Albino Monkey Sushi Making Kit
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20 pieces: bazooka roller, bamboo mat, rice paddle, sashimi knife, 5 pairs of chopsticks and a free 15-lesson video course.
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Home / Sushi Recipes / Sushi Rice
Sushi Rice Recipe: Sticky, Glossy, Never Mushy
Updated November 9, 2026 by the team at Albino-monkey.com
Good sushi rice is short-grain rice rinsed until the water runs clear, cooked with slightly more water than rice (1 to 1.1 by volume), then folded while hot with a seasoning of rice vinegar, sugar and salt and fanned to body temperature. This recipe makes about 6 cups of seasoned rice, enough for 6 to 8 rolls, and works on the stove or in a rice cooker.
Ingredients
- 2 cups short-grain Japanese rice (such as Nishiki, Kokuho Rose or Tamanishiki)
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 piece kombu, about 2 inches (optional)
Directions
- Rinse the rice in a bowl of cold water, swirl it with your hand and pour the cloudy water off. Repeat 4 to 5 times until the water is almost clear.
- Drain the rice in a sieve for 10 minutes, then put it in a heavy pot with the measured water and the kombu if using. Let it soak for 30 minutes.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover tightly, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid. In a rice cooker, use the white rice setting.
- Take the pot off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes so the grains finish steaming. Remove the kombu.
- While the rice cooks, stir the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool.
- Spread the hot rice in a wide wooden or glass bowl. Pour the seasoning over a rice paddle onto the rice.
- Fold the rice with slicing, cutting strokes of the paddle so the grains stay whole. Fan the rice as you fold until it is glossy and about body temperature.
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel and use the rice within a few hours. Keep it at room temperature, not in the fridge.
Which rice to buy
Use short-grain or medium-grain Japanese style rice. Its starch makes the grains cling together without turning to paste. Long-grain rice will not hold a roll.
| Rice | Works for sushi? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese short-grain (Nishiki, Tamanishiki, Koshihikari) | Yes, best | Sticky and glossy, the classic choice |
| Calrose / Kokuho Rose (medium-grain) | Yes | Easy to find in US stores, slightly softer |
| Jasmine | Not really | Too loose and fragrant; rolls fall apart |
| Basmati or long-grain white | No | Grains stay separate |
| Brown short-grain | Yes, with changes | Soak 1 hour and add about 1/4 cup more water |
Rice, water and seasoning by batch size
| Uncooked rice | Water | Rice vinegar | Sugar | Salt | Makes about |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 1 cup + 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 1 tbsp | 1/2 tsp | 3 cups, 3 to 4 rolls |
| 2 cups | 2 cups + 2 tbsp | 1/4 cup | 2 tbsp | 1 tsp | 6 cups, 6 to 8 rolls |
| 3 cups | 3 cups + 3 tbsp | 6 tbsp | 3 tbsp | 1 1/2 tsp | 9 cups, 9 to 12 rolls |
Already have seasoned rice vinegar? It contains sugar and salt, so use about 1/3 cup per 2 cups of rice and skip the separate sugar and salt.
Why sushi rice goes wrong
- Mushy rice: too much water or not enough rinsing. Measure the water and rinse until clear.
- Hard, dry grains: the lid came off during cooking or the rice cooled uncovered. Keep it covered and under a damp towel.
- Rice sticks to your hands: keep a bowl of water with a splash of vinegar next to you and wet your fingers often.
- Bland sushi: the seasoning went on cold rice. Season while the rice is hot so it soaks in.
- Rice turned hard in the fridge: chilled rice stiffens. Make it the day you roll.
Tools that make it easier
A wide bowl and a flat rice paddle are the two tools that change sushi rice the most: the paddle lets you fold without crushing the grains. To turn the rice into rolls you then need a bamboo mat or a bazooka roller.
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 much water do I use for sushi rice?
- Use 1 to 1.1 parts water to 1 part rinsed rice by volume. For 2 cups of rice that is 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of water.
- Do I have to rinse sushi rice?
- Yes. Rinsing removes loose surface starch. Unrinsed rice cooks into a gluey mass instead of separate, sticky grains.
- Can I make sushi rice in a rice cooker?
- Yes. Rinse and soak the rice, add the same amount of water, use the white rice setting, let it rest 10 minutes, then season it in a bowl.
- Can I use jasmine rice for sushi?
- It is not a good choice. Jasmine is a long-grain rice that does not stick well, so rolls tend to fall apart. Use short-grain or Calrose rice.
- How long does sushi rice keep?
- Use it the same day, ideally within a few hours, covered with a damp towel at room temperature. In the fridge it turns hard.
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