How to Cook Sushi Rice - Rice Cooker, Instant Pot & Stovetop
Cooking the perfect sushi rice at home has never been easier! Learn how to cook sushi rice using three easy methods – rice cooker, instant pot or stovetop. No soaking required and only 5 minutes prep.
1tbspsushi vinegarstore bought or homemade from 3:2:1 rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt
Instructions
Rice Cooker Method
Place sushi rice into the rice cooker bowl, cover with water and rinse 2-3 times using your hands until water is more translucent (doesn’t have to be clear). Drain.
2 cups sushi rice
Fill water to the 2 cup fill line in your rice cooker.
water
Select Rice and Start. (Or the applicable buttons for your model. Button names may vary depending on your rice cooker.)
Instant Pot Method
Place sushi rice into the instant pot bowl, cover with water and rinse 2-3 times using your hands until water is more translucent (doesn’t have to be clear). Drain.
1 cup sushi rice
Add the 1 cup of water to the rinsed sushi rice. Place pressure cooker lid on and make sure it is sealed correctly and the valve is closed.
1 cup water
Cook on High Pressure - 3 minutes, then natural release steam for 10 minutes. Slow release any remaining pressure.
Stove Top Method
Add sushi rice to a medium saucepan, cover with water and rinse 2-3 times using your hands until water is more translucent (doesn’t have to be clear). Drain.
1 cup sushi rice
Add the 1 ¼ cups of water to the rinsed sushi rice. Place over high heat and bring to a boil with the lid off.
1 ¼ cups water
Next, cover and reduce to the lowest setting for 15 minutes. Take off heat and steam for further 10 minutes with the lid still on. Note: Do NOT remove the lid to peek at all during the cooking process, the steaming is crucial to perfect rice.
Finally, remove the lid.
To Season the Sushi Rice
Allow sushi rice to cool by transferring into a wooden bowl, non-stick wide pan or chopping board.
Add 1 tbsp of sushi vinegar per cup of uncooked rice and gently fold through with a rice paddle (or wooden spoon) so you don’t break the sushi rice.
2 tbsp sushi vinegar
Video
Notes
Don't Over Stir Your Rice - it's delicate so mix it as little as possible.
Be Quick - When rinsing your rice, be quick to avoid the rice picking up too much moisture from the water.
Batch It - Double or triple the recipe and remember 1 cup of uncooked sushi rice is 3 cups of cooked rice!
No Sieves or Colanders - When rinsing, don’t use a sieve to rinse sushi rice as it can break the grains of rice.
No Peeking - Don’t lift the lid if using stove top method, as this will let out the steam that's crucial to the cooking.
Sushi Vinegar Amounts - Start at 1 tbsp of sushi vinegar per 1 cup of uncooked rice, then move up to the recommended 2 tbsp. Allow vinegar to absorb into the rice, and the flavours to mellow. It will lose the intense vinegar flavour over time.