• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
I'm Hungry For That
  • Home
  • Breakfast Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • All Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Breakfast Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • All Recipes
    • Instagram
  • ×

    Instant Pot Sushi Rice In Just 15 Minutes

    by Brendan Cunningham 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This Instant Pot sushi rice is fluffy, springy, and perfectly seasoned. And it's just what you need to make the best sushi, poke bowls, and onigiri at home! All you need are 5 simple ingredients, and the sushi rice is ready in just 15 minutes.

    A black bowl of sushi rice and a circular straw placemat. There is a pair of chopsticks on the placemat and behind it is another black bowl filled with sushi rice.

    THE BEST INSTANT POT SUSHI RICE

    This is the best sushi rice if you want a quick, easy, versatile, and delicious addition to your cooking repertoire. 

    You can eat it as a side, use it to make sushi, create your own sushi bowls, and so much more. 

    Table of Contents
    • THE BEST INSTANT POT SUSHI RICE
      • INGREDIENTS
      • THE BEST RICE FOR SUSHI RICE
      • HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT SUSHI RICE 
        • STEP 1: COOKING THE RICE
        • STEP 2: MAKING THE SUSHI VINEGAR
        • STEP 3: SEASONING THE RICE
      • WHAT TO DO WITH SUSHI RICE
      • HOW TO STORE YOUR SUSHI RICE
      • WRAPPING IT ALL UP

     

    And it has everything you want in flavorful sushi rice – tender and fluffy grains, a sticky and springy texture, and a subtle savoriness that really brings out the flavor of the other ingredients.

    With that said, what I really love is cooking sushi rice in this only takes 15 minutes in the pressure cooker, and you just need a few simple ingredients.

    Not to mention, with this sushi rice Instant Pot creation, you can easily replicate the experience of your favorite Japanese restaurant right in your own home! And you can make this Japanese Curry Recipe to complete the experience.

    A black bowl with sushi rice in it and a circular straw placemat. A pair of chopsticks is on the placemat the left of the bowl next to that part of a small bowl of soy sauce. Behind the ball is another black bowl filled with sushi rice on a white tablecloth.

    INGREDIENTS FOR INSTANT POT SUSHI RICE

    So, there are two main components to this recipe: rice and sushi vinegar. 

    And the vinegar is what gives this sticky rice that hint of savoriness that really sets it apart from regular white rice.

    Check out what you'll need for the rice:

    • 2 cups sushi rice
    • Just over 2 ¼ cups water
    A small bowl of sushi rice on a white counter with a pitcher of water behind it.

    And for the sushi vinegar:

    • 2 tbsp rice vinegar 
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 tsp sea salt

    Pretty common stuff, right?

    Hey small bowl of rice vinegar, a small cup of sugar, and a small bottle of sea salt on a white counter.

    Oh, and by the way, if you want to try some more Instant Pot rice recipes, checkout this coconut rice, risotto, and Spanish rice next!

    THE BEST RICE FOR SUSHI RICE

    When choosing your rice, find the white rice labeled "sushi rice."

    It usually is a short-grain Japanese rice, but some places have it as medium-grain California rice.

    For the best results, you'll want to avoid long-grain rice or whole grain rice because they won't have the same texture and stickiness that you need for this recipe.

    An overhead view of sushi rice and a black bowl and a circular wooden placement. To the right of it is a pair of chopsticks and in front of that part of a wooden bowl fill the soy sauce. Next to the wooden bowl as part of a black bowl filled with sushi rice on a white tablecloth.

    HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT SUSHI RICE 

    Once again, the process of making sushi rice couldn't be any easier to make.

    All you have to do is make the sushi vinegar and let the pressure cooker do its thing. And if you have a rice cooker, you can also use that instead. 

    So if you're ready to whip us this recipe, let's get to it!

    STEP 1: COOKING THE RICE

    The first thing you'll want to do is rinse your sushi rice a few times until no more starch comes out from the water. 

    And to do that, place your rice in a mesh strainer and wash until the water passing through becomes clear. Or you can rinse the rice in a bowl about 5 or 6 times, using clean water each time.

    Next, transfer your washed rice to the Instant Pot along with the water, and set it to the "rice" function - on my instant pot the automatic time set by this function is 9 minutes.  

    A four split picture showing the process of draining sushi rice, sushi rice in an instant pot, pouring water into the instant pot, and the sushi rice cooking.

    STEP 2: MAKING THE SUSHI VINEGAR

    While you're waiting for the rice to cook, you can get started on the vinegar. 

    First, add the rice vinegar, sugar, and sea salt to a small bowl and mix until well combined.

    And if you're having any trouble dissolving the sugar, you can place the bowl in a bigger one filled with hot water to warm the mixture up a little.

    A four split picture showing a bowl of rice vinegar, rice vinegar and sushi rice in an instant pot, the rice vinegar being poured into the instant pot, and the rice being stirred around the instant pot.

    STEP 3: SEASONING THE RICE

    Once you have the cooked rice, pour the sushi vinegar over it while the rice is still hot.

    Then, quickly fold the rice a few times with a spatula to thoroughly coat it with the vinegar. And be careful not to smash the rice as you do this - you want to do a kind of cutting motion across the rice with your spatula, then gently fold it over and repeat.

    Next, cover the rice with a clean damp cloth to prevent it from getting too dry, and let it cool to room temperature.

    After it cools, use the rice for whatever you want and enjoy! 

    A black bowl with sushi rice in it on a circular placemat with chopsticks to the left of the bowl. In front of the placemat is a small white bowl filled with soy sauce and behind the placemat is part of a black bowl filled with sushi rice.

    WHAT TO DO WITH SUSHI RICE

    This Japanese rice will help you make some killer sushi rolls and onigiri, but there are a ton of other things you can make with it too.

    But, if you are making sushi rolls or onigiri, dip your hands in a bowl of cold water to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands while you work.

    Ok, so you can use it as a base for poke bowls, bibimbap, or even add it to a stir fry.

    And you can also use it as a side dish - here are some of my favorite recipes to pair it with:

    • General Tso Shrimp
    • Firecracker Shrimp
    • Blackened Shrimp
    • Empress Chicken
    • Chicken Tocino
    Instant pot sushi rice and a black bowl and a straw circular placemat. To the left of the bowl on the placemat is a pair of chopsticks and in front of the placemat as a small white bowl filled with soy sauce.

    HOW TO STORE YOUR SUSHI RICE

    This recipe makes about 3 or 4 servings of Japanese rice - perfect for creating anything I listed above or pairing it with one of those recipes for a family dinner.

    Now, this pressure cooker sushi rice is best eaten the day you make it because the texture changes, and it can lose some of its fluffiness when refrigerated.

    But since this recipe comes together so quickly and is made with just a few pantry staples, you can always make a fresh batch!

    With that said, you can store your leftover rice in an airtight container, and it will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

    Part of a black bowl filled with sushi rice and a circular placemat. A pair of chopsticks to the left of the bowl on the placemat and in the background is a part of a black bowl filled with sushi rice.

    WRAPPING IT ALL UP

    This Japanese rice is an incredibly versatile side dish that can transform a simple dinner into a restaurant-quality meal.

    You can use it for sushi, sushi bowls, stir-frys, or as a side dish for almost anything. 

    And after you try this, you'll never want to make any other rice again. 

    I hope you enjoy this Instant Pot sushi rice recipe as much as I do. If you make it, be sure to let me know in the comments how it went!

    MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES

    If you're looking for more delicious Instant Pot recipes, give one of these a try next:

    • Sausage and Peppers
    • Chicken Tenders
    • Potato Salad
    • Coconut Rice
    • Paella
    Print

    Instant Pot Sushi Rice In Just 15 Minutes

    A black bowl filled with instant pot sushi rice. The bowl is on a straw Circular placement and there is a pair of chopsticks to the left of the bowl on the placemat.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 5 reviews

    This instant pot sushi rice is fluffy, springy, and perfectly seasoned. It's just what you need to make the best sushi, poke bowls, and onigiri at home! All you need are 5 simple ingredients, and the sushi rice is ready in just 15 minutes. 

    • Author: Brendan Cunningham
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 9 minutes
    • Total Time: 14 minutes
    • Yield: 3 servings 1x
    • Category: Side
    • Method: Instant Pot
    • Cuisine: Japanese

    Ingredients

    Scale

    2 cups (370g) sushi rice

    Just over 2 ¼ cups (540ml) water

    2 tbsp rice vinegar 

    2 tbsp sugar

    1 tsp sea salt

    Instructions

    1. Rinse the rice a few times in a strainer until the water becomes clear. 
    2. Place the rice in an instant pot or rice cooker and add the water.
    3. Set your instant pot or rice cooker to the "rice" function (my automatic time set by this option is 9 minutes).
    4. While the rice cooks, prepare the sushi vinegar. Mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl until combined. Gently heat if needed to dissolve the sugar. 
    5. Once the rice is cooked, pour the sushi vinegar over the rice while the rice is still hot, and quickly fold the rice with a spatula (be careful not to smash the rice, use more of a cutting motion)
    6. Let the rice cool at room temperature and place a moistened cloth over it to avoid getting dry. 
    7. Shape the rice for sushi or enjoy it however you want. 

    Notes

    The scale up function does not change the gram measurements.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 186
    • Fat: 0.3
    • Carbohydrates: 42
    • Protein: 3

    Keywords: instant pot sushi rice, instant pot sushi rice recipe, sushi rice instant pot, sushi rice in instant pot, instant pot rice, instant pot rice recipe, sushi rice, sushi rice recipe, instant pot sushi rice vinegar, instant pot sushi rice rice setting, instant pot japanese sushi rice, sushi rice recipe instant pot, sushi rice recipe rice cooker, sushi rice recipe easy,

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us @ImHungryForThat — we can't wait to see what you've made!

    « Instant Pot Polenta In Only 15 Minutes
    Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers Done In Under 25 Minutes »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ang

      August 10, 2021 at 5:37 pm

      Delicious recipe. I ate with broccoli, pepper, and beef.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Aldo

      August 11, 2021 at 9:00 pm

      Turned out great for my sushi.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Tai

      September 11, 2021 at 8:20 pm

      Worked flawlessly.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Kim

      October 09, 2021 at 9:39 pm

      This rice turned out perfect for our sushi!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Lisa

      October 25, 2021 at 10:31 pm

      Turned out spectacular.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    Hey there! We're Brendan & Joe, and we love to create recipes that make you say "I'm hungry for that!" We've both... Read More…

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    A tin filled with french fries. There is text above the french fries that reads "click here to join our weekly newsletter".

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About Us

    • About

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    YouTube

    • Subscribe

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Privacy Policy Copyright © 2021 Terms & Conditions