How to cook rice for sushi correctly: all the secrets from Pronto

The foundation of delicious sushi is rice. Yes — perfectly cooked rice is already half the success, because its texture and flavour determine how good your rolls will turn out. If you’re planning to make sushi at home, here is a step-by-step guide to cooking sushi rice without mistakes.

How to choose rice for sushi?

First, you need to choose the right type of rice. Sushi requires special short- or medium-grain rice with high stickiness. This allows it to hold its shape well and makes it easy to form rolls.

For sushi and rolls, Japanese rice varieties are most commonly used — Fushigon, Ginshari, Uruchimai, Nishiki. These varieties have small round grains, cook quickly and have excellent flavour.

If you can’t find special sushi rice, any short-grain rice will work. Parboiled rice, however, is not suitable because it contains too little starch.

What you need to cook sushi rice

To prepare sushi rice, you will need:

• 200 g rice;
• 200 ml water;
• rice vinegar (2 tbsp);
• a little sugar and salt.

Instructions and recipe: how to cook perfect sushi rice

Before cooking, rinse the rice thoroughly. This removes excess starch and ensures the grains stay separate after cooking. Rinse the rice in cold water several times until the water runs clear.

Next steps:

1. Soak the rice. After rinsing, soak the rice in cold water for 20–30 minutes. This helps the grains absorb moisture and cook more evenly.
2. Water-to-rice ratio. Typically, the ratio is 1:1 — one cup of rice to one cup of water. Depending on the type and freshness of the rice, you may need slightly more water (up to +10%).
3. Cooking. Do not lift the lid during cooking — you must keep the steam inside. Bring the rice to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10–12 minutes.
4. Resting. When the rice is done, leave it covered for 10–15 minutes to become softer and fully absorb the remaining steam.

While the rice is resting, prepare the seasoning: mix 2–3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt until dissolved.

Transfer the rice to a wide bowl and gently drizzle the vinegar mixture over it, mixing with a wooden spatula. Do not mash the rice — the grains must stay intact. Let the rice cool to room temperature before using it for sushi.

How to cook sushi rice in a multicooker

A multicooker is a convenient way to make sushi rice at home without constant monitoring. Here’s how:

1. Rinse and soak the rice as described above.
2. Add rice and water to the bowl at a 1:1 ratio. Use the “Rice” or “Sushi Rice” program if your multicooker has one.
3. Cook until the program ends, then leave the rice on “warm” mode for another 10–15 minutes without opening the lid.
4. Season the rice the same way as in the stovetop method.

Rice cooked in a multicooker turns out just as good and is ready for rolling sushi.

Tips for making perfect sushi rice

Here are a few more useful tips from the Pronto team:

• Proper storage: Use sushi rice immediately after it cools to room temperature. Do not refrigerate it — it will dry out and lose its texture.
• Do not overcook: Perfect sushi rice is soft but not mushy. Every grain should hold its shape.
• Mix gently: Use a wooden spatula and avoid pressing down on the rice when mixing with the seasoning.
• Wet hands: When forming sushi or rolls, always wet your hands with water mixed with rice vinegar to prevent sticking.

Enjoy your meal!