How to Cook Perfect Sushi Rice on The Stove (without a rice cooker)

Your friendly guide to making perfect sushi rice on the stove packed with tips on how to prepare, cook, and season the rice even if you've never made sushi rice at home before.

The cooked sushi rice in a light brown ohitsu container with a white spoon on a bamboo placement mat.

Learn how to make authentic sushi rice using ingredients from regular stores and equipment you already have in your kitchen along with an overview of traditional methods and tools to help you up your sushi game.

Once you've cooked up a batch of sushi rice in less than 30 minutes and gently tossed it with sushi vinegar, you'll be ready to enjoy all kinds of homemade sushi like salmon nigiri, California rolls, and hand rolls.

When I first started to make sushi rice at home, I stumbled upon a few resources that made stovetop methods seem complicated and prone to failure. Keen to avoid mishaps, I bought an electric rice cooker only to realize that I could get the same results on the stove. I just needed to pay attention to a few simple steps.

That said, if you own a rice cooker or an Instant Pot, you might want to check out my recipes for Instant Pot sushi rice or this guide for making sushi rice in a rice cooker. These are great tools for making sushi rice while being a little more hands-off.

Jump to:

Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients
What type of rice is used for sushi?
Can I use regular rice instead?
Where to buy sushi rice
Brands to look out for
How much rice is needed for a sushi roll?
Rice to water ratio
Kombu
Seasoning sushi rice
Equipment
Quick Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
Expert Tips
Serving suggestions
People Often Ask
Printable Recipe Card
How to Cook Perfect Sushi Rice On The Stove

Why you'll love this recipe

A beginner-friendly recipe that shows you how to cook perfect sticky sushi rice on the stove.
Packed with all the tips and information you need to nail it on your first attempt.
Use the equipment you already have in your kitchen and ingredients you can buy in a regular store.

Ingredients

Japanese short-grain rice (often called sushi rice)
Kombu (optional) edible seaweed that adds umami flavor
Sushi vinegar. Made from rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, to add the perfect amount of sweetness, saltiness, and acidity to the rice.

What type of rice is used for sushi?

If you're new to cooking sushi rice you're probably wondering which type of rice you need. The answer is Japanese short-grain rice. It's often called sushi rice in Western countries. This can be confusing because there isn't a specific type of rice used for sushi. This short-grain rice, which is used in a range of Japanese dishes becomes sushi rice when you prepare it with sushi vinegar.

Can I use regular rice instead?

Japanese short-grain rice has a higher starch content than longer-grain rice varieties like the basmati and Jasmine rice you might be familiar with. This helps the grains to stick together so they can be formed into sushi.

You might be wondering if you can swap this for another type of rice, but unfortunately, the answer is no. To have success with homemade sushi you need to use Japanese short-grain rice.

Where to buy sushi rice

The good news is that a lot of regular stores like Walmart, Whole Foods, and Target now stock Japanese short-grain rice (or sushi rice).

If you don't see it in your local store you can buy Japanese Rice (sushi rice) online from Amazon or an Asian grocery store.

Brands to look out for

If you're making sushi rice for the first time, there's no need to worry about the brand too much. American-produced brands like Kokuho Rose and Nishiki, are affordable and widely available, and even though they are medium-grain rice, they work well for sushi.

If you're looking to take things up a notch, try premium brands like Tamaki Gold or Tamanishiki.

How much rice is needed for a sushi roll?

This depends on the size and type of roll you are making. I've prepared a table you can use as a guide.

Cups/grams	Thick sushi rolls	Medium sushi rolls	Thin sushi rolls	Inside out rolls	Nigiri
¾ (150g)	1	2	4	3	7
1 ½ (300g)	2	4	8	6	15
2 ¼ (450g)	4	6	12	9	22
3 (600g)	5	8	16	12	30
3 ¾ (750g)	6	11	20	15	37

Adapted from How to make sushi rice, by Namiko Hirasawa Chen.

Rice to water ratio

Because sushi vinegar is added, Japanese rice needs a little less water when cooked to make sushi. Usually 10-20% more water is required, a ratio of 1: 1.1 to 1: 2.3, but for sushi rice it's a simple ratio of 1:1.

Kombu

Kombu is a type of dry kelp (seaweed) that adds umami (savory) flavor to the rice. It's a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine a key ingredient in dashi stock that is often used as a base for soups and stews.

You probably won't find it in a regular store so you'll need to buy kombu online or from an Asian grocery store.

I've listed it as optional. It can be pricey and harder to find, plus you can make pretty decent sushi rice without it.

That said, it does add a nice little boost of umami and stays good for up to a year, so if you make sushi regularly it's worth going to a little extra effort to get hold of some.

Seasoning sushi rice

Sushi vinegar (known as Sushi Zu) is made from 3 simple ingredients: sugar, salt, and rice vinegar. It's added to the cooked rice to give it just the right amount of savory, sweet, and tangy flavor.

You can buy ready-made sushi vinegar online or make your own using this sushi vinegar recipe. Unless you make sushi frequently, I recommend making your own. It's super quick and easy. Plus rice vinegar is much cheaper and easier to buy than ready-made sushi vinegar and if you can't find it apple cider vinegar is a great substitute.

Equipment

If you're making sushi rice for the first time, you don't want to be buying expensive tools and gadgets, the good news is you don't have to.

Traditionally, Japanese rice is cooked on the stove in a thick clay pot called Kamado san, but any heavy-bottomed saucepan or casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid will do the job well. Use one with a glass lid if you can, so you can see when the water boils without removing the lid. You can use a regular large mixing bowl and wooden spoon to combine rice with the sushi vinegar.

If you make sushi rice regularly you might want to invest in a few tools to make the process a little easier and more enjoyable:

Hangiri. This is a traditional Japanese wooden sushi rice mixing tub. Its flat, shallow bottom and wide, sloping sides allow the rice to cool and absorb flavors evenly.
A Rice Washing Strainer. I can personally recommend this rice strainer clip that I bought on a trip to Japan a few years ago. It's affordable, barely takes up any extra space in my kitchen, and is super useful for rinsing sushi rice.
Rice paddle for folding in the sushi vinegar.

Quick Recipe Video

Step-by-Step Instructions

Washing the rice in a glass bowl with a rice strainer clip attached, on a white background .

Step 1: Wash the rice using cold water until the water runs clear mixing gently with your hand between each rinse to release the starch.

A heavy-bottomed saucepan on a white background containing the rinsed rice, water and kombu.

Step 2: Put the rinsed rice into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven and add water and kombu (kelp) if using.

A heavy-bottomed saucepan on a white background containing the cooked rice which is resting with the lid on for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Bring the pot to boil over a medium heat. Reduce the pot to a low heat and cook for 12 minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat and let the rice rest with the lid on for 10 more minutes.

The sushi vinegar in a small stainless steel pot with whisk, on a white background.

Step 4: Meanwhile make the sushi vinegar by combining the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small pot over medium heat until the sugar and salt dissolve.

The cooked rice in a hangiri with a white rice paddle, on a white background.

Step 5: Remove the kombu (if using) and transfer the rice to a hangiri (wooden tub) or mixing bowl. Pour on the sushi vinegar mixture and gently fold it into the rice until the rice reaches body temperature. You can fan the rice as you go to cool it more quickly.

The hangiri containing the cooked rice covered with a damp towel, on a white background.

Step 6: Cover the rice with a damp towel if you're not going to use it immediately to prevent it from drying out.

Expert Tips

Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Removing excess starch improves the texture of the rice and prevents it from becoming mushy and glutinous.
Don't use a sieve or colander to wash the rice. You'll risk breaking the grains. A Japanese Rice Washing Strainer is a much better tool to use. It makes rinsing easier while still keeping the grains intact.
Make sure you add the correct amount of water. Use the table above to adjust the volume.
Keep the lid on when cooking. Keeping the steam in the pot is key for getting evenly cooked rice. Use a pan with a glass lid if you have one so you can check the water is boiling without removing the lid.
Allow the rice to cool to body temperature before making sushi.
Cover the rice with a damp cloth or tea towel if you are not using it straightaway to prevent it from drying out.

Serving suggestions

Once you've cooked up a batch of sushi rice you're all set to start making all kinds of delicious sushi recipes:

People Often Ask

Do I have to add sushi vinegar?

Sushi vinegar adds the perfect amount of salty, sweet, and sour flavor to the rice. Skipping it won't impact the texture too much, but will mean you get very plain bland-tasting rice.

Why did my rice turn out mushy?

There are several possible causes including not washing the rice properly, adding the incorrect amount of water, and opening the lid while the rice is cooking.

Can I use Calrose rice to make sushi?

Calrose rice is a medium-grain rice variety that originates in California known for its slightly sticky texture when cooked. While it is not the traditional short-grain rice used for making sushi in Japan, it's a convenient and affordable substitute for traditional sushi rice that's commonly used in the US.

What's the best way to store and make ahead?

When it comes to taste and texture, freshly made sushi is where it's at. If you don't want to use the cooked rice straight away you can leave it in a cool place for up to 3 hours covered with a damp tea towel to keep it moist. Avoid storing it in the fridge, it will make the rice dry.

What does perfectly cooked sushi rice look and taste like?

Once cooked the rice should look a little glossy. The texture will be sticky, but not mushy with firm and distinct grains. It should taste subtly sweet and salty with a gentle tang of rice vinegar.

The cooked sushi rice in a light brown ohitsu container with a white spoon, on a white background with a bamboo placement mat and a potted plant behind.

Did you try this recipe? It would be really great if you could leave a comment and a star rating ⭐️. I would love to receive your feedback and know that other readers find it helpful too.

Don't forget to tag #sushistayation on Instagram or @sushistaycation on Pinterest!

Printable Recipe Card