Home sushi from scratch in 90 minutes

On this page

1. What equipment do you need to make sushi?
2. How do you prepare sushi rice?
   1. The preparation steps
3. How do you roll maki sushi?
   1. Setting up the rolling station
   2. The rolling technique
4. What fillings work best for homemade sushi?
   1. Raw fish
   2. Cooked seafood
   3. Vegetables
   4. Sauces and toppings
5. How do you cut sushi rolls cleanly?
6. What other types of sushi can you make at home?
   1. Uramaki (inside-out rolls)
   2. Temaki (hand rolls)
   3. Nigiri
   4. Chirashi (sushi bowls)
   5. Onigiri (rice balls)
7. What goes wrong and how do you fix it?
   1. Rice is mushy or tasteless
   2. Rolls fall apart when cutting
   3. Nori is chewy, not crisp
   4. Filling falls out the ends
8. How do you serve and present sushi?
9. What does a typical sushi session look like start to finish?
   1. Minutes 0 to 5: Start the rice
   2. Minutes 5 to 25: Prep fillings during rice cooking
   3. Minutes 25 to 35: Season the rice
   4. Minutes 35 to 55: Roll and cut
   5. Minutes 55 to 60: Plate and serve
10. How much does a sushi session cost?
11. Browse all technique guides

Making sushi at home is easier than most people think. You need rice, nori, fillings, a bamboo mat, and about 90 minutes. The technique is straightforward once you understand the sequence.

I made my first batch in 2021. The rolls were ugly, the rice was bland, and I used way too much filling. But they tasted good. Five years and hundreds of sessions later, the process takes me 45 minutes from start to platter. The biggest lesson I learned early is that sushi is 80 percent rice preparation and 20 percent everything else.

This page covers the full process from raw ingredients to finished sushi. Each section links to a deeper guide if you want more detail on a specific technique. If you have never made sushi before, start with our sushi for beginners guide which covers your first session in simpler terms.

What equipment do you need to make sushi?

A bamboo rolling mat, a sharp knife, and a rice paddle are the three essentials. Everything else is optional for your first session.

The mat is non-negotiable for maki rolls. Without it, you cannot apply the even pressure needed to create a tight cylinder. If you plan to make sushi more than once, a sushi making kit is the most cost-effective way to get started.

For cutting, any sharp 8-inch chef's knife works. A dull knife tears the nori and crushes the rice. If you want a dedicated sushi knife, our knife guide covers five tested options across three price tiers. The key technique for cutting is wetting the blade before every cut and using a single pulling motion, not a sawing action.

How do you prepare sushi rice?

The rice is the foundation. Bad rice ruins everything. Good rice makes even simple rolls taste like they came from a restaurant.

Use short-grain Japanese rice. Not long-grain, not jasmine, not basmati. The starch content in short-grain varieties creates the sticky texture that holds rolls together and shapes nigiri.

The preparation steps

Rinse the rice five times in cold water. Each rinse removes surface starch. The water will start cloudy and become mostly clear by the fifth rinse. Do not skip this step. Unrinsed rice turns gummy.

Cook at a 1:1 water-to-rice ratio. For 2 cups of rice, use 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil with the lid on, reduce to the lowest heat setting for 12 minutes, then remove from heat and rest with the lid still on for 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid during cooking or resting.

Season while the rice is still hot. The preparation of the seasoning mixture uses a ratio of 4 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt per 2 cups of uncooked rice. Heat the mixture in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil.

Fold the seasoning into the rice using a cutting motion with a rice paddle. Do not stir in circles. Stirring crushes the grains and turns the rice into a paste. Cut through the rice, fold it over, and fan it simultaneously. Continue for 5 minutes until the rice reaches body temperature and looks glossy.

Cover with a damp cloth until ready to use. Do not refrigerate sushi rice. Cold rice becomes hard and loses its sticky texture.

Getting the rice right took me about four attempts. My first three batches were either too wet, too dry, or completely unseasoned because I assumed the vinegar was optional. It is not optional. The seasoning is what makes sushi rice taste like sushi rice rather than plain steamed rice. Once I committed to the exact 4:2:1 ratio and stopped guessing, every batch came out consistently.

Our full sushi rice guide covers brand comparisons, rice cooker methods, and the five most common mistakes.

How do you roll maki sushi?

Maki is the most common homemade sushi. Place nori on a bamboo mat, spread rice, add fillings in a line, and roll with a 45-degree tuck.

The rolling process takes about 5 minutes per roll once you have the station set up. This is the technique most beginners learn first because maki is the most forgiving style.

Setting up the rolling station

Place the bamboo mat on your cutting board with the slats running parallel to you. Set a bowl of water to your right for wetting your hands. Arrange rice, nori sheets, and fillings within reach. Keep a sharp knife and a damp cloth nearby for cutting.

The rolling technique

Place one nori sheet on the mat, rough side facing up. Wet your hands and take a fistful of rice, roughly 150 grams. Spread it evenly across the nori, leaving a 2 cm strip uncovered along the far edge. That strip is the seal. The rice layer should be thin enough that you can still see the dark nori through it in places.

Place your fillings in a horizontal line across the centre third of the rice. Use 2 to 3 fillings maximum for a standard maki roll. Overfilling is the single most common beginner mistake. Two thin strips of fish and one line of avocado is plenty.

Lift the near edge of the mat and roll the nori over the fillings using a 45-degree tucking motion. Apply even pressure across the full length of the roll. Do not squeeze. The goal is a firm cylinder, not a compressed block. Continue rolling with a quarter-turn motion until the uncovered nori strip meets the roll. Wet that strip lightly with water from your fingertips to seal.

Let the roll rest for 30 seconds before cutting. The seal needs a moment to set.

My first 20 rolls were loose because I was afraid of applying pressure. I thought firm rolling would crush the rice. It does not. The rice is sticky enough to absorb the compression without turning into a block. Once I started rolling with confidence, the rolls held together perfectly.

For a detailed walkthrough with troubleshooting, read the maki rolling guide.

What fillings work best for homemade sushi?

Almost anything works inside a sushi roll. Raw fish, cooked seafood, vegetables, and cream cheese are all standard fillings.

The limiting factor is texture and thickness, not flavour.

Raw fish

Salmon and tuna are the most popular raw fillings for homemade sushi. Both must be sushi-grade, meaning they have been frozen to a temperature that kills parasites before being sold for raw consumption. Buy from a trusted fishmonger or online seafood supplier. Our fish preparation guide covers sourcing, safety, and slicing technique.

Slice raw fish into strips roughly 1 cm wide and 10 cm long for maki. For nigiri, cut 7 to 10 gram slices against the grain at a slight angle.

Cooked seafood

Shrimp is butterflied and blanched for 60 seconds. Eel is always grilled and glazed with kabayaki sauce. Imitation crab (surimi) requires no cooking. Smoked salmon requires no preparation at all and is the easiest protein for beginners. I used smoked salmon exclusively for my first three months before graduating to raw fish. It tastes excellent in a roll with cream cheese and avocado.

Vegetables

Avocado sliced 3 to 4 mm thick. Cucumber cut into matchsticks 10 cm by 5 mm. Cream cheese in 1 cm strips. Sweet potato roasted and sliced. Asparagus blanched. Pickled daikon cut into thin strips.

Sauces and toppings

Sriracha mayo (2 parts Japanese mayo to 1 part sriracha). Sesame seeds (toasted in a dry pan). Tobiko (flying fish roe). Tempura flakes for crunch.

For a complete ingredient reference with brand recommendations and sourcing, read our sushi ingredients guide. For fish and seafood specifically, read the fish and seafood hub.

How do you cut sushi rolls cleanly?

Wet the knife blade before every cut and use a single pulling motion from heel to tip. A dry knife tears the nori and compresses the rice.

This single technique change makes the biggest difference in how your sushi looks. Most beginners saw back and forth, which shreds the nori wrapper.

Cut the roll in half first. Then cut each half into 3 or 4 equal pieces, giving you 6 to 8 pieces per roll. Wipe the blade with a damp cloth between every 2 to 3 cuts to prevent rice buildup.

A sharp knife matters more than knife type. A sharp $40 Victorinox produces cleaner cuts than a dull $200 Japanese kitchen knife. If your knife drags through the nori instead of slicing through it, sharpen it before your next session.

For more detail on cutting angles and presentation cuts, read the cutting guide.

What other types of sushi can you make at home?

Maki is the starting point but not the only option. Five types of sushi work well at home, each with a different technique and skill level.

Uramaki (inside-out rolls)

Rice on the outside, nori on the inside. The technique is the same as maki but you flip the nori after spreading rice, then fill and roll with cling film over the mat. Coat the outside with sesame seeds or tobiko before cutting. California rolls and dragon rolls use this style. Read the uramaki guide for the full process.

Temaki (hand rolls)

Cone-shaped rolls made without a mat. Hold a quarter sheet of nori in your hand, add a small amount of rice and fillings, and roll into a cone shape. Eat immediately because the nori softens within 2 to 3 minutes. Temaki are the best option for sushi parties because guests build their own. Read the temaki guide.

Nigiri

Hand-pressed rice with a fish slice on top. Shape 20 to 25 grams of rice into an oval mound using a two-finger pressing technique. Place a thin smear of wasabi on top, then drape the fish over it. Nigiri requires good rice consistency and confident hand shaping. Wait until your rice preparation is consistently good before attempting nigiri. Read the nigiri guide.

Chirashi (sushi bowls)

The easiest type for beginners who want variety without rolling skill. Place a cup of seasoned sushi rice in a bowl and arrange 5 to 8 toppings on top: sashimi slices, avocado, cucumber, edamame, tobiko, sesame seeds. No rolling, no shaping, no mat required. Read the sushi bowls guide.

Onigiri (rice balls)

Technically not sushi because onigiri uses plain salted rice rather than vinegared rice. But they use the same short-grain rice and similar shaping technique. Fill with tuna mayo, salmon, or umeboshi, then shape into triangles and wrap with a strip of nori. Read the onigiri guide.

For a complete reference of all 19 sushi types with difficulty ratings and calories, read types of sushi.

What goes wrong and how do you fix it?

Every beginner makes the same five mistakes: wrong rice, bland seasoning, overfilling, dry knife, and chewy nori. All fixable in one session.

Rice is mushy or tasteless

You used the wrong type of rice, added too much water, or skipped the vinegar seasoning. Use short-grain Japanese rice at a 1:1 water ratio and season immediately after cooking. The 4:2:1 vinegar-sugar-salt ratio is the fix. Read why sushi rice falls apart and why sushi tastes bland for detailed troubleshooting.

Rolls fall apart when cutting

Either the roll was not tight enough, the nori strip was not sealed, or the knife was dry. Re-roll with firmer pressure, wet the seal strip, and wet the knife before every cut. Read how to fix loose rolls.

Nori is chewy, not crisp

The nori absorbed moisture from the rice steam or from sitting too long after rolling. Roll and eat within 5 minutes. Store unused nori in a sealed bag with the silica packet. Read why nori is chewy.

Filling falls out the ends

You used too much filling. Reduce to 2 fillings maximum and place them in a thin line across the centre third of the rice, not spread across the full width. I overfilled every roll for my first two months. The moment I switched to two thin fillings instead of four thick ones, the rolls started holding together.

For a complete list of the 11 most common mistakes, read common sushi making mistakes.

How do you serve and present sushi?

Arrange pieces cut-side up on a platter or wooden board with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger alongside. Plan 2 to 3 rolls per person.

The presentation of homemade sushi does not need to be elaborate. Neatly arranged pieces with consistent spacing look impressive enough. Place the soy sauce in a small dipping dish, the wasabi as a small mound, and the pickled ginger in a pile on one side.

Use chopsticks or clean hands for eating. Both are acceptable. Dip the fish side of nigiri into soy sauce, not the rice side. Rice absorbs soy sauce like a sponge and the piece becomes too salty.

For a sit-down sushi dinner, plan 2 to 3 rolls per person (12 to 24 pieces) plus any nigiri or sashimi. That uses roughly 1 to 1.5 cups of uncooked rice per person.

Eat sushi the same day you make it. Sushi rice does not store well in the fridge. If you have leftover fillings but no rice, slice the fish as sashimi and serve it fresh the next day.

What does a typical sushi session look like start to finish?

A complete session takes 70 to 90 minutes the first time and about 45 minutes once you know the process. Here is the timeline.

The sequence below is what I follow after four years of weekly sessions. The key insight is that rice cooks in the background while you prep everything else.

Minutes 0 to 5: Start the rice

Wash 2 cups of rice five times. Put it on to cook. This runs in the background while you do everything else.

Minutes 5 to 25: Prep fillings during rice cooking

Slice avocado, cut cucumber into matchsticks, portion the fish. Lay everything out on a clean plate or cutting board. Prepare the vinegar mixture (4:2:1 ratio) and heat it briefly. Set up the rolling station: mat, water bowl, nori sheets, sharp knife, damp cloth.

Minutes 25 to 35: Season the rice

The rice finishes cooking at 22 minutes (12 cook + 10 rest). Transfer to a wide bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the rice. Fold with a cutting motion for 5 minutes while fanning. The rice should look glossy and translucent when it is ready.

Minutes 35 to 55: Roll and cut

This is the hands-on part. Each roll takes about 5 minutes: lay nori, spread rice, place fillings, roll, seal, rest 30 seconds, cut. With 2 cups of rice you will make 4 to 6 rolls.

Minutes 55 to 60: Plate and serve

Arrange pieces on a platter. Set out soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger. Done.

The preparation timeline becomes second nature after three or four sessions. I no longer think about the sequence. The rice goes on, I prep fillings while it cooks, season it when it finishes, and roll immediately. The entire process flows without downtime.

The first time I got the timing right was about session five. Before that, I was finishing the rice and then scrambling to prep fillings while the rice cooled past its ideal temperature. The fix was simple: start fillings during the 22-minute cook time, not after.

How much does a sushi session cost?

A full sushi dinner for two costs $15 to $25 in ingredients at home. A comparable meal at a restaurant costs $50 to $80 or more.

The pantry staples (rice, vinegar, soy sauce, wasabi, ginger, nori) last across multiple sessions. After your first shop, the recurring cost is mainly fresh fish and vegetables. A single California roll costs $8 to $14 at a restaurant. The same roll costs about $1.50 in ingredients at home.

For detailed pricing per ingredient with specific brand recommendations, read our sushi ingredients guide.

Browse all technique guides

Clare Farnell has been making sushi at home since 2021 and writes about Japanese home cooking, sushi tools, and kitchen equipment at sushi-planet.com.

Last updated: 12 May 2026.