Easy Sushi Recipes For Beginners

Homemade Sushi is so much cheaper than at the restaurant. Plus, it’s easy and fun to make your own rolls at home, so you can put all your favorite ingredients into your perfect custom roll — here’s how!

I’ll be very honest and say that there’s definitely a reason why sushi chefs spend a decade learning how to perfect sushi rice or cut raw fish like a boss, because it

Homemade sushi will never be at the level of what you’d get from the top sushi restaurants in NYC, but here’s where homemade sushi rolls win:

A Beginner's Guide To Making Sushi

You get to gorge yourself on a FEAST for like $20, whereas a similar amount of food at a restaurant would cost a couple hundred. Soooooo worth it, if you ask me.

My husband and I first made it several years ago for Valentine’s Day as a way to avoid the restaurant craze and spend time together making a special meal, and now it has become a tradition for us every year. And we love it so much we can’t limit it to one day a year anymore, and make it on occasion for dinner.

We are fortunate to have access to sushi-grade fish (our favorite is raw salmon), but you can still make sushi at home if you can’t find some.

Easy Sushi Recipes That Are Surprisingly Simple

Shrimp tempura rolls are one of our favorites, or you could do a California roll using real or imitation crab, or you could even try a veggie roll. One of our regulars is Philadelphia rolls, with smoked salmon, cream cheese, avocado, and cucumber.

All of these sushi rolls are sometimes referred to as “maki rolls, ” which is any type of roll where ingredients like raw fish and vegetables are rolled with vinegar-seasoned rice and nori. The sky is the limit when it comes to filling ingredients, and the best part is getting creative with your own rolls.

Or if you want to try something a little different, you can make Korean Kim Bap. It’s fairly similar to sushi, but no raw fish.

Easy Vegan Sushi Rolls

To get started, you need the right kind of seaweed. The one on the left below is thick and perfect for rolling (this is the one I use). The one on the right is too flimsy. I use that seaweed for snacking. Make sure you get seaweed specific for making sushi, which it should state on the package. It will sometimes say “nori” on the package.

If the seaweed you’ve bought seems to have one side that’s shinier than the other, have the shiny side facing the rolling surface so that it’s on the outside of the roll.

Then spread your sheet of nori with a layer of prepared sushi rice (that whole post covers how to make the rice), and flatten the top of the rice gently with a paddle, but do not smash the rice, as my mom would always say. And make sure not to neglect the edges of the nori sheet!

Easy Sushi Recipes For Beginners

I cover details in-depth in that post, but I recommend a short-grain rice, as well as a white rice, instead of brown. Long-grain rice is usually not sticky rice, and that is an important factor for helping hold the rolls shut. I also season the rice with a sushi vinegar that has a touch of salt and sugar in it. You may also add sesame seeds, if you wish.

Also know that the rice will be easiest to spread when it’s slightly warm or at room temperature, so prepare the timing right in advance for when you want to eat.

For my rolls this time, I got this gorgeous piece of salmon. It was a 1/2lb piece, and gave us enough fish for about 6 rolls, plus some snacking. Even at $28/lb, which seems like a lot, paying $14 for that much fish is certainly worth it, and dirt cheap if you ask me!

Homemade California Sushi Rolls

Here is how I cut salmon for my sushi rolls. First, cut straight down through the filet, then cut that piece in half through the center so you have a small strip. Make sure you’re using a sharp knife and gliding with one stroke, to get a nice clean cut.

Place your desired ingredients onto the sushi rice. I’ve got salmon, avocado, and cream cheese (I know, I know. But Philly-style rolls are my favorite, and making this at home is all about customizing the ingredients to what you enjoy):

Roll it up tightly, using a bamboo mat. It’s a specific kitchen item, but you can get a decent one for less than $2 on Amazon or at an Asian market, so I think it’s worth having. It ensures the best results for the roll holding together.

How To Make Sushi

If you don’t have one, you can sort of use parchment paper or plastic wrap, but you won’t be able to wrap it as tightly, so buy one if you plan to make sushi regularly.

Then use your sharpest knife to cut the sushi salmon roll into pieces. I don’t find it particularly better to use a serrated knife. Just make sure to use a sharp one!

You may also wish to have a small bowl of cold water or a damp towel at your work station for wiping your fingertips between rolls. Sometimes things can get sticky, so this can really make things easier!

Dragon Roll Recipe ドラゴンロール • Just One Cookbook

I don’t recommend this, as the longer you keep the raw fish, you risk bacteria growth and illness. If I find that we’re getting full and we still have ingredients left, we’ll usually just enjoy the rest of the fish, thinly sliced sashimi-style, because that’s the most valuable part, and let the rest of the ingredients go. Also, refrigerated rice gets hard and dry, and doesn’t reheat well, so this is something that should be eaten freshly made.

Sushi rice is an art that chefs spend years perfecting, but if you’re looking for something easy, I have a post on how to make sushi rice in the rice cooker.

Homemade Sushi is so much cheaper than at the restaurant! Sushi is easy and fun to make at home — here’s how!

Is Sushi Gluten Free? And An Easy Gluten Free Sushi Recipe!

Storing leftovers: I do not recommend trying to keep leftovers, particularly if you are using raw fish. Even if you do cooked fish and vegetables, once the rice is hard and cold in the fridge, it won’t be as enjoyable to eat.

Calories: 190 kcal , Carbohydrates: 11 g , Protein: 10 g , Fat: 12 g , Saturated Fat: 5 g , Cholesterol: 40 mg , Sodium: 92 mg , Fiber: 2 g , Sugar: 1 gLove Japanese sushi? Us too! Though it might seem like a delivery- or takeout-only meal, we’re here to tell you that it’s totally attainable at home. Though it does take a long time to become a professional sushi chef (seriously, they train for up to 10 years!), you (yes, you!) can make delicious rolls with just a few key ingredients and techniques. The best part? We’ve included some classic recipes here, but you really can fill them with whatever

Want—tempura, veggies, pickles… doesn’t have to be limited to just fish. Check out our best sushi recipes for ideas—you’ll only get better with practice, so get to rolling!

Sushi Cookbook For Beginners: 50 Authentic Sushi Recipes For Beginners With Easy Steps Make At Home: Carter, Jenny T: 9798779875295: Amazon.com: Books

It’s ALL about the rice. The word sushi actually means “sour rice” in Japanese, so if you’re going to attempt sushi at home, you’ve got to get it right. Don’t be intimidated, we’ve got a sushi rice guide to get you started. Basically, you’ll be adding rice wine vinegar (the “sour”) to your rice in a particular way. If it’s not perfect the first time, no worries—your rolls will still taste delicious.

The world is your oyster… er, sushi-grade fish. If you're looking to make authentic sushi with raw fish, you're going to want to seek out the best you can find. While we’re usually all for a frozen foods swap, here it will compromise flavor and taste, so go for fresh. Talk to a fishmonger for help picking something out (emphasize you’ll be eating it

). Check out our rainbow roll to see how we used raw tuna, raw yellowtail, and raw salmon to great effect. If you don’t have access to high-quality fish though, don’t worry. Lots of great rolls utilize imitation crab (also known as crab stick or

How To Make Sushi (step By Step Recipe)

), like our spicy crab roll. You could also use tempura, like in our dragon roll or our shrimp tempura rolls, or even humble canned tuna, like in our spicy tuna rolls. Not a big fish fan? Stick with solely veggies, like in our cucumber sushi, or try out different combos of whatever you like. These are

Tool of the trade. To really be successful at rolling your own sushi, you’re going to want to grab a reusable bamboo sushi mat. They’re relatively inexpensive, and once you see how easy it is to make sushi, we bet you’ll get a lot of use out of it. Check out our kimbap (technically not sushi, but similar technique) recipe video to see it in action. Hot tip: Wrap your mat in plastic wrap before using it. It does eliminate some of the reusable nature of the