Instant Pot Sushi Rice (Medium or Short-Grain Rice)

The best sushi rice has plump, shiny kernels that retain their firm shape. And while the rice is sticky, it should never be mushy.

Short-grain rice is ubiquitous in Japanese cuisine. But vinegar-seasoned sushi rice is traditionally only used for sushi.

You can stick to tradition and use your perfectly seasoned sushi rice for homemade sushi rolls. Or you can serve it as a delicious rice side dish or as the base for poke bowls.

For a bowl of perfectly steamed white short-grain rice, simply skip the sushi vinegar seasoning step and fluff the rice with a fork before serving. This Instant Pot sushi rice recipe works for short-grain or medium-grain rice (like Calrose rice).

What is sushi rice

While there are many different styles of sushi, the main ingredient is always “sushi rice” (also called shari or sumeshi). Sushi rice refers to vinegared Japanese rice prepared with sugar, salt and sometimes kombu (kelp).

In Japan, becoming an itamae of sushi (Japanese sushi chef) takes years of training and apprenticeship.

We can’t possibly hope to perfect the skill with a single recipe post. But we can help you make delicious sushi rice at home with a few basic techniques and an Instant Pot.

See how to cook stovetop sushi rice if you don’t have an Instant Pot.

The best rice for sushi

The best sushi rice starts with the best rice for sushi.

The Japanese rice used in everyday Japanese cooking is a short-grain rice called uruchimai. It’s also the rice used for sushi and onigiri (Japanese rice balls).

But don’t confuse sushi rice with glutinous rice (mochigome). Mochigome is for mochi rice cakes and glutinous sweets. While it’s also a Japanese short-grain rice, glutinous rice and sushi rice are not interchangeable. Glutinous rice is much stickier and chewier.

Calrose rice, the medium-grain rice popular with Japanese American producers in California, also makes good sushi rice.

Avoid long-grain rice (like jasmine rice or basmati rice) for sushi.

This Instant Pot sushi recipe works perfectly with short-grain and sticky medium-grain rice. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can make stovetop sushi rice or use a rice cooker.

Sushi rice ingredients

• Sushi rice: Look for rice labelled as sushi rice or Japanese short-grain rice. Korean short-grain rice also works, as does medium-grain Calrose rice.
• Unseasoned rice vinegar: Use unseasoned rice vinegar to create the perfect balance of savoury, sweet and acidic.
  • You can also use shop-bought seasoned sushi vinegar – omit the sugar and salt from the recipe.
  • If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can dilute white wine vinegar with a splash of water as a substitute. But it’s worth keeping rice vinegar around if you plan to make Asian food often.
• Sugar: Normal granulated white sugar is all you need, but you can use castor (superfine) sugar to dissolve faster. Or use your preferred sugar alternative.
• Salt: The coarseness of your salt can influence the salinity of the sushi vinegar. I never use shop-bought fine salt with anti-caking agents (like table salt or some brands of fine sea salt). My salt has a coarsely ground texture. Use ¾ teaspoon (instead of a whole teaspoon) if you’re worried about overseasoning.

The perfect sushi rice ratios

One of the best things about Instant Pot sushi rice is that it scales well as long as you keep your ratios correct.

You don’t need to change the washing, cooking or seasoning methods. Simply scale your ingredients and keep the cooking time the same.

Instant Pot sushi rice to water ratio

Use a 1:1 ratio of uncooked, rinsed rice to water with this no-soak pressure cooker method.

So for every cup of washed, unsoaked rice, add one cup of water.

Sushi vinegar ratios

I use a 6:3:1 ratio of unseasoned rice vinegar to sugar to salt for my sushi vinegar mixture.

For each teaspoon of salt, use three times the amount of sugar and six times the amount of vinegar.

You can play around with this ratio the next time you make sushi rice. But this ratio is perfect for me. And it’s a great starting point for yours.

Sushi vinegar to uncooked rice ratio

I was childishly disappointed when I ordered sushi in a generic seafood restaurant and received sushi rolls that tasted overwhelmingly of vinegar. (This has never happened in a Japanese restaurant.)

Maybe they ran out of rice vinegar and used stronger-tasting vinegar, or perhaps they just used too much. But whatever the reason, I am forever fearful of overseasoning sushi rice.

I use two tablespoons of rice vinegar (and a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt) for each US cup of uncooked rice (two heaped cups of cooked sushi rice). Or use three tablespoons of shop-bought sushi rice vinegar.

The cooked short-grain rice absorbs the vinegar seasoning as it cools to room temperature.

Tip: If you want to find your perfect ratio of vinegar to rice, make a large batch of the sushi vinegar mixture – it keeps well in the fridge. Add two tablespoons of vinegar to your cooked rice. Taste, and mix in more vinegar until you’re happy with the result.

How to use Instant Pot sushi rice

Vinegared rice is traditionally only used for sushi. Even onigiri (Japanese savoury rice balls) use unseasoned rice.

But I adore the perfectly seasoned sticky white rice. It is sweet and savoury with a slight acidic kick.

For unseasoned steamed white rice, simply skip the seasoning step. Fluff your Instant Pot steamed rice with a fork.

Use it for onigiri or rice bowls. Or serve it with Asian stews like this spicy Korean braised tofu dish or stir-fries like Chinese tomato egg stir-fry.

Leftover medium- or short-grain rice is perfect for Korean fried rice with gochujang and kimchi.