Go Back
–+ servings
Close up of nigiri on a wooden board with chopsticks.

Nigiri Sushi

Learn How to Make Nigiri Sushi at home with this beginner-friendly recipe. With all the information you need to master the craft on your first try from cutting delicate slices of fish to molding the rice to perfection.
3.67 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Japanese, Sushi
Servings 8 nigiri
Calories 50 kcal

Equipment

  • sharp knife
  • medium-sized bowl
  • wooden board

Ingredients
  

Hand water

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar (Note 1)

Nigiri sushi

  • 1 cup cooked sushi rice at body temperature (Note 2)
  • 8 slices sushi grade fish (Note 3)
  • ½ teaspoon wasabi (optional) (Note 4)

To serve

  • soy sauce
  • pickled ginger

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the hand water by combining the water and rice vinegar in a medium size bowl.
  • Pick up an egg-shaped ball of rice with your dominant hand (right hand if right-handed or left hand if left-handed), and compress it gently without crushing it into a rounded rectangular cylinder. Turn the rice in your palm a couple of times
  • Pick up a piece of fish with your other hand and let it rest on your fingers.
  • Optional: If you are using wasabi, smear a little on the index finger of your right hand and gently run it along the fish
  • Place the rice ball onto the fish and gently press down.
  • Turn the upside-down nigiri the correct way up and press your index and middle fingers onto the fish to hold it in place.
  • Place the finished nigiri onto a wooden board and repeat the process with the remaining rice and fish.

Notes

  1. Rice vinegar: You can use apple cider vinegar instead.
  2. Sushi rice: You need a batch of room-temperature sushi rice, seasoned with a sushi vinegar mixture (or Sushizu). It's simple to prepare using your stove, rice cooker, or Instant Pot using my easy-to-follow sushi rice recipes.
  3. Sushi grade fish: Allocate a thin slice of high-quality fish per nigiri around 3 inches long, 1 inch wide, and ¼ inch thick.
  4. Wasabi: Available in powder or paste form. A small amount of wasabi between the fish and rice adds a kick without overwhelming the delicate flavors of the fresh fish. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1nigiriCalories: 50kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 11mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.01gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @sushistaycation or tag #sushistaycation!