This quick and easy Instant Pot Sushi Rice is a simple recipe that makes the perfect sushi rice every time! Made in minutes with real, simple ingredients. This is the best rice to use when making poke bowls, hand rolls, sushi bowls, sushi burritos, sushi stacks and when we make all of our favorite sushi rolls (like these California Rolls , Avocado Rolls or these Spicy Salmon Rolls)!
The Best Instant Pot Sushi Rice
Unless you are new here, you know that we absolutely love sushi! We have even hosted several sushi parties with all of our friends making rolls any way they want! We definitely aren’t professionally trained sushi chefs, but we love getting creative and making our own sushi at home! For about 10+ years we have loved hosting these sushi parties!
This very easy tutorial will show you the steps to making the perfect sticky rice right in your Instant Pot, every single time. It is definitely the easiest way to make enough rice for everyone! This is clearly an Americanized version of sushi rice and if you want to truly enjoy the authentic version, head out and find yourself a talented sushi chef at a local restaurant!
Love Sushi – try our Baked Sushi, Spicy Tuna Rolls or California Rolls!
What You Will Need
- sushi white rice – we highly recommend looking at your grocery store or local asian grocery store for a high quality short-grain rice, we love the one pictured below from RiceSelect!
- water – always needed to properly cook up the best sushi rice.
- rice vinegar – a classic ingredient that brings so much flavor to the rice.
- sugar – just a little for a touch of sweetness!
- kosher salt – a simple seasoning that is always a must.
History Of Sushi
Want to dig a little more into the history of sushi – here is a great article!
How To Make Instant Pot Sushi Rice
To start making this instant pot sushi rice recipe, make sure you have sushi rice and gather all of the ingredients.
Can You Use Any Rice To Make Sushi
The RiceSelect Sushi Rice, shown here, is the white sushi rice that we have used for years and it turns out perfectly every time. There are other types of sushi rice varieties that you can use too, just make sure it is labeled as sushi rice!
Now place the short grain rice in a medium bowl and pour in enough cold water to cover all of the rice. Use your hand to move the rice around in the water making the water nice and cloudy.
Carefully drain the water out of the bowl, add more water, mix it around, drain again, and continue this process, for best results, until the water runs pretty clear. You could also use a mesh strainer.
Pour the drained rice into the inner pot of your Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) and pour in the 3 cups of water.
Cook on the high pressure setting for 10 minutes, let the pressure natural release for 10 minutes, and then you can let it quick pressure release. Then fluff the fully cooked rice with a fork.
While the sushi rice is finishing up, you can mix the sushi vinegar seasoning in a measuring cup. Mix until the sugar dissolves.
Transfer the fully cooked sushi rice to a shallow baking dish and gently pour on the rice vinegar mixture to all of the sushi rice.
Now you can use a rice paddle, wooden spatula, or wooden spoon to cut this rice vinegar mixture into the rice. You don’t want to mix because you might squash some of the grains.
Finally, use the sushi rice any way you want!
Best Ways To Use Instant Pot Sushi Rice
There are so many great uses for perfectly cooked sushi rice. Here are a few of our favorite sushi recipes:
- homemade sushi rolls: California roll, avocado roll, spicy salmon roll, & Philadelphia roll.
- hand roll: a simple hand roll is a great handheld version of classic sushi.
- poke bowls: use as a base for a tuna poke bowl, salmon poke bowl, Whole30 poke bowl, & spicy salmon sushi bowl.
Recipe FAQ
- rinsing: it might be tempting, but do NOT skip the rinsing step! This process removed the excess starch from the grains of rice to make sure you don’t get mushy rice.
- storage: we highly recommend using it fresh after making it, but it if you do have rice leftovers they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. It tastes best if you can try to use it in the first 2 days!
Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Other Rice Recipes You Might Like
Instant Pot Sushi Rice
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Approx. 9 cups
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Description
Instant Pot Sushi Rice – a simple, easy recipe for Instant Pot Sushi Rice that is perfect for making homemade sushi, hand rolls + poke bowls!
Ingredients
IP Sushi Rice
- 3 cups uncooked short grain sushi rice
- 3 cups water
Sushi Vinegar:
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (unflavored)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place sushi rice in a medium-sized bowl. Fill with enough water to cover the rice. Use your hand to move the rice around until the water becomes cloudy. Drain and continue to repeat this process until the water becomes clear (it takes a bit of time and the water doesn’t need to be 100% clear).
- Add drained rice and water to Instant Pot. Stir and then place cover on top ensuring vent is set to Seal.
- Cook on HIGH for 10 minutes. Naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release remaining pressure.
- Meanwhile, combine the Sushi Vinegar ingredients in a mixing bowl or large measuring cup with a spout; set aside.
- Open Instant Pot and fluff rice with a fork. Transfer rice into a deep baking sheet.
- Using a rice paddle or wooden spoon begin slicing through and gently folding in the sushi vinegar as you slowly pour it evenly over the sushi rice. Continue gently folding the rice (you don’t want to mix or stir it in as it can squash the grains) until the sushi vinegar is combined.
- Continue to let the sushi rice cool until it comes down to room temperature; do not refrigerate before use.
- To keep the rice moist simply cover it with a damp cloth.
- Use in your favorite sushi recipes or poke bowls (here is a tutorial on how to make sushi at home)!
Notes
- *Water: if you like your rice texture to be more on the softer side add an additional 1/4 cup water. If you like a more firm rice texture, use the 3 cups listed.
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