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Home » Main Dishes

October 3, 2016 Main Dishes

The Best Sushi or Sticky Rice Recipe

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This Sushi Rice Recipe is really sticky and slightly sweet, which makes it perfect for making your own sushi rolls or sashimi at home.  This perfectly sticky rice is easy to make and lasts for days in the refrigerator.  I will teach you how to make sushi rice with all my tips and tricks.  Don’t even think about skipping tip #3, even though you will try to…..

The Best Sushi Rice Recipe - it turns out perfectly seasoned and sticky every time. Use it to make sushi rolls or sashimi. Very easy to make and stores well

Sushi is one of my all time favorite foods.  That statement is one that is newer for me because I would have never thought I was a sushi type of gal, but I am completely obsessed with it.  Now, the price of a handmade sushi roll is what keeps me from eating it as often as I would like but I’ve spent some serious time learning how to make my own at home and now I make it all the time!  This recipe is the only one I use because the seasoning is spot on and the end result is super sticky, which is a must to make the perfect sushi or sashimi roll at home.

There are a couple key points for making killer sushi rice recipe and this one hits them all.  Don’t be afraid of trying out your own sushi or sashimi because you will be amazed at how easy this is!

Is Sushi Rice Sticky Rice?

Sushi rice and sticky rice are two different types of grains and have different textures and flavors. Sushi rice is a short grain rice from Japan that becomes sticky when prepared properly and is used for sushi and sashimi rolls. Sticky rice is from Thailand and is a round grain that becomes extremely sticky when cooked and is often used in desserts.

Why Sushi Rice Needs Vinegar?

If you didn’t season your sushi rice with rice vinegar, as well as sugar and kosher salt, you would have an extremely bland piece of sushi. The subtle tang from the rice vinegar, along with the hint of sweetness and salt make a perfect bite of sushi. It doesn’t require a lot of vinegar but if you want the best tasting sushi roll, don’t skip out on it!

How to Make Sticky Rice or Sushi Rice

  1. Only use sushi rice. Sushi rice, which is a form of short grain rice and that is what makes it so sticky. (This brand is my personal favorite).   Don’t try to use the standard long grain rice you already have in your cupboard or your roll will not work.  At all.  Not to mention the texture will be much too mushy.
  2. Rinse your uncooked sushi rice well.  It may seem odd or an unnecessary step, but be sure you rinse your rice until the water runs clear.  This step is skipped by people in a rush but if you do, you will end up with more of a rice paste than anything.  Nasty!
  3.  Sticky rice comes as it cools.  Allow the finished rice to come to room temperature before using it.  As the finished rice cools, it becomes even stickier so don’t rush this process. If you are in a rush, you can always transfer your cooked sushi rice into a shallow pan and allow it to cool faster.

Why Sushi Rice is Sticky?

This short grain rice has a ton of starch in it, which is why you have to rinse it well before cooking or you end up with rice paste. Even after you have rinsed the sushi rice grain, more starch is released while it cooks and then as it cools, those starches act like the perfect glue to hold the rice together.

If you are new to making sushi, you will need a Basic Sushi Making Kit and I love this one because it is only a few bucks and has everything you need. There are more expensive or fancier ones out there, but unless you are planning to become a sushi master, this is perfect for the home cook like you! Just click on the picture to grab your own!

Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

Looking for more Asian flavors?  You have to make this Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce.

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Homemade sushi rice recipe

The Best Sushi Rice Recipe

★★★★★ 4.6 from 9 reviews
  • Author: Carole Jones
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 cups 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Boiled
  • Cuisine: Asian
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Description

Sushi rice recipe that is easy to make, super sticky and perfect for homemade sushi and sashimi


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 C sushi rice
  • 2 C water, plus more for rinsing
  • 2 Tb rice vinegar
  • 2 Tb sugar
  • 1 Tb kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Cook: Place the rice in a strainer and rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Use your hands to be sure all the grains are rinsed well. Place the rinsed rice into a medium pan with the 2 cups of water over high heat. Once the water begins to boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat to the very lowest setting. Cook for 15 minutes. Once the rice has finished cooking, remove from the heat, leave the lid on and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
  2. Combine: the vinegar, sugar and kosher salt in a small microwave safe cup and microwave for 30 seconds. Once the rice has sat for 10 minutes, toss it well with the seasoning liquid. Allow the rice to come to room temperature before using. Store leftover rice in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 C
  • Calories: 128
  • Sugar: 1 g
  • Sodium: 207 mg
  • Fat: 9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
  • Trans Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 11 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: sushi rice recipe

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Categories: Main Dishes Tags: Asian, Gluten Free, Rice

Filed Under: Main Dishes
76 Comments
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. idehshot says

    June 28, 2017 at 9:39 am

    it s very good

    Reply
    • Carole says

      June 28, 2017 at 12:01 pm

      Thank you! It is the only recipe I use

      Reply
  2. Tia Marie Gettler-Ward says

    July 22, 2017 at 2:58 pm

    What sort of rice vinegar do you use? The kind that I have available to me already has some sugar/seasoning in it which makes me worried that if I add more sugar it will make the rice sickly sweet.

    Reply
    • Carole says

      July 23, 2017 at 4:31 pm

      Hey there Tia! I use just standard rice vinegar, not the seasoned rice vinegar. It is a sweeter vinegar but I promise that the level of sweetness is perfect for sushi. Without any sweetness, the sushi roll would be very bland

      Reply
  3. Wendy says

    July 27, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    How do you reheat the rice after being in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Carole says

      July 28, 2017 at 12:01 am

      Hey there Wendy! For sushi, you don’t want warm or hot rice. It needs to be nice and cold so it sticks together for your sushi or sashimi.

      Reply
  4. Sarah Wenger says

    August 23, 2017 at 2:26 pm

    would any vinegar be sufficient? I have red wine vinegar, ACV or regular.

    Reply
    • Carole says

      August 23, 2017 at 3:20 pm

      Hey there Sarah! For the most authentic recipe, you really do need rice vinegar. However, if you are going to make a substitution, the apple cider vinegar would be best since it is the sweetest.

      Reply
      • Cindy says

        January 22, 2020 at 3:55 am

        Hi! So if I use the apple cider vinegar instead, will the sugar be no longer necessary? Thanks in advance.

        Reply
        • Carole says

          February 04, 2020 at 11:17 am

          Hi Cindy! I would stick with the rice vinegar as stated. The apple cider vinegar will be too strong and overpower the sushi.

          Reply
  5. Dieter Juhnke says

    September 01, 2017 at 6:16 am

    I am using this recipe for ten years now. So it is really not a novelty.

    Reply
    • Carole says

      September 02, 2017 at 2:30 pm

      Hey Dieter! It is a great, classic recipe which is why I love it.

      Reply
    • Annette says

      August 05, 2019 at 10:00 am

      It is for me, being a beginner..

      Reply
  6. Sandy says

    September 24, 2017 at 11:56 am

    This recipe is PERFECTION!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      September 25, 2017 at 12:59 pm

      I am so glad you loved it too Sandy!

      Reply
  7. Lydia says

    October 26, 2017 at 2:13 pm

    Thanks so much for the.perfect recipe! I will use it often. Happy sushi eating!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      October 30, 2017 at 3:28 pm

      You are very welcome Lydia!

      Reply
  8. amira says

    December 01, 2017 at 8:32 am

    Hallo!
    really cant wait to try this out!
    so far the best and well detailed recept! 😉

    Reply
    • Carole says

      December 01, 2017 at 10:41 am

      It is awesome! I would love to hear how it works for you when you do give it a try 🙂

      Reply
      • amira says

        December 06, 2017 at 1:49 am

        Hallo!
        The sushi was really great, we loved the texture and the taste. Seems like Homemade Sushi is gonna stay in the menu for a while
        Greetings!

        Reply
        • Carole says

          December 06, 2017 at 1:15 pm

          That makes me very happy to hear Amira!

          Reply
  9. Marjorie Buchanan says

    December 16, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    Very easy to follow recipe. Delicious

    Reply
    • Carole says

      December 18, 2017 at 3:16 pm

      I’m glad you enjoyed it Marjorie!

      Reply
  10. Michele says

    December 31, 2017 at 4:17 pm

    Have you ever frozen your sushi? I’d like to make a very large batch and freeze. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Carole says

      December 31, 2017 at 4:37 pm

      Hey Michele! I have never frozen sushi but worry a bit about how it would work. I have refrigerated it with each roll wrapped tight in plastic wrap before cutting it.

      Reply
  11. Rafael says

    January 03, 2018 at 10:54 am

    Hey, Carole. I’m learning to make sushi and I used this recipe today. The result was yummy. Thanks for sharing.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carole says

      January 03, 2018 at 12:21 pm

      I am so glad you loved it Rafael! Learning to make sushi is a fun way to start of the new year.

      Reply
  12. Nichole says

    January 06, 2018 at 5:28 am

    Ok! So this is my second time using this recipe and it’s a winner! The first time I used it I promised my kids veg sushi rolls for afternoon snack.. that was before I read to let the rice cool all the way down. . Not to be out done, I threw the rice in a couple of bowls and into the freezer for about ten minutes stirring every so often to get it to cool!! Ha! My ten year old caught a glimpse of what I was doing and was intrigued, although somewhat baffled.. We laughed later as I assured him sushi isn’t *really* made that way lol! Needless to say we went threw the entire pack of Nori (10 sheets!) and my last roll was only filled halfway with rice due to my *ahem* taste testing!
    This time around I’m excited to be making veg sushi rolls again for lunch on the road so I decided to prep the rice ahead. I just finished cooking my rice only to realize that I’m all out of sugar!! AGAIN!, not to be outdone a second time, I subbed confectioners sugar a little at a time until I got what reminded me of the previous batch. The struggle!! Anyway.. I love this recipe and I’m committing it to memory so I can make it for years to come! Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      January 06, 2018 at 4:15 pm

      That is awesome Nichole! Thank you for coming back and sharing it with me.

      Reply
  13. Shane says

    January 06, 2018 at 2:44 pm

    Can you use a rice cooker instead?

    Reply
    • Carole says

      January 06, 2018 at 4:14 pm

      Hi Shane! That is a great question and I think it would work fine but I don’t have any experience with a rice cooker.

      Reply
    • Tammy says

      February 13, 2018 at 3:06 pm

      I have used my rice cooker and it worked out fine! I followed the rice cookers amount of rice and water recommended.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
  14. Bunnie says

    January 28, 2018 at 9:05 pm

    Thank you so much for this recipe!! It came out so perfect and was so delicious!! We plan to make it often!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carole says

      February 22, 2018 at 11:55 am

      I love to hear comments like this Bunnie!

      Reply
  15. Esme says

    February 04, 2018 at 8:30 pm

    How many rolls does this usually make?!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      February 22, 2018 at 11:53 am

      Around 10

      Reply
  16. Kiki says

    February 08, 2018 at 4:29 pm

    How many rolls do you get from 2 cups rice. I’m making for 10 persons. And thanks for your guidance

    Reply
    • Carole says

      February 22, 2018 at 11:51 am

      It makes around 10 roll or so Kiki.

      Reply
  17. melanie Vandermeer says

    February 08, 2018 at 10:40 pm

    made this in my instant pot, followed as instructions stated except I didn’t rinse the rice. used the rice setting. turned out awesome!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      February 22, 2018 at 11:51 am

      Thanks Melanie for sharing!

      Reply
  18. Carley says

    February 17, 2018 at 10:06 am

    Hi Carole!

    Thanks for sharing this recipe! We are hosting a sushi making party with some friends and I’m wondering if I can make the rice in the afternoon and then keep it in my fridge so it’s ready to go when everyone comes over. Is this adviseable? Will it compromise the texture?

    Reply
    • Carole says

      February 22, 2018 at 11:50 am

      Hi Carley! It will work, but it just doesn’t work quite as well as freshly made.

      Reply
  19. Tamela says

    February 18, 2018 at 5:58 pm

    Thank you for the recipe! I am trying it now with a rice cooker. I will let you know about the results later tonight. So excited to try this as I got a sushi rolling kit as a gift and wanted to try it out.

    Reply
  20. Tamela says

    February 19, 2018 at 10:05 am

    Hi All, I tried this using a rice cooker and it came out great! Will definitely use it in the future since I love my rice cooker!
    I do need to work on rolling sushi, but not bad for my first time. Love the recipe, it’s a keeper!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carole says

      February 22, 2018 at 11:48 am

      Hey there Tamela! Rolling sushi is a challenge and still a bit frustrating for me 🙂

      Reply
  21. Ally says

    February 27, 2018 at 5:30 pm

    Hi Carole! OK – can I use regular salt with this recipe instead of Kosher? I made it once (with the wrong kind of vinegar so it was a wash anyway) and I used 1 TBSP regular table salt and it was SO salty. Would I do say half a TBSP, if you’re using coarse Kosher salt? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      March 02, 2018 at 12:56 pm

      Hi Ally! Yes, if you use regular salt, you need to reduce the amount of salt considerably. Kosher salt is light and flaky so it doesn’t take much to fill up a tablespoon.

      Reply
  22. Ashley Vu says

    March 30, 2018 at 9:48 am

    Hey Carole! Can you give me some advice on how to combine the rice vinegar and the rice without smashing the rice? I have to say that I am a beginner at this and I can’t distribute the vinegar well enough without destroying the beautiful rice kernels. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      April 03, 2018 at 11:59 am

      Hi Ashley! It sounds like your rice might be a bit overcooked if it is getting smashed when you toss in the seasoning liquid. Be sure your liquid measurement is precise using a liquid measuring cup. If that isn’t the problem, try fluffing the rice with a fork before tossing in the seasoning liquid.

      Reply
  23. Linda says

    March 30, 2018 at 1:59 pm

    I want to try making sushi. I’m new to eating sushi. My granddaughter loves sushi. I looked in my regular grocery store for sushi rice and couldn’t find it. Where do you buy your rice?

    Reply
    • Carole says

      April 03, 2018 at 11:55 am

      Hello Linda! It is a fun skill to learn. If your local grocery store doesn’t carry it, you can always order it from Amazon or another online retailer!

      Reply
  24. Courtney says

    May 15, 2018 at 12:37 pm

    I love this recipe, I use it often. Just one question. Why microwave or cook the vinegar mixture before using it?I’m not a huge fan of the overpowering vinegar smell I get from doing that

    Reply
    • Carole says

      May 18, 2018 at 6:59 pm

      Great question Courtney. The warm vinegar will help the sugar dissolve so when you toss it into the rice, it evenly mixes in the seasonings.

      Reply
  25. Shannen says

    August 04, 2018 at 5:08 pm

    Can you use Rice Wine instead of rice vinegar?

    Reply
    • Carole says

      August 06, 2018 at 12:49 pm

      Hi Shannen. No, that really isn’t the same substitution. You need that acidity from the vinegar.

      Reply
  26. Cewb says

    December 15, 2018 at 11:46 pm

    Can I use Mirin instead of sugar if so would this improve the flavor or do you prefer the flavor of the sugar

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carole says

      December 17, 2018 at 10:51 am

      I’ve never tried Mirin in this recipe so i can’t say for sure. The sugar flavor is very slight. Just enough sweetness to balance the nori.

      Reply
  27. Tally says

    December 20, 2018 at 11:51 pm

    This recipe sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try it. As far as mixing…. In my experience, it’s better to kind of “slice and fold” rather than stir the rice. If that makes sense. Hope this helps.

    Reply
    • Carole says

      December 21, 2018 at 2:14 pm

      Thanks Tally for your great tip!

      Reply
  28. Stan says

    April 02, 2019 at 10:15 pm

    Great recipe! I only have a technical issue. I found your font to be to small for comfortable reading. Age could not possibly be a factor!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      April 03, 2019 at 10:15 am

      Glad you liked the recipe Stan, and boy can I understand about the struggles of small fonts! Isn’t aging so great 🙂

      Reply
  29. Rose says

    August 24, 2019 at 7:09 pm

    Oh my this was incredibly unedible. I’m unsure if it’s a typo, but 1 whole Tablespoon (Tb) of salt was too salty! We had to throw the rice out it was so bad. (Yes we cooked 2 cups of rice)
    We will try again using a teaspoon (tsp).
    Sad this recipe seemed to have good reviews, unless those before me didn’t use the listed amount of salt, I can’t imagine how they ate it.

    ★

    Reply
    • Carole says

      August 25, 2019 at 5:50 pm

      Hey Rose! Bummer that this didn’t work out but did you use Kosher salt or regular table salt? Kosher salt is a flaky salt so 1 Tb really isn’t that much. If you used regular table salt, then yes, I am sure this was waaaayyyy too salty. Give it a try again using the proper salt and you will perfect!

      Reply
  30. Report24h.com says

    September 08, 2019 at 8:56 am

    This recipe turned out SO tasty and it was so incredibly easy! I rolled mine up using a silicone baking mat, which was perfect for flexibility and sturdiness, all while reducing waste by not using plastic wrap! I also didn t quite chop up the veggies. I instead cut them up into little slivers which I think helped the veggies stay in place. I definitely can t wait to make this again!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      September 09, 2019 at 4:15 pm

      I’m so glad it worked well for you and I love the idea of using my baking mat! Thanks for sharing that great tip!

      Reply
  31. Anastasia says

    October 15, 2019 at 12:30 pm

    I finally found the perfect sushi rice. It truly is the best

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carole says

      October 15, 2019 at 5:43 pm

      So glad you love it Anastasia!

      Reply
  32. Theresa says

    July 02, 2020 at 6:35 pm

    I can’t wait to try this recipe. I do have one question though. I saw in a post that you responded to that “the sugar flavor is very slight. Just enough sweetness to balance the nori.”
    However I don’t use nori or any other seaweed, I use soy wrap because I hate the taste of nori. So would adding the sugar in the rice seasoning, in this case, be to sweet?

    Reply
    • Carole says

      July 03, 2020 at 10:48 am

      Hey Theresa! It will be perfect for your soy wrap as well. Sushi rice really needs that bit of sweetness to balance all the other flavors. Please come back and let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  33. cele mai rezistente rujuri says

    August 11, 2020 at 5:51 pm

    Good article! We will be linking to this particularly great content on our website.
    Keep up the good writing.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  34. Happy Roll says

    April 23, 2021 at 3:00 pm

    Delicious!! I really thought making sushi would be harder, thanks for this super easy recipe!

    Reply
    • Carole says

      May 03, 2021 at 2:59 pm

      Glad you loved it!

      Reply
  35. Mizz Kitty says

    January 14, 2022 at 6:38 am

    I’m a long time user of rice, growing up in the Mariana Islands, but never tried my hand at sushi. My 20 year old became fascinated with making homemade sushi and purchased a recipe book, a sushi kit and a sushi bazooka. GAME CHANGER!! I used unrinsed regular rice, just added a little extra water to ensure proper cooking while leaving it a little sticky. It worked out perfectly when fresh, not so much second day. Thanks for this recipe. It has just the right amount of tang and sweetness.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carole says

      January 17, 2022 at 11:10 am

      You are very welcome! Thanks for leaving your review 🙂

      Reply
  36. Jillian says

    March 23, 2022 at 7:41 pm

    I’m not sure 1tbs of salt seems right. I followed this and my rice is way too salty. I had to throw it all away. Is it maybe 1tsp?

    Reply
    • Carole says

      March 24, 2022 at 3:00 pm

      Hey Jillian! Did you use kosher salt or regular table salt? If you didn’t use kosher salt, that is why your rice was way too salty.

      Reply

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