stores today are nothing like the original malted rice liquor. In fact, many Japanese companies based in the USA that produce mirin use corn syrup instead of the natural method of production, which is really a shame!
“Real” mirin should taste like a rice Liquor with a mildly sweet taste and can be enjoyed as a cocktail mixed with soda or even fruit juices. When used as a garnish or dressing, mirin has a savory flavor, a caramel color, and a glossy sheen.
Here, it should be noted that mirin is neither saké nor vinegar. Moreover, mirin should not be mistaken for sweetened rice wine. An authentic mirin should contain approximately 12-14% alcohol, and because of the way it ages, along with its sugar content, mirin has a golden to light-amber color and a slightly thick consistency. Please don’t let false labeling convince you that are buying a “real” mirin.
Mirin is also used to make sushi rice as it gives a mild sweetness and deeper flavor to the rice, as well as the velvety texture that makes sushi really special. Mirin is an essential ingredient in the Japanese culinary arts. If you are planning a special meal or dinner, make sure to buy high-quality ingredients. This is especially true for mirin and Japanese rice, which should always be high-quality.
Very interesting – Thanks for sharing! How do you know so much about mirin?
Thanks for the information …enjoyed that bit of reading
I have been using this recipe for years and it never disappoints 😊
This was my first attempt at making sushi rice, and it was perfect!
I tried the standard recipe with 3 cups sushi rice (in our rice cooker) to make 9 rolls of sushi. Pre-mixing the vinegar, sugar and salt was a very important step, in order to avoid overstiring the rice. I added an extra tbsp of sugar. Adding the vinegar mixture to the rice when it is still very hot helps a bunch. I’m also glad that we purchased the full-sized sheets of Nori in a big resealable bag.
I use rice clickers and it come out very nice, and the seasoning was great. Thanks
I’m still looking for the perfect sushi rice recipe. I’ll try your method and maybe experiment with different kinds of rice vinegar to see which gives me the best results. I’m excited to see how it comes out!
Perfect recipe, thank you!
With no rice vinegar, I’m faced with a dilemma. I have an Italian white wine vinegar, a generic apple cider vinegar, and a tarragon white wine vinegar from France (it’s incredibly subtle). I also have balsamic but I’m quite certain that would be problematic. Oddly, I’m really leaning toward the tarragon… Any thoughts or suggestions? Should I change the proportions?
Can u make sushi bowls with this rice too
I’m not good in math so can u convert 1 japanese cup of rice in grams and the other ingredients also I’m single so I don’t want to waste any rice thank u
Perfect! I’ve followed step by step your direction andit turned out as if I had been doing this for ages, so thank you for helping me out with my first sushi ever. Easy to follow, clear instruction and no surprises at the end,
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Easy and delicious!
La recette est bonne et facile javais un peut de saumon fumé dans le frigo et par hasard je me suis tenté a faire des sushis c’etait amusant et bon…Merci
Can you make sushi rice without putting sugar?
Yes, it will not taste exactly the same and the rice will be less sticky, but other than that it’s up to your liking.
Great rice. You can get away with cider vinegar as a substitute for rice vinegar.
My 10 year old is making his first attempt at a California Roll today. So far so good with the rice. Just not certain for how long to let the rice cool to reach “body temp”. We’ll just play it by feel for now and hope it pans out.
It would be a good idea to spare at least 20-30 minutes for the rice to cool down. You can use that time to prepare the rest of ingredients for your sushi dinner. It is hard to predict exactly how long it would take is that depends on rice quantity, room temperature, etc.
I made sushi for my family for the first time. This recipe is great. So easy to accomplish. Thanks
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
What size are the nori sheets?????
According to Wikipedia, a nori sheet is approximately 18 cm × 20 cm (7 in × 8 in) and 3 grams (0.11 oz) in weight.
First time I made sushi rice and I found this recipe and directions very good. The rice wasn’t restaurant perfect however I think after a few more tries and some minor adjustments for my stove and equipment I will perfect it. Thank you.
Practice makes perfect. Glad you are enjoying this.
Made sushi for the first time today and followed this recipe, everything turned out perfect 🙂
Thank you! Blessings…
First time making sushi rice and it tastes great. I had to add more water as it cooked because it was still crunchy but the seasoning was spot on. Is there a sweetener version so I no sugar could be added?
I used to make Sushi all the time in Australia and gave up when I came to the UK, as I could t find the rice flavouring anywhere…. however your information is
Just awesome! Thank you I had forgotten how to get the sushi rice correct and used to use Sushinoko powder. So I’m going to use Mitsukan and or another type an hope it tastes as good! You are right, the rice is everything! Thank you for the fantastic step by step explanation.
Thanks for the kind words, good to hear you enjoyed it! If you are around London, you can find all the right condiments at the “Japan centre” in soho. It’s truely a wonderful place for any Japanese cooking needs.
I made the recipe and it was most perfect. Thank you especially for the calculator which turned out to be very useful! It didn’t get a result with exact quantities for 2.5 cups of rice, but I was able to easily estimate by going up and down to get an idea.
My only issue is the rice is not cooked completely (it stays a bit crunchy). I haven’t been able to perfect the taste yet.
Hey Elfi – Thanks for writing, asking is the first step!
If the rice stays crunchy, it means it didn’t get enough water. That should not happen if the following applies:
1. You used the right type of rice.
2. You used the right water to rice ratio.
3. You used a proper lid.
Hope you get a better results next time.
We don’t use cups here in the UK, so I don’t understand the measurements 😕
Cups are an easy measurement as a bridge between American and metric measurements.
If you don’t live in: Burma, Liberia, or the USA – you might like to know 1 Cup (US) equals ~236ml.
1 American cup is pretty much the same as 1 standard English mug. Not the football kind, the kind you drink tea out of.
This is great and the only recipe I use
I love the way you presented the recipes – easy to understand. Thanks.
looks good but way to much reading, better if you can simplify for those just needing to make sushi rice.
Sam. You’re a bit of a tadger…
We have used this recipe often on the stove top with consistent success. Do you have ratios for a rice cooker? We typically make enough to feed 8 people, maybe three cups of rice?
Can you leave it for a couple of hours before you make the actual sushi roll
less than 2 hours
I have made this 5 times now using Brown rice as a substitute, raw sugar instead of white and freshly ground pink Himalayan seasalt. The rice and taste is perfect every time. I followed the method as written. So far the best I have come across. The brown rice works lovely and my son just adores these with avocado in the roll. 5 stars!!
Hello i just want to know if the cup size you are referring to for the rice , is like the standard cup we use also for baking? Some site refers to the cup that comes with our rice cooker which is really small. Really looking forward to your guidance Thank you!!!
They mean the cup that comes with the rice cooker. It makes sense, if they meant a big tea mug (250ml), this recipe wouldn’t be for 4 but 8 people.
tea mug and measuring cup are two different thing though so the question wasn’t silly at all
Would it be an issue to use stevia instead of the white sugar
Try it and see what happens. Since, I am assuming, it comes in a powder form you will need to use less. That I will guess maybe by 50%.
Won’t work as well,, especially because it’s mainly the sugar that makes the rice so sticky
Can i use any alternative for seasoning? Maybe White vinegar for instance?
You can, it just won’t taste as perfect. But it will taste fine. Just use a little less (I’d say 20-30 percent less) regular vinegar.
Guys I am confused about the amounts, as you write “cups” of rice, but there are dozens of cup sizes, on the other hand for the vinegar and so you write “tablespoons” which are all equal in their size
Metric cup sizes and tablespoon sizes have been been standard in cooking since before you were born. Buy them at the store.
It came out really well! And I heeded the advice to add half- that was nearly enough for me- added a little more and that was perfect! Thank you
Thank you for the recipe! Worked out great. Best sushi rice I’ve ever made (legit I’ve tried about 6 times and haven’t had it come out well.. this is by far the best I can’t wait to make it into sushi).
Literally the best recipe ever! Tx alot! Came out perfect.
What is the amount of water I should use to cook 3 cups of rice at high altitude? Thanks
I made sushi for my family tonight and it was a hit! Thank you for such easy to follow instructions.
Just a question: with the leftover sushi rice can you make onigeri and freeze them? If so, what kind of filling freezes best? Thanks in advance.
Do you by chance have instructions for making sushi rice in an instant pot? I’ve found a few and they don’t turn out right. We have a rice maker, love our sushi rice made in it, but are trying to conserve counter space by using one appliance rather than two.
Thank you.
I use 2 cups of rice, minimum (follow your pressure cookers guidelines for water for 2 cups of rice). Rinse the rice. Water must be clear. I add about 5ml of salt although this is optional with sushi rice. I put mine pressure cooker on steam. Let it steam for 10min. Do NOT have “Keep Warm” function set. Once done leave in pot for 10 min to let the steam off naturally. After 10 min release any remaining steam. Mix in your sushi mixture and wait for it to cool.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!!! I just made it for the first time and it was pretty much on the spot in the sushi rice flavor.
Just finished the rice !! This recipe made it so easy to follow and it turned out very good!
I tried this recipe out last night, and it worked out fantastically! I have made sushi rice once before, and it ended up being a complete disaster, but this time it was so easy and delicious! Thank you 🙂
Excellent rice recipe. I made sushi for the first time today and it was perfect. Thank you for sharing!
I’ve been cooking sushi for 6 yrs now, I’ve worked in take away food to make sushi, I love doing it even at home especially if my kids have party they always ask me to make sushi, there friends love it so much, ❤️
When I come to making balls of rice in my hands, it all falls apart. What am I doing wrong?
One thing that helps make the rice sticky is the sugar mixed with the rice vinegar. Did you make sure to add that?
Did you use a long-grain rice instead of a medium or short-grained variety? It’s important not to use long-grain.
I worked in a sushi restaurant for 5 years. The 3 things that make sticky rice sticky are the rice, sugar, and vinegar . While the sugar may seem like the ingredient that would make rice sticky, it’s actually a reaction between the protein in the rice and the acid in the vinegar. Yes, the sugar is absolutely necessary in the right amount but it is really only a secondary part of the reaction that makes sticky rice. However, be sure to use a medium grain rice. That provides enough starch to react with the vinegar. Finally, there is a comment in the recipe that states to let the rice come to room temperature and not put it in the refrigerator. That statement is absolutely correct. If you are trying to make the rice in advance then after it comes to room temperature you can put it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. When you go to use the rice be sure to let it come to room temperature. Do not try to heat it in the microwave or any other way. Enjoy! P.S. Sticky rice has a refrigerator life of about 2 days maximum.
Thank you Steve!
Made this recipe for the first time for a california roll cake(s). The rice was great! Rave reviews on the california roll cakes. I added toasted sesame seeds to 1/2 of the rice and made two layers, 1 without sesame seeds on the bottom, and with black and white toasted sesame seeds on the top layer. Thanks
the part were the recipe is talking about adding the rice vinegar, can someone explain that to me i am so confused. like if you have 2 cups of cooked rice how much vinegar do i use?
Hey Sam, the rice vinegar amounts in the recipe are per cup of dry rice, as dry rice is much easier to measure (less sticky). The conversion however is pretty simple: 1 cup of dry sushi rice = about 2 cups cooked.
Easy and delicious
I have begun making my own Sushi at home, thus far I’ve only made the same thing, shrimp, imitation crab, cucumber, red bell pepper. I guess my first question would be can for refrigerate left over rice? And, to guess it right when you make up the seasoning for the rice and they say 1 cup of cooked rice is that 1 cup of uncooked or 1 cup after it’s cooked, because one cup of uncooked make a little bit over 2 cups of rice.
It wont be good to work with after its refrigeratorated. Its gets stiff. Sushi is pretty much an all in one night kind of meal.
Can you make the rice a day ahead.
No. Can work with it after its been in fridge
I tried 2 methods stove top the way you suggested and in oven. I like the consistency of the rice in the oven better. I place in 350 degree oven i placed rice in new metal cake pan added water until it was aprox. a pinky thickness above the rice. Covered with foil for 30 minutes came out great.
This website is awesome!!!! Thankssss
hi… is mirin required for sushi rice too? please reply .. Thanks….
Mirin can work just use half the amount.
Turned out delicious! I’ve officially bookmarked this site as my “go-to” for sushi rice. Especially with how much my husband loves poke!
So thankful to this site. I’m now an expert in making sushi rice. Lol. I never imagined I would find a site that offers up-to-date tips on how to make sushi. Thanks a ton!
Loved the way the rice 🍚 turned out and loved the instructions- well done!!
Wow… I actually got it right this time. I’m really grateful.
Can anyone tell me where can I get that plastic wrapper for sushi I searched a lot but can’t get it
Tnx
If you mean a rolling mat, you can buy one at any Asian grocery store. Just buy a bamboo one and wrap it in plastic wrap. Any plastic wrap will work. For the mat, I’d suggest one that’s flat on one side. This video will show you how to wrap the mat
https://youtu.be/bol4jnttoOA
Bamboo mats are sold at most Asian markets for around 2 bucks. I put mine in a gallon-size Zip-Loc bag rather than fight covering them with plastic wrap.
Amazon, bb&b, walmart
First time wanting to make sushi, Looking forward to try it out.
This recipe is a little different that the one I was taught by a friend who owns a Japanese restaurant. She told me to rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then no matter how much rice you put in the pot, put your hand on top of the rice and fill the pot to your wrist with water. Then bring the rice to a boil, drop the burner down to low, cover the pot, and cook for 25 minutes without taking the cover off during that time. Then take the pot off the burner and let it sit for a half hour with the cover on. After a half hour, dump the rice into a bowl and season. It’s come out perfect for me every time.
Thanks for sharing!
I used to be a make sushi in a local restaurant and we made the rice in a very similar fashion to what you are describing. However that type of method works very well when you have professional gear that you very familiar with. Folks at home might have very different equipment, and various levels of experience using it.
Can your friend share her tips for seasoning as well?
I tried this today and perfect results!! So easy and fool proof. Thanks for the tip!
Thank you sooo much! I’ve struggled for so long trying to cook the perfect sushi rice. It would always come out to hard or too mushy. I followed your directions exactly and it came out perfect. I now realize that I wasn’t allowing my rice to steam and I wasn’t washing off the starch before cooking.
Glad I could help 🙂 Enjoy your 🍣!
Interesting! The last time I tried making sushi rice I had a bad experience, I never got it right. I just pointed out my mistakes from this guide. I will head to try it again. Thanks!
That’s great to hear! Good luck with your new batch – and let us know how it went 🙂
This recipe and its ingredients are just as advertised………PERFECT!!!!!!
Ive been using the wrong rice the whole time that why mine never comes put right thank you for the next time
Thank you. I appreciate the extra tips for example the wooden spoon and why. Great recipe and makes the right amount for my family.
Great Article. I was wondering to make sushi at home and was looking for the best way to make it. These are some really cool tips for making sushi at home. I hope my sushi will taste good. Thanks for sharing such an amazing article.
Made it this way the first time and it was perfect- don’t change a thing! Easiest recipe to follow too, thank you for posting it!
We’ve made it. Second time we have done this and Your guide helped us a lot, improved the taste. Its not perfect but its really helpful and all in all really tasty! Thank You for sharing.
I made it using only one cup of sushi rice since it’s my first attempt and I didn’t want to waste a lot of product. I cut everything into thirds, and am using a garlic infused rice vinegar. It’s a little to vinegary and sweet so next time I’ll reduce both a little.
Where can i find rice vinegar?
Hey Jodi!
That really depends where you live, but try your local supermarket or buy online e.g. from Amazon.
I found it at Walmart on the “Asian food” aisle 🙂
Walmart usually has it on a top shelf in the vinegar aisle.
Worked out great, just like in restaurants 🙂
The rice turned out great! I found out that brown sugar works in placement of white sugar for the seasoning. The brown sugar doesn’t change the color of the rice at all.
The rice turned out to be perfect!! <3
Thank you! I am doing it again today. 🙂
The recipe turned out perfect! This is my first time making sushi rice and I made it in a rice cooker too. Thank you, this was very helpful!
this is the best cooking website ever out of all the other ones, my sushi rice tastes just like the ones you get from japan I RECOMMEND THİS WEB TO ANYONE WHO WANTS SCRUMPTOUS(means scrummy, yummy and delicious at the same time) SUSHİ RİCE and wants a nice happy tummy i think sushi is the best food in the WORLD
I love sushi! But due to a diet change I have been using brown medium calrose rice with the sushi seasoning. However, I would like to find an alternative to using rice wine vinegar (or vinegar/mirin), and have heard you can use cranberry juice. I realise this isn’t going to be like traditional sushi at all, but need to find a way to stick the brown rice together. Any ideas would be much appreciated. KT
Leave the rice a little moist, do not cook it as long
Fantastic site made sushi for the first time using your recipes and the rice came out great! I can see how it can take a long time to master the technique but your instructions were spot on!
Question: How long will the sushi rice keep, if I made it late morning (11 am) and didn’t use it until dinner (7pm) is that okay and if so, how would I store it.
Thanks!
LC
The rolls should be consumed within 24 hours. As far as the rice itself, it can be used, however the quality will be lowered a ridiculous amount. I personally use a rice cooker with a warming function, it keeps the rice warm for up to 5 hours.
Would you share your recipe using a rice cooker? Obviously the water should be measured exactly in that instance. Thx
i would say put a cover over it and keep in a cool, dry place:)
This was PERFECT. I needed even a little less than half of the seasoning but that gave me leftover to season my veggies.
I would clarify for other total newbies that the 3 rolls you get per uncooked cup of rice is 3 “logs” – rolls about 8″ long that can be cut into six or so pieces each (varies with how you slice them). So three cups of rice would make around 54 pieces.
(This is embarrassing, but I thought “roll” meant a round piece cut from the log, not the log itself – like when making jelly rolls, cinnamon buns, etc, where the slice from the tightly rolled log is what is called a roll. So while I thought it sounded like too much rice, since I wanted 6-12 pieces, I made 2 cups of rice, and wound up with a cookie sheet full of pieces instead A happy surprise, but still a surprise!)
Anyway, thank you for this awesome tutorial. My sushi came out exactly how I wanted on my very first try and I’m so happy!
I was curious as to how long a “roll” was! Thanks for answering for me ????????
Hahaa! Same thing happened to me, so I made much more than really needed, but turned our so perfect that I didn’t regret the waisted rice. Lessons learned!
Perfecting sushi is an art your have shown the way!
I tried this recipe night before last and decided to attempt it with regular white rice. It turned out great! The steps were clear and very very helpful. We really enjoyed our first homemade sushi dinner. 🙂 thank you so much!
Been hankering after Sushi for a fortnight and ive just made the rice 🙂 looks great and currently cooling.. now away to Google which side up should I have the nori..
Great instructions.. much better than on rice packet!!
Do you think that this same mixture will work with brown rice? I am trying to make healthy sushi! 😉
Brown rice will not stick together as well as traditional short grain white rice. Your sushi would probably fall apart.
I’m a little late to reply, but mixing white and brown rice would work better than using brown rice alone. It would provide a bit of stickiness. You would probably have to cook the brown and white rice separately because they have different cooking times and water amounts.
i just made a half batch of this. first time making sushi. i did find it a little salty, but it was otherwise delicious. especially like the tip of the fan.
as a first time sushi maker, i applaud and thank you for the easy tips.
Best rolls yet! I over sugared. and over vinegared. But I got the rice right this time.
Thanks.
Works every time. Thanks
I used a little more than half of the vinegar mixture, and it was perfect for my taste.
Great cooking advise!I eliminated the sugar from the recipe..that’s just for my taste though!
Is rice vinegar the same as rice wine vinegar?
Short answer: Yes.
Longer answer: vinegar is a product of wines in general it’s a byproduct of a bacteria that “eats” alcohol in wine. So rice vinegar is when rice wine is converted by this bacteria.
An aside: obviously rice wine is made by using yeast to convert the starch/sugars from rice into alcohol.
I have seasoned rice vinegar, how does that impact how much sugar and salt I use? Or is it already added?
Hey Maria, if the rice vinegar is already seasoned – there is no need to add sugar and salt to it.
To be sure, taste a tiny bit of it to tell if it is sweet and salty enough and add accordingly.
Thanks. Worked really well
Great recipe thanks for sharing
First time making sushi. Had to cook the rice a few minutes longer then they called for. Didn’t use all the vinegar mixture called for, but probably will in the future.
Can I use Kikkoman Aji mirin?
This entire site is awesome. I’ve been using it for several years now. It’s so easy to make basic rolls. My toddler loves tomago, avocado and Inari rolls. For 9 little slices at Whole Foods, you’ll pay $6. For $6, I can make 10 times that! Making sushi is also really fun for parties.
Excellent recipe! Worked perfectly and no sake needed.
First time making sushi at home & this recipe is spot on.
Was a bit nervous making the rice but followed the instructions precisely & its spot on, great flavour & a sticky consistency.
Couldnt tell the difference from the professionals. Well done hubby & I.
Dont have rice vinegar what can I use?
Cider vinegar! It’s what I used I just diluted it with a tiny bit of water so it wasn’t so strong
Thanks, the rice is just perfect. Usualy i get upset, now im happy. Happy new year from lithuania!
Labas. My husband and I live in Alytus. We are going to try making sushi. Happy Spring!
Thank you for the Water to rice ratio. I just made this rice, and I feel like I nailed it with this recipe.
How much water did you use exactly compared to rice? Thanks!
A few inches abovr the rice
thanks so much for your advice on how to make sushi rice! I never knew what I needed to add. The first time I made sushi, I just used plain rice (without adding the sugar/salt/rice vinegar mixture). But now, I followed your recipe and wow, it really tasted the way it should — how I’ve tried in Japanese restaurants. Thank you for sharing!
The best sushi rice I had so far! They must include this recipe with every rice pack! The one I have on the back of my pack is complete crap. I’m happy I’ve found this recipe! The texture and the taste are great. I’ve used a silicon spatula and a glass bowl, and it worked fine for me.
Thanks for great recipe!
I cooked the rice tonight but plan to make sushi tomorrow. .. do I wait til room temperature then store in fridge?
never cool the rice below room temperature, that will make it hard and dry. Given that it does not take not long to prepare the rice it is always recommendable to prepare it freshly, it tastes best when it is fresh and still handwarm.
Yes cooking and making same day is best! Helpful hint for rice that has been refrigerated- to soften, moisten a paper towel with water ( make sure wet where water drips a little) cover rice entirely and heat in micro. It will be soft and moist again!
What happens if you put it in a glass or metal bowl?
In fact, you should use wooden bowl according to Japanese. However I really don’t think that it is so important so use the glass one. Regarding the metal bowl, I definitely don’t recommend it. The rice vinegar will react with the metal.
What about using a plastic bowl?
if you dont have a wooden bowl i suggest the best thing to use is a wooden chopping board
Plastic may pick up the flavor of the vinegar. And you want to be careful putting anything super hot, right out of the pan, into plastic. That said, it probably won’t damage the flavor or texture of your rice to use plastic.
Very good, clear, concise directions. The key to good sushi is the rice. I’ve read master sushi chefs take great pride in their ability to create consistently high quality rice.
how can u tell the differents to a cheap mat and a googd mat
tnx
How can i exactly measure one of cup? How much is this ?
Good question! One US cup equals 8 ounce or about 240 ml.
Can the salt be left out?
It won’t taste as good, but if you don’t like salt or have a health concern you can surely leave it out.
Great recipe! I have never made the rice properly. I always just tried using Basmati….never work or tasted like the real deal. Tonight we had Dutch friends over for dinner and we all made sushi rolls for the first time together and then watched Kungfu Panda. lol. It was a blast…super full Asian themed night. And this recipe helped make it all happen. Our guests said it tasted better than in restaurants too! Thanks. Definitely will be keeping it for future reference.
This is the perfect Sushi rice recipe! Loved it. The family loved it so much. It was perfectly easy to make in my rice maker. I added the viniger mix after. Thanks for this great recipe!
Did you use a rice cooker? If so, what measurements did you use?
Very good instruction.
Thank you!
easier way to make sushi
Worked out well
Teriyaki sauce has salt and sugar as ingredients – can it be combined with the vinegar in lieu of the salt and sugar?
No! Your rice will end up the wrong color and it won’t be sushi rice!
Great recipe. Works every time…..
What is the best way to cook sushi rice?
Rice cooker, pressure cooker, pan, or pot?
My aunt is Chinese and makes sushi all the time. She always uses a pressure cooker to make the softness of the rice nice and even. It’s always turns out perfect that way!
Rice cooker always the best. To measure the amount of water to use for cooking use the first line of your middle finger, closest to the fingertip. Place middle finger on the very top surface of rice and water should measure precisely to the line on that finger. Will come out perfect every time! I like mine a little bit drier so I put a little bit less water. We eat rice daily here in Hawaiʻi pretty much. Wē also use short grain rice as opposed to the long grain which is very different in texture and i couldnʻt imagine making sushi with that it doesn’t have the sticky quality that is needed.
I prepared my first sushi ever and it was as good as the local take out’s.
I used ‘calrose’ rice and cooked it for 8 minutes but it was a bit ‘al dente’ for my taste. Will try 9 minutes next time. The vinegar mix was spot on though…
Now I’m going to try and find recipes to prepare different types of maki and nigiri’s.
Worked perfectly, maybe a little over on the vinegar although we did use Chinese instead of Japanese rice vinegar. Best tasting sushi rice by a long way. We had 2 cups of rice so had to convert to metric to make the step down easier. 1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml, the maths was easy from there.
Thank you for a great step by step.
Thanks for a great recipe! This was easy to make and exactly the right flavor.
Next time, I’ll keep a bit of boiling water ready near the end of the cooking. The rice was a bit more al dente than I’d usually prefer when it was the right consistency. A splash more water and it would have been perfect.
Hi! I still don’t get it. Do i mix vinegar, sugar and salt with cook or uncook rice? And if it’s uncook rice, do i have to add in water too?
Hi Florence, in short the steps are:
1. Cook rice
2. Take out of pot
3. Add vinegar mix
4 . Mix well
5 . Allow to cool down
Let us know how it went 🙂
You add the vinegar mix only AFTER the rice is cooked when you take it out of the pot. Then you just mix it into the rice and let it cool.
I need your advice. I strictly followed the recipe (or so I think) but at the end the rice came out very very sticky – I couldn’t even take it off my hands. Could you please tell me what I did wrong?
Hi Ari, sushi rice is supposed to come out sticky. Very sticky.
After the rice had cooled down to room temperature, wet your hands before handling the rice. This will reduce rice sticking to tie hand to a minimum.
A good idea is to prepare a bowl of water and a towel in your rolling area. Traditionally, you add a tiny bit of rice vinegar to the water.
You could also just rub some oil on your hand and then continue to deal with the rice! Cant you?
Well, I guess you could – however plain water would do the trick as well.
Watch the rice vinegar put what it says and not a drop more I messed up the first batch lol other than that hell of a recipe,????
Where to find rice vinegar?
Hi Geo,
That depends where you live. In most cities you would be able to find rice vinegar in Asian markets or whole food stores. You can also purchase rice vinegar online, e.g. on amazon via this link.
I liv in a rural Pennsylvania town and I found mine in the ethnic food section
This is the best sushi recipe I have used. I like the way the method is described in detail.
Glad you enjoyed it!
can i pour the seasoning (rice vinegar, sugar and salt) with the uncooked rice then cook it in rice cooker? or only pour them when the rice is cooked?
Hi Lilly that’s a very good question!
Never tried it myself, only after the rice is cooked. If you do try please let us know!
Can you use any other kind of vinager or does it have to be rice vinegar
I have done it with good results. Just experiment. I’m Japanese and showed my mother. She was skeptical at first but the final result was good and she was happy. Just make sure you reduce water because the vinegar is liquid.
I read that you should sweeten the sushi rice with mirin, not sugar. Does it matter?
Yes, Mirin can also be used – and is actually quite nice.
Never found better recipe. Instructions are all simple and even so that there are a lot of steps, the rice is awesome! Thank you for this! (:
How much of each ingredients would be used if I only used 1 cup of rice?
Just divide all the quantities by 3….you’re making 1/3 the amount of rice, so you need 1/3 of everything else….
You would use 1/3 of each ingredient, just keep it proportional to the rice and you should be OK. ????
Thank you very much. I need practice making the maki, but the rice tasted excellent.
If the rice vinegar is cold, can I mix if with the rice? Or should I wait until the vinegar cool down to room temp? Thank u!
The rice and rice vinegar should both be hot when mixed.
No need to cool it down. Both the rice and rice vinegar should be mixed while still hot.
I always use this method. So pleased I found it! Thanks.
Very good
This recipe worked out very well. I cut it down to 1 cup uncooked rice. I also let my rice soak for about an hour before cooking for stickier grains.
So I want to eat healthier and I thought sushi would be the way. Am I able to make sushi the night before and then bring it to school? Or do I make the rice the night before and prepare the sushi before I leave for school?
Lucas
Hi Lucas,
Sushi is best prepared right before consuming. If you do have to store it for a few hours, make sure it’s properly cooled.
If you store the rice in the fridge overnight, try and cover it with a damp cloth, to avoid rice dehydration.
Three cups WAS indeed referring to uncooked.
I have tried the vinegar thing in my rice and found it horrible tasting . Perhaps what is meant by 3 cups rice is uncooked . I put the 1/2 cup in 3 cups cooked rice and YUK. Going to try and add in 3 more cups cooked rice to mellow out that vinegar flavor . Oh and use brown sugar for the sugar . Three cups WAS indeed referring to uncooked.
Agreed, I made the same mistake and it was so strong!! 3 cups uncooked next time for me.
I'm just curious, is the only reason vinegar is added to the rice is for flavor? I actually hate vinegar and I've had sushi before and even when the vinegar is mild, I get nauseous. That was actually how I found out that there was vinegar in the rice. If it doesn't affect anything, I might try to make some sushi for myself without any vinegar.
Sushi literaly means vinegared rice so you kinda have add the vinegar
I used half of the rice vinegar and it was still sour!
Try white wine vinegar
I used your recipe but with a bit of variation. The 1:15 to 1 water to rice ratio did not work I had to use more water. I also soaked some lemon peel and seaweed in my vinegar for an hour to give my rice some aroma. Worked well for me! thanks. That's strange, never heard that one before. Can you tell what was the rice brand you used?
That's strange, never heard that one before. Can you tell what was the rice brand you used?
It helps to let the rice soak before cooking. I keep forgetting the soak time- 20 minutes? 40 minutes? I don't realy care, I soak it anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. It depends on how late in the day it is, if i forget about it, you get the idea. I wash the rice, soak it, drain and rinse again, then put in the pot and add the measured amount of water to cook. It only takes about 10 minutes to cook.
This recipe was perfect! With some simple instructions I (the worst chef ever) did a pretty nice rice for my sushi 🙂
Excellent this worked really well and is so delicious. Thanks
came out quite good, used same ingridients however i didnt add all the vinegar to rice, left it to taste. other than that, soft, and sticky =D …. btw, tip leave it 30 mins to soak up before cooking o.o
My rice turned out great, but being from South Louisiana, I already knew how to cook rice. It's a staple food here too. I ended up making 7 rolls, 3 shrimp/avocado/cucumber, 3 salmon/avocado/cucumber, and one inside out roll with shrimp. My wife ate sushi for the first time and loved it. She ate 9 pieces of the shrimp rolls. I cooked my shrimp by boiling it with Zatarains crab boil. That's our usual seasoning here for shrimp. I figured that if the taste was familiar to my wife that she would like it, she did. My first time to eat sushi was in Iwakuni, Japan in 1972. I've loved it since. Making it is even more rewarding.
that is so cool! i live in houston and im planning to make my husband some sushi and crispy rice for dinner tomorrow. so in los angeles, the sushi joints take a piece of sushi rice like the size you would use for an individual piece of nigiri (dominoe size) and fry it up with some black sesame seeds sprinkled on it and a band of seaweed wrapper (nori). you can just dip it in sauce or place fish or veggies on each piece. mmmmm the sushi rice gets a nice crispy crunch on the out side. this must be owing to the starch, sugar, vinegar, and the oil u cook it on. i would recommend it!
Made my first sushi last night, it turned out great. I had a little trouble with the inside out roll, my rice was not perfect. I will watch my rice closer next time or maybe it was my knife. The rice kind of pull apart on a few rolls. Your instructions were very helpful. Domo!
Yes until it was cool enough to mix the vinegar by hand as it breaks the rice less. But don't leave it to cool completely as the rice will become a sticky mess.;)
Did you cool the rice before you put your su (vinegar/sugar/salt) sauce on it?Just wondering. There are a lot of tips out there . . but some of them make this rice sound more involved than planning a wedding. (grin)
Fantastic! Thanks. Rice came out perfect. I did 3 cups of rice to 3 cups and a half water. Half cup vinegar.
Can I use sushi rice to make an onigiri?
As others here – I'm preparing to make the leap and try to make some sushi this weekend! I have no idea what possessed me, but I decided I wanted to try to make it.I can assure you, I'll be following this guide. Some of the other instructions are so intensive and laborious, they almost make you think eh, I'll just pick up a phone and order.
Thank you for great instructions for a very successful first sushi! Unfortunately my phone pic is too big. But trust me it was delish!
We were concerned about the rice because the vinegar really smelled it up! But it turned out to be great! Thank you
Rice has rich minerals to protect use from many health problem, I'm having it atleast ones a day by the suggestion of dietitian which is working very well..
Nice guide, I combine this guide with an ebook about Learn to Make Sushi at Home http://goo.gl/mDloc, and found great result. can you suggest me more guide?
I've tried this recipe and wasn't disappointed. It was pretty nice. But my rice needed a little more time to cook, maybe + 3-4 mins. Also, for some 1/2 cup of vinegar might appear a little too much(like me) I use just a little less, which is just right.
fantastic tutorial, my rice is perfect, thank you for sharing
I did it!!! Every one love my sushi and are asking me to prepare more. Thanks!!!!
Your recipe actually works very well for regular rice in lieu of sushi rice.
I've actually used regular rice, the minute rice that is done in 5 min, and it comes out great, then again I have a recipe book and sushi making kit so I can follow that. Lol I'm going to try the sushi rice though, and I'll let you guys know how that turns out
never thought it needed sugar and salt. thanks!
it sounds very exciting to have homemade yummy sushi Can someone share a link or a picture of rice vinegar? I do not know what it looks like or where to get it.
Just made a batch. OMG, I'm so full now. Was perfect, had to perfect my rolling technique plus get the right amount of rice. This was my first batch of makis and it's definitively not the last one. Was so good! Thanks!
Your recipe is our recipe of choice whenever we make sushi. We find it clear, easy to follow, and I have a hard time keeping my kids from eating the rice before it makes it into the seaweed! 🙂
Sushi rice is just small rice. Big rice doesn't get sticky and it if it gets overcooked it gets this texture which isn't nice 🙂
Great guide for sushi rice 😀 For those using metric system, I used:290mL BLue Dragon rice,310mL water,50mL rice vinegar (5%),1 table (soup) spoons of white sugar,2 teaspoons of salt.
thanks so much! we just made sushi as a family activity and it was so much fun! i followed your seps to prepare the rice and it was excellent
Two TABLESPOONS of sugar? That's pretty excessive.
Actualy, 2 Tablespoons is not that much if yiu think about it. 3 cups of uncoocked rice will yield 5-6 cups of cooked rice and the sweetness will be balanced out with the sour vinegar and the salt
Is sushi rice different in its cooking methods than regular rice as in does it get sticky if overcooked and if that does happen, can it be rinsed and still used for sushi rolls? Sushi rice is just small rice. Big rice doesn't get sticky and it if it gets overcooked it gets this texture which isn't nice 🙂
Mmmm I'm excited to try this out! Any tips on measuring the water so it isn't too much?
Actually my seaweed packet says only 1/3 cup vinegar. yours is very sour. i would say 1/3 cup for 3 cups rice. and only 1 tbsp sugar
Two tablespoons of salt? Sounds like too much to me. Maybe two teaspoons (tsp)….
I read somewhere it's better to make a new roll and store it like that. The rice alone gets a weird taste.
finally i know why my sushi rice doesnt taste the same as the store bought sushi…
I used the above recipe and it werked well. i botched the first batch, but learned quickly that u have to really strain the water out of the rice. I used equal parts water to rice and only a quarter cup of vinegar. it werked just fine. as far as everything else it was perfect. it does take some practice to spread the rice out evenly tho.
Great site, been trying to make Sushi Rolls for a long time with pretty crappy results, used your site and WOW they turned out GREAT.
Thanks
I've made too much sushi rice, and put most of it in the fridge. A week later, I've put it in the microwave, let it cool down, and made another batch of sushi.
It was a-okay for me.
Can I store extra rice for future use, or do I have to make it and use it at the same time? If I can store it, what is the best way?
Thanks- I am loving your web-site,
Rae Ann
we tried this at home aqnd it worked grerat thanks
this was really helpful i liked it alot 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it!
can't wait to try it, mmhhhh
Hi!
Great website!!
My question: everytime I make sushi rice it turns out to be very sticky. I thought this was normal but recently I saw a professional preparing sushi, and his rice wasn't soo sticky!
what am I doing wrong?
thanks Chris
Very experimental! nice going!
hi!! i was just wondering if i could use regular whole wheat short grain rice instead? i know there is whole wheat sushi rice but i can not find it at my grocery store. would whole wheat short grain rice be okay?
this site is awsome i will try to make one.HOPE it turn out right. :-[
if i cooked my rice in a rice cooker would it be the same thing?
Two spoons of sugar is what kind of spoon? tablespoon or teaspoon or..?
For 3 cups of rice, use ½ cup of rice vinegar.
No, you need to use Shari rice – commonly reffered to as "sushi rice". It is round, and sticky.
You may want to use regular rice, but it just won't taste the same.
is common rice okay?
anyway what is rice vinegar ?? kind of acetic acid ?
Great Site! Very empowering, lol Think I have the courage to try cooking sushi rice … yikes 😛
Thanku heaps for all the help, gonna try to make some sushi now… wish me luck 😉
I now see, the rice info is in a seperate page from the sushi preparation/recipe
Hi could candrel or sweetner be used instead of sugar? are they tsp or tbp?