Rice Cooker Sushi Rice

Steaming hot white rice in a round wooden tub, with a white plastic rice paddle resting on the rice.

5 from 1 vote

Sushi rice made in a rice cooker is simple once you know how it comes together. The key is not just cooking the rice, but how you handle it after it is done. This method shows you how to rinse, cook, season, and cool the rice so the grains stay glossy, tender, and hold together for rolls, bowls, or hand rolls.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings:

Calories: 245kcal

Author: Kelly Bloom

Equipment

Rice Cooker
wide shallow bowl 9 x 13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

2 cups sushi rice (short-grain white rice)
2½ cups water
4 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse thoroughly: Place sushi rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water, gently swishing, until the water runs mostly clear. Use standard measuring cups and keep the same measurement for both rice and water.
Add to rice cooker: Transfer the rinsed rice to the rice cooker and add the water. Level the rice so it cooks evenly.
2 cups sushi rice, 2½ cups water
Cook the rice: Cook using the standard white rice setting on your rice cooker.
Prepare the seasoning: While the rice cooks, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Warm just enough to dissolve, then let cool slightly.
4 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
Transfer the rice: Once cooking is complete, transfer the rice to a wide, shallow bowl or dish.
Season and fold: Drizzle the vinegar mixture evenly over the warm rice. Using a rice paddle, gently fold and slice through the rice to distribute the seasoning. Do not stir in circles.
Cool the rice: Continue folding while the rice cools slightly until the grains look glossy and hold together.
Use or serve: Use immediately for sushi rolls, bowls, or rice balls.

For best texture, do not skip the transfer and cooling steps. This is what gives sushi rice its glossy finish and helps the grains hold together.

Video

Notes

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Skipping the rinse: Leaves excess starch on the rice, which can make it heavy and gummy.
Using too much water: The rice becomes too soft and can turn mushy once the seasoning is added.
Seasoning in the rice cooker bowl: The rice is harder to spread out, so the seasoning does not distribute evenly.
Overmixing: Breaks the grains and makes the texture dense instead of light and glossy.
Using long-grain rice: Will not give you the same sticky, tender texture needed for sushi rice.

Nutrition