How does a sushi bazooka work?

It is a hinged tube you fill with rice and fillings. Close it and push the plunger, and it pushes out an even cylinder of rice with the fillings in the middle, ready to wrap in nori.

Do you put nori in the sushi bazooka?

No. The nori goes on the mat. You push the rice log out onto the nori and then roll the nori around it.

Can you make inside-out rolls with a sushi bazooka?

Yes, with an extra step: wrap the log in a half sheet of nori, then roll it in a thin layer of rice or sesame seeds on a mat covered in plastic wrap.

How do I stop rice sticking in the bazooka?

Wet the inside of the tube before each roll and use rice that has cooled to body temperature.

Is a sushi bazooka good for beginners?

Yes. It needs almost no technique, which is why it is the easiest way for beginners and kids to get even rolls.

Albino Monkey Sushi Making Kit

$23.994.3★ · 297 ratings on Amazon

20 pieces: bazooka roller, bamboo mat, rice paddle, sashimi knife, 5 pairs of chopsticks and a free 15-lesson video course.

Buy it on Amazon

10% off with code SUSHI10

Home / Sushi Recipes / Sushi Bazooka

Albino Monkey sushi bazooka with three photos: filling the tube, pushing the roll onto nori, sliced rolls

Tool guide

How to Use a Sushi Bazooka: Perfect Rolls in 60 Seconds

Updated November 9, 2026 by the team at Albino-monkey.com

To use a sushi bazooka, wet the inside of the tube, fill one half with seasoned sushi rice, press a channel down the middle, add your fillings, top with more rice, close the tube and push the plunger to slide a round, even log of rice onto a sheet of nori. Roll the nori around it, seal the edge with a little water and slice. Each load makes one roll of about 8 pieces, in roughly a minute once the rice is ready.

Step by step

Make the sushi rice and let it cool to body temperature. Hot rice sticks to the tube; cold rice will not bind.
Wet the inside of both tube halves and the end caps with water (a splash of rice vinegar in the water helps).
Open the bazooka and press seasoned rice into both halves, about 1/2 inch thick, using a wet rice paddle.
Press a groove down the middle of the rice in one half with the back of a spoon and lay your fillings in it: crab, cucumber and avocado, salmon, or anything you would put in a roll.
Close the two halves together and lock them. Attach the end cap and push the plunger in a little to pack the rice.
Lay a sheet of nori on a bamboo mat, shiny side down. Push the plunger slowly so the rice log slides out onto the near edge of the nori.
Lift the edge of the mat and roll the nori around the log, using the mat to keep it tight. Wet the far edge of the nori to seal it.
Slice the roll into 8 pieces with a wet, sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.

Bazooka vs bamboo mat

	Sushi bazooka	Bamboo mat
Skill needed	Almost none	A few practice rolls
Speed	About 1 minute per roll	3 to 5 minutes per roll
Roll shape	Perfectly round and even	Depends on your hands
Thin rolls (hosomaki)	Too thick	Best tool
Great for	Beginners, kids, parties, big batches	Inside-out rolls, thin rolls, kimbap

Most home cooks end up using both: the bazooka for fast, even maki and the mat for wrapping the nori and for thin or inside-out rolls.

Troubleshooting

Rice sticks to the tube: wet the tube again before every load and make sure the rice is not hot.
The roll falls apart: pack the rice firmly in both halves and push the plunger a little before you open the end cap.
Fillings come out off center: make the groove deeper and keep fillings in a narrow line.
Hard to push: too much rice. Use about 1/2 inch in each half.

Cleaning

Rinse the bazooka right after use, before the rice dries. The Albino Monkey bazooka is dishwasher safe; the bamboo mat is hand-wash only, because the dishwasher cracks bamboo.

What to roll first

Start with a California roll (no raw fish), then try a spicy salmon roll or vegetarian rolls. For the full sushi method, see our step-by-step guide.

Tools that make it easier

You still need a bamboo mat to wrap the nori around the bazooka log, and a sharp knife to slice it. That is why bazookas usually come in a kit.

We make the Albino Monkey Sushi Making Kit (20 pieces, $23.99 on Amazon, 4.3 stars from 297 ratings): a bamboo mat, a dishwasher-safe mat, a rice paddle and spreader, the bazooka roller, a sashimi knife and 5 pairs of chopsticks, plus a free 15-lesson video course. See what is in the kit or start with our step-by-step sushi guide.

Common questions

How does a sushi bazooka work?: It is a hinged tube you fill with rice and fillings. Close it and push the plunger, and it pushes out an even cylinder of rice with the fillings in the middle, ready to wrap in nori.
Do you put nori in the sushi bazooka?: No. The nori goes on the mat. You push the rice log out onto the nori and then roll the nori around it.
Can you make inside-out rolls with a sushi bazooka?: Yes, with an extra step: wrap the log in a half sheet of nori, then roll it in a thin layer of rice or sesame seeds on a mat covered in plastic wrap.
How do I stop rice sticking in the bazooka?: Wet the inside of the tube before each roll and use rice that has cooled to body temperature.
Is a sushi bazooka good for beginners?: Yes. It needs almost no technique, which is why it is the easiest way for beginners and kids to get even rolls.