Instant Pot Sushi Rice

Instant Pot sushi rice is the easiest way to get consistently fluffy, flavorful rice anytime you’re in the mood for homemade sushi rolls or bowls. It’s a little sweet, a little sour, and a lotta delicious.

What Makes This Method So Good

• Using the Instant Pot is a total game-changer, especially when it comes to rice. It’s so much faster than a stove-top method, and it gives you consistently perfect rice every time.
• It’s fluffy, sticky, and a little firm – everything you want in sushi rice.
• Flavored with a light rice-vinegar-mixture, it has just enough flavor to compliment any of your other sushi ingredients without overpowering.

Key Ingredients

Sushi Rice – Japanese-style short-grain white rice is the ideal sushi rice because it’s a little sticky and plumps up beautifully. Jasmine or basmati rice are similar, but not quite the same, so stick to anything short-grain or specifically labelled “sushi rice”.

Rice Vinegar – Don’t sleep on this! Rice vinegar gives the sushi rice that slightly sour, tangy flavor that we all know and love. If you leave this out, your rice will taste pretty bland. Use an unseasoned rice vinegar, which doesn’t contain added salt or sugar, since we’re adding our own in this recipe.

Chef’s Tips

• Don’t skip the pre-cook rinse to remove any dirt and starches on the outside of the rice. Be sure to rinse until the water runs completely clear. Don’t over-rinse, though, as oversaturating the rice may change the texture.
• The sugar and salt need to fully dissolve in the oil & vinegar mixture. If you need to, you can heat the mixture a little to make sure everything incorporates fully.
• If you can, avoid using metal bowls or utensils when you’re mixing the liquids or letting the rice cool before serving. Some metals can react with the vinegar, giving your rice a funky taste. Metal bowls also heat up very quickly, so if you’re letting your rice cool in a metal bowl, you may be inadvertently warming it longer, which can change the consistency of your rice. Metal spoons can damage the rice, too.
• Don’t stir the liquid into the rice, as the stirring motion can damage the rice and make it mushy. Instead, just gently fold the liquid in until it’s well incorporated.

More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love

• Instant Pot Basmati Rice
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• Perfect Whole30 Instant Pot Tomato Soup
• Instant Pot Quinoa
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• Instant Pot Eggs (Easy-to-Peel, Hard or Soft Boiled)
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• Instant Pot Black Rice (aka Forbidden Rice)