How To Make Sushi Rice (Perfect Every Time) Recipe

I finally cracked the method for perfect Sushi Rice in a rice cooker every single time, and I’m sharing the subtle tips that most cooks overlook.

I used to ruin sushi rice all the time, sticky clumps or mushy blobs, but making it in a rice cooker changed everything. With simple Japanese short grain sushi rice and a splash of rice vinegar, the base turns glossy and slightly sweet, exactly what you want for rolls.

I won’t bore you with rules but there are tiny details most people miss that make it feel restaurant level. This intro is for anyone who wants consistent results, and yes, even you who think home sushi is too hard.

If you like Sushi Rice you’ll be surprised how fast you get hooked.

Ingredients

How To Make Sushi Rice (Perfect Every Time)

I love making sushi rice, its simple but a little fuss makes all the difference.

Get the texture right and your rolls or nigiri will shine.

Below is what you need, then an easy method with tips I actually use, and a few notes about the main ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Japanese short-grain sushi rice (uncooked)
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 small piece kombu, about 2 x 2 inches (optional)
• 1 tablespoon mirin or sake (optional)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional, for serving)

Method
1.

Rinse the rice in a bowl under cold water, swirl and drain.

Repeat until water runs almost clear, about 4 to 6 rinses.

This removes excess starch so it wont be gummy.

2.

Drain well, then soak the rice in fresh water for 30 minutes at room temp.

This helps even cooking.

3.

Add rice and measured water to a rice cooker or a heavy pot.

Tuck the kombu on top if using.

For a rice cooker, just start it.

For stovetop: bring to a boil uncovered, reduce to low, cover tightly and simmer 12 to 15 minutes.

Turn off heat and let steam, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Do not lift the lid while it rests.

4.

While rice cooks, warm rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan just until sugar dissolves.

Do not boil.

Stir in mirin or sake if using.

Cool a little.

5.

Transfer cooked rice to a wide, shallow bowl or hangiri if you have one.

Remove kombu.

Slowly pour the vinegar mixture over rice while gently cutting and folding with a rice paddle or spatula.

Use a slicing motion to avoid smashing grains.

6.

Fan the rice as you fold to cool it quickly and give a glossy sheen.

When rice is slightly warm or at room temp its ready for sushi.

Sprinkle sesame seeds if desired.

Tips and storage
– Dont press or mash the rice, keep the grains separate but clinging.

– Use rice the same day for best texture.

Refrigerated rice gets hard and unsafe after long periods.

– Leftover sushi rice can be stored in the fridge up to 24 hours, covered.

Reheat gently with a little water if needed.

– Food safety: cooked rice can grow bacteria if left out too long, dont sit at room temp for many hours.

Key ingredient notes

• Japanese short-grain sushi rice: mostly carbs, some protein, sticky when cooked, glossy and tender.
• Rice vinegar: adds gentle tang to rice, low calorie, helps preserve and brighten flavor.
• Granulated sugar: sweetens and balances the vinegar, adds shine, is simple carbohydrates in small amounts.
• Fine sea salt: boosts flavor, balances sweet and sour, supplies trace minerals to rice.
• Kombu: umami rich kelp adds savory depth, contains glutamates, use sparingly for subtleness.
• Mirin or sake: tiny splash adds sweetness and fragrance, enhances umami without overpowering rice.
• Toasted sesame seeds: nutty texture and aroma, supply healthy fats, optional garnish for crunch.

Enjoy making it, dont worry if the first try isnt perfect, small tweaks will get you there.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups Japanese short-grain sushi rice (uncooked)
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 small piece kombu, about 2 x 2 inches (optional)
• 1 tablespoon mirin or sake (optional)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional, for serving)

How to Make this

1. Measure 2 cups Japanese short grain sushi rice and put it in a bowl, rinse under cold water, swish and drain, repeat until the rinse water runs mostly clear, then drain well.

2. Put the rinsed rice in your rice cooker, add 2 cups water, place the small kombu piece on top if using, stir in 1 tablespoon mirin or sake if you want the extra depth, then let the rice soak for about 30 minutes (15 if you’re in a hurry).

3. Turn on the rice cooker and cook according to the cooker instructions.

4. While the rice cooks, make the sushi vinegar: combine 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt in a small saucepan or microwave-safe dish, warm gently just until the sugar and salt dissolve, do not boil, then let it cool a little so it’s warm not scalding.

5. When the rice cooker clicks off, leave the rice covered for 10 minutes to finish steaming, then open and remove the kombu.

6. Transfer the hot rice to a large non-metal bowl (a wooden hangiri is ideal), or any big plastic bowl if that’s what you have, then drizzle the sushi vinegar evenly over the rice.

7. Using a rice paddle or wide spatula, cut and fold the rice gently with a slicing motion to mix the vinegar in without smashing the grains; wet the paddle so the rice doesnt stick.

8. While you fold, fan the rice with a hand fan or a piece of cardboard or just wave a plate to cool it quickly; cooling gives the rice a nice glossy sheen and stops it getting mushy. Keep folding and fanning until the rice is slightly warm or room temp.

9. Cover the finished sushi rice with a damp cloth to keep it from drying out, sprinkle or fold in 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds if you like, and use within a few hours for best results when making sushi rolls.

Equipment Needed

1. Rice cooker with lid (or a heavy pot with a tight lid if you cook on the stove)
2. Large non metal bowl or wooden hangiri for transferring and seasoning the rice
3. Small saucepan or microwave safe dish for warming the sushi vinegar
4. Fine mesh strainer or a bowl for rinsing and draining the rice
5. Measuring cups and spoons (2 cup measure, tbsp and tsp)
6. Rice paddle or wide spatula, wettable so the rice wont stick
7. Hand fan, piece of cardboard or just a plate to fan and cool the rice quickly
8. Clean damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap to cover the finished rice so it doesnt dry out

FAQ

How To Make Sushi Rice (Perfect Every Time) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

How To Make Sushi Rice (Perfect Every Time)

Ingredients

• 2 cups Japanese short-grain sushi rice (uncooked)
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 small piece kombu, about 2 x 2 inches (optional)
• 1 tablespoon mirin or sake (optional)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional, for serving)

Instructions
1. Rinse the rice in a bowl under cold water, swishing with your hand. Dump the cloudy water and repeat until the water runs almost clear, about 4 or 5 rinses. This removes extra starch so your rice wont be gluey.
2. Drain, then soak the rice in the 2 cups of water for 30 minutes at room temp. This helps the grains cook evenly.
3. If using kombu, put it on top of the rice and water. Bring to a gentle simmer on medium heat, then remove the kombu just before the water starts to boil. Cover, lower heat to very low and cook 12 to 15 minutes. Dont lift the lid.
4. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. This finishing steam is important.
5. While it rests, make the sushi vinegar: combine rice vinegar, sugar, salt and mirin if using in a small pan. Warm gently just until sugar and salt dissolve, dont boil. Let cool a little.
6. Transfer the rice to a wide bowl (a wooden hangiri is ideal but any shallow bowl works). Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with a rice paddle or wooden spoon using a cutting and folding motion. Dont smash the grains. Fan the rice as you fold to cool it quickly this gives a nice glossy sheen.
7. Taste and adjust: it should be tangy, slightly sweet, and well seasoned. Cover with a damp towel until ready to use. Serve at room temperature, sprinkle sesame seeds if you like.

Quick tips and hacks
– Use a rice paddle or spatula and a scooping/folding motion. Stirring aggressively makes mush.
– Fan while you mix to get shiny, firm grains. A hand fan or a piece of cardboard works fine.
– If you dont have a hangiri, a large metal or glass bowl is okay, just spread the rice thin so it cools faster.
– Leftover sushi rice keeps in the fridge for a day, but dont make sushi and then refrigerate for a week. Use within 24 hours for best texture.

Substitutions

• Short-grain sushi rice -> Calrose or other medium-grain rice. Texture will be slightly different, but okay for home rolls. If you use brown short-grain, increase water and cook time and expect firmer rice.
• Rice vinegar -> White wine vinegar or mild apple cider vinegar. Use slightly less and taste, because they can be sharper than rice vinegar.
• Granulated sugar -> Honey or agave syrup. Use about 3/4 the amount by volume and warm to dissolve, flavor will be different but pleasant.
• Kombu -> A pinch of instant dashi powder or a few bonito flakes added to the cooking water for umami. Remove solids before mixing the vinegar.

Pro Tips

– Use a fine mesh strainer when rinsing, swirl the rice with your hand and drain well, then let it sit in the strainer for 10-15 minutes so excess surface water evaporates; save yourself guessing the water by weighing rice and water next time, its way more consistent.

– If your rice cooker runs hot or you bought rice thats been on the shelf a while, shave off 1 to 2 tablespoons of the called-for water, if you want softer rice add a tablespoon instead, small changes make a big difference.

– Get the vinegar warm enough to fully dissolve the sugar but not hot, mix it in while the rice is still steamy then fan as you fold so the grains stay glossy, keep the paddle wet so you dont smash or stick the rice.

– Dont refrigerate sushi rice unless you plan to reheat, cold storage ruins the texture; to revive slightly cooled rice sprinkle a little water over it and steam or microwave covered for 30-60 seconds and fluff gently so it comes back.