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Instant Pot Short-Grain Rice Recipe (Sushi Rice)
5 from 3 votes

Instant Pot Short-Grain Rice Recipe (Sushi Rice)

This instant pot short-grain rice recipe is the easiest way to get perfect rice every time. Serve the steamed rice with your favourite Japanese dishes, or use it in poke and rice bowls. And, for homemade sushi rice, season the rice with the sushi vinegar mixture.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 171 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sushi rice
  • 1 cup water
Sushi vinegar ingredients (for sushi rice)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar unseasoned
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt ground

Instructions

Rinse the rice
    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the rice in a large mixing bowl and cover it with cold water. Gently swirl the rice with your fingers shaped in a claw. Pour off the water, and repeat 4 to 5 times – until the water runs clear.
  2. Transfer the rice to a fine mesh strainer and leave it to drain for 5 to 10 minutes.
Cook the rice in Instant Pot (or similar pressure cooker)
  1. Add 1 cup of rinsed rice and 1 cup of water to the inner pot.
  2. Lock the lid and move the steam release valve to the sealing position. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode (or manual mode for older models) on high pressure for 5 minutes.
Mix the sushi vinegar (only if making sushi)
  1. While the rice cooks, make the sushi vinegar. Place the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved.
  2. You can gently heat the vinegar mix in a microwave for 30 seconds to help the sugar dissolve. Or use a small saucepan. But don’t allow the vinegar to boil.
Natural pressure release
  1. After the 5-minute cook time, allow 10 minutes of natural release before turning the steam release valve to the venting position for quick release. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving your steamed short-grain rice.
Season the rice for sushi (optional)
  1. To use the steamed rice for sushi, immediately transfer the cooked rice to a large wooden or glass mixing bowl.
  2. Add the seasoned vinegar mix. Gently fold it through the rice with a rice paddle in a slicing motion to combine, carefully coating each grain of rice with the mixture.
  3. Cover the rice with a clean damp kitchen towel and allow it to cool to room temperature before using it for sushi – about 30 minutes.

Notes

  •  
  • Yield: 2½ cups cooked rice
  • IMPORTANT: This recipe uses US cup measurements, not rice cooker cups. 
  • Different types of rice may require a different ratio of rice to water. This recipe works perfectly for any white short-grain rice, like Japanese rice (sushi rice), and medium-grain Calrose rice.
  • For brown short-grain rice, use a rice-to-water ratio of 1:1.5 – add 1½ cups water for every cup rice. And increase the pressure cooking time to 20 minutes. 
  • And, for long-grain rice (like jasmine rice and basmati rice), see how to cook long-grain rice in the Instant Pot.
  • See this easy stovetop sushi rice recipe if you want to free up the Instant Pot.
  • Refrigerate leftover rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat it thoroughly before serving.
  • See more sushi rice tips in the full post for the best Instant Pot sushi rice.
  • And, for stovetop sushi rice instructions, see this easy stovetop sushi rice recipe. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 0.625cups Calories 171kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 38g (13%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 0.3g (0%) Saturated Fat 0.1g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g (1%) Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g (1%) Sodium 6mg (0%) Potassium 36mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Calcium 7mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 171

% Daily Value*

Serving 0.625cups
Calories 171kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 38g 13%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 0.3g 0%
Saturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Potassium 36mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.