Homemade Sushi Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Follow my step-by-step guide for making sushi rolls, nigiri, hand rolls, and inside-out sushi rolls using homemade sushi rice, sushi-grade fish, and various fillings. Surprisingly easy to assemble, homemade sushi rolls make for a fun, interactive meal that’s perfect for sharing with family and friends.

Prep Time40

Cook Time20

Soaking Time20

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: homemade sushi, homemade sushi rolls, how to make homemade sushi, how to make sushi rolls

Servings: servings

Equipment

Rice Cooker
Fine Mesh Sieve
Hangiri (Or a Large Wooden/Ceramic Bowl)
Rice Paddle
Bamboo Sushi Mat
Sharp Knife
Cutting Board
Small Bowl

Ingredients

Sushi Rice

2 cup sushi rice
2½ cup water
1 piece kombu (rishiri)

Sweetened Rice Vinegar

4 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 slice kombu

Fillings

4 ounce sushi-grade tuna thinly sliced
4 ounce sushi-grade salmon thinly sliced
4 ounce sushi-grade yellowtail thinly sliced
½ cucumber julienned
½ bell pepper julienned
1 avocado thinly sliced
5 nori sheet cut in half
lemon or lime wedges optional, for serving
sesame seeds optional, garnish
scallions for hand rolls
wasabi optional, for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Sushi Rice

Rinse sushi rice in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear.
Place rice, water, and kombu in a rice cooker. Let soak for 20 minutes.
Cook using the “sushi rice” setting (about 1 hour) or until tender.

Make the Sweetened Rice Vinegar

In a small saucepan (or microwave-safe bowl), combine vinegar, sugar, and salt.
Heat until sugar and salt dissolve.
Remove from heat, stir, and add kombu. Let cool.

Season the Rice

Moisten and dry a hangiri (or bowl).
Discard kombu from cooked rice and transfer rice to the bowl.
Slice and fold rice gently with a rice paddle at a 45 degree angle while slowly drizzling in the vinegar mixture.
Fan the rice to cool and create a glossy finish. Keep warm in the rice cooker until use.

Prepare the Fillings

Slice tuna, salmon, and yellowtail thinly against the grain.
Julienne cucumber and bell pepper.
Slice avocado thinly. Keep pieces uniform for even rolling.

Make Maki Rolls (Sushi Rolls)

Place half a sheet of nori on a sushi mat, shiny side down.
Moisten hands, scoop ¼ to ½ cup (50–100 gram) rice, and spread evenly, leaving a ¼-inch (0.6 cm) strip at the top uncovered.
Add one filling (fish or vegetable) horizontally across the center.
Roll mat over filling tightly, sealing with the uncovered nori edge.
Slice roll in half, then into even pieces, cleaning knife after each cut.
Cover completed rolls with a damp towel until serving.

Make Nigiri (Tuna)

Slice tuna at a diagonal into ¼-inch (0.6 centimeter) thick pieces (~½ ounce / 15 gram each).
Moisten dominant hand with water, scoop a cherry-sized ball of rice.
Dab a small amount of wasabi onto the fish.
Place rice on fish, flip, and gently shape into an oval, pressing sides and top.

Make a Hand Roll (Temaki – Yellowtail)

Slice yellowtail into thin 0.4-inch (one centimeter) strips.
Cut nori sheet in half and hold in your hand.
Spread rice in a triangle from center to one corner.
Place yellowtail and scallions diagonally opposite the rice.
Roll from the rice corner toward fish to form a cone shape.

Make an Inside-Out Roll (Uramaki – Salmon)

Spread rice evenly on nori, then flip so rice faces down.
Add salmon and avocado across center.
Roll tightly with mat, shaping firmly.
Optionally sprinkle sesame seeds or top with thin fish slices before cutting.

Video

Notes

Keep a small bowl of water nearby to prevent sticky hands and help cut clean slices.
Don’t overfill the sushi rolls, or they’ll break.
Cover finished sushi with a damp towel until ready to serve.

Storage: Store leftover sushi in an airtight container lined with a damp paper towel, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. Eat within 24 hours for the best quality. Vegetable rolls can last up to two days, but the nori may soften.

Nutrition