How to make sushi rice – the complete recipe
Preparing sushi rice may seem complicated, but once you get started, you’ll find out that it is a bit like cooking ordinary rice, but with vinegar added to it, and a dash of Japanese technique. There are four key steps to making sushi rice: washing, soaking, cooking, and seasoning. Let’s review everything you need to know:
Choosing the right rice
Japanese short-grain rice has a higher starch content than long-grain rice and takes a different amount of water than long-grain rice. Short-grain rice is stickier and better for holding its shape when rolled into sushi. Long-grain (‘regular’) rice just isn’t sticky enough for sushi-making. Here is what 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 more water or you will end up with dough instead of rice.
Still not sure? Check out our Quantity Calculator.Cooking the rice
Cook the rice on high heat at first, stirring every minute or two until the water boils. Then, lower the heat to low and cover the pot. After 6-8 minutes, check the water level – if there is no more water, only bigger grains of rice in the pot, 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 much you will be making, and the calculator will provide you with the quantities. Have a go!
Units:
Taking out the rice
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 that 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 its 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 more delicate and blends in perfectly with the rice.
How to season the rice
- 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 the solids are mixed together.
- Pour the mixture onto the 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. Also, the strength of rice vinegar can vary depending on the brand. 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 palette if you want 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 questions you have, somebody will be able to answer, and it might even help other folks with the same question in the future. And most importantly, enjoy making sushi!
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?