This Instant Pot Sushi Rice recipe is the best way to make this Japanese dish. Learn how to make sushi rice and build your own sushi bowls!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Canola oil – or another neutral cooking oil like olive oil or avocado oil.
- Short-grain Japanese sushi rice – use either white or brown sushi rice.
- Rice vinegar – you can use white vinegar, but it will have a different taste.
- Sugar – use another cup-for-cup sugar substitute of your choice like stevia.
- Salt – to taste.
How to make sushi rice in the Instant Pot
- Rinse the rice.
- Add the oil, rice and water to the Instant Pot in order.
- Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Do a natural pressure release.
- Fold the vinegar, sugar and salt into the rice.
- Cool for at least 1 hour.
- Prepare your toppings.
- Assemble your sushi bowls and enjoy!
What to do with sushi rice
Sushi rice is mainly used for sushi rolls, but you can also use it to make sushi bowls! This gives you all the flavour of a sushi roll without the hassle of rolling and having to use a special sushi mat.
If you’re making sushi bowls, I like to assemble my toppings and sauces while the rice cooks. Here are some topping ideas for your sushi bowls:
- Shrimp, raw fish or imitation crab
- Tofu
- Seaweed salad
- Nori strips (dried seaweed)
- Sesame seeds
- Sliced avocado
- Pickled ginger
- Diced up cucumber
- Edamame
- Green onions
- Soy sauce
- Spicy mayo
- Roasted sweet potato
Basically, anything you put in a sushi roll can also be put in a bowl, so get creative!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sushi rice is used to describe white short-grain rice used in sushi rolls. The rice is seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Some recipes call for brown sushi rice, which, as the name implies, is made with short grain brown rice. Brown rice has the added nutritional benefit of fiber and can usually be found in the same aisle of the grocery store as the white sushi rice. Keep in mind that brown sushi rice in the Instant Pot takes a bit longer.
Instant Pot sushi rice needs to cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. It will take the Instant Pot about 10-15 minutes to get up to high pressure, so the total cooking time is about 20-25 minutes.
When it comes to seasoning this sushi rice Instant Pot recipe, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure you use rice vinegar and dissolve the salt and sugar in the vinegar to make sure your rice is seasoned evenly. Then, pour the seasoning onto the sushi rice as soon as it’s finished cooking and gently fold the seasoning into the rice. Let it cool for an hour in the fridge and voila! Perfectly seasoned sushi rice.
Yes, you should take the time to rinse your sushi rice before cooking it. Rinsing it will remove debris and excess starch from the rice. If you don’t rinse it first, the starch may bubble up during cooking and can clog the Instant Pot’s venting mechanism.
Storing and reheating
This Instant Pot sushi rice will last in the fridge for up to 3 days in airtight glass containers. It’s meant to be served cold, so you don’t have to worry about reheating – just use it as a base to assemble your fresh sushi bowls and you’re good to go!
Can you freeze sushi rice?
Although it’s not an ideal option, you can technically freeze cooked sushi rice. If you do freeze it, keep in mind that thawed sushi rice often ends up with an odd texture. Rather than freezing any leftover sushi rice, it’s better to use it for another meal.
If you do plan to freeze your sushi rice, store it in an airtight freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. Be sure to release as much air from the bag as possible. It should last in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, just let it defrost in the fridge overnight.
More Instant Pot Rice recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
- The Ultimate Instant Pot Rice Guide
- Instant Pot Coconut Rice
- More Healthy Instant Pot Rice Bowls
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months
Instant Pot Sushi Rice {+ Sushi Bowls!}
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 2 cups short-grain Japanese sushi rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Topping ideas for sushi bowls
- Cooked shrimp
- Imitation crab
- Raw tuna or salmon
- Cucumber, diced
- Avocado, sliced
- Seaweed strips (nori)
- Sesame seeds
- Edamame
- Soy sauce
- Spicy mayo
Instructions
- Rinse rice under cold running water for 1-2 minutes to remove excess starch. Add canola oil, rice and water to Instant Pot in that order. Do not stir. Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal.
- Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 10 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 10-15 minutes to come to pressure then pressure cook the 10 minutes.
- Do a natural pressure release, waiting about 10 minutes until pressure gauge drops on its own. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Mix vinegar, sugar and salt into rice and let cool for about 1 hour in the fridge. Meanwhile, prepare toppings for your sushi bowls. Add rice to bowls and use toppings of choice. Serve and enjoy!
