This instant pot short-grain rice recipe is the easiest way to get perfect rice every time. Serve the steamed rice with your favourite Japanese dishes, or use it in poke and rice bowls. And, for homemade sushi rice, season the rice with the sushi vinegar mixture.
Servings4 servings
Equipment
- Large glass bowl – or wooden hangiri bowl
- Instant Pot – or electric pressure cooker
- Rice paddle or non-metal spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup sushi rice*
- 1 cup water
Sushi vinegar ingredients (for sushi rice)
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground sea salt
Instructions
Rinse the rice
- Place the rice in a large mixing bowl and cover it with cold water. Gently swirl the rice with your fingers shaped in a claw. Pour off the water, and repeat 4 to 5 times – until the water runs clear.
- Transfer the rice to a fine mesh strainer and leave it to drain for 5 to 10 minutes.
Cook the rice in Instant Pot (or similar pressure cooker)
- Add 1 cup of rinsed rice and 1 cup of water to the inner pot.
- Lock the lid and move the steam release valve to the sealing position. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode (or manual mode for older models) on high pressure for 5 minutes.
Mix the sushi vinegar (only if making sushi)
- While the rice cooks, make the sushi vinegar. Place the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved.
- You can gently heat the vinegar mix in a microwave for 30 seconds to help the sugar dissolve. Or use a small saucepan. But don’t allow the vinegar to boil.
Natural pressure release
- After the 5-minute cook time, allow 10 minutes of natural release before turning the steam release valve to the venting position for quick release. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving your steamed short-grain rice.
Season the rice for sushi (optional)
- To use the steamed rice for sushi, immediately transfer the cooked rice to a large wooden or glass mixing bowl.
- Add the seasoned vinegar mix. Gently fold it through the rice with a rice paddle in a slicing motion to combine, carefully coating each grain of rice with the mixture.
- Cover the rice with a clean damp kitchen towel and allow it to cool to room temperature before using it for sushi – about 30 minutes.
Notes
- Different types of rice may require a different ratio of rice to water. This recipe works perfectly for any white short-grain rice, like Japanese rice (sushi rice), and medium-grain Calrose rice.
- For brown short-grain rice, use a rice-to-water ratio of 1:1.5 – add 1½ cups water for every cup rice. And increase the pressure cooking time to 20 minutes.
- And, for long-grain rice (like jasmine rice and basmati rice), see how to cook long-grain rice in the Instant Pot.
- See this easy stovetop sushi rice recipe if you want to free up the Instant Pot.
- Refrigerate leftover rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat it thoroughly before serving.
- See more sushi rice tips in the full post for the best Instant Pot sushi rice.
- And, for stovetop sushi rice instructions, see this easy stovetop sushi rice recipe.