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!
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.