Easy Homemade Sushi
This easy homemade sushi is delicious, simple, and can feed a crowd! With only a handful of ingredients, you can make sushi just how you like it at only a fraction of the cost.
you have to try this Easy homemade sushi
We LOVE this easy homemade sushi at our house! We have six kids who are GOOD eaters, and sushi is NOT cheap. So as you can imagine, it’s not super practical for us to order it very often for the whole family. So imagine my excitement when I learned you can make it with only 7 ingredients at home!? And not only is it affordable- like, we’re talking trays and trays of sushi for pennies on the dollar- but it’s also delicious! The ingredients are easy to find and easy to prep. And the rolls themselves are even pretty simple to assemble!
Ingredients for easy homemade sushi
To make this version of easy homemade sushi, you will need:
- 4 cups of Calrose Rice, cooked (I use Botan Brand)
- 1/2 Cup of Rice Vinegar (for keeping your hands wet to work the rice)
- 1 cup frozen popcorn shrimp, air fried or oven baked
- 1 cucumber, julienned (or thinly sliced into strips)
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/4 block of cream cheese, sliced into strips
- sushi Nori seaweed sheets (I use Ocean’s Halo)
- Optional: Yum Yum Sauce and Soy Sauce for Dipping
Prepping your easy homemade sushi ingredients
The first thing you need to do to prep for this delicious treat is to make your Calrose rice. There is no special trick here. You just simply follow the package instructions. Read the instructions and DO NOT RINSE the rice. Just measure out the appropriate amount of water and rice and allow to cook on a low temperature until all the liquid is absorbed. Then, set your rice to the side to cool slightly.
Next, oven bake or air fry your popcorn shrimp and set it to the side to cool slightly. Then, julienne (thinly slice into strips) your cucumber. I use a potato peeler. Slice your avocado and cream cheese.
Assembling the easy homemade sushi rolls
To begin assembling the sushi rolls, lay out a nori sheet on a clean dry surface and wet your hands with the rice vinegar. Proceed to press the rice into a thin layer on top of the nori sheet. Once the nori sheet is covered with a thin layer of rice, begin assembling the filling in a thin layer on the edge nearest you.
When filling the sushi rolls, start with a layer of cucumber, then add a strip of cream cheese and avocado. Last, add the cooked popcorn shrimp on top. You’re now ready to begin rolling.
Rolling the sushi
Starting with the edge where you have assembled the fillings, begin tightly rolling the sushi away from you. You may need to wet your hands again in the rice vinegar to keep the rice from sticking.
Continue to roll the whole sheet.
Cutting the easy homemade sushi rolls
After experimenting, I found that the easiest way to cut the sushi was with a really sharp serrated bread knife. You will want to be careful not to press down on the sushi as you cut so that it retains its round, full shape. You could use a very sharp chef’s knife for this or a sharpened serrated knife.
Each sushi roll should produce six to eight small cut rolls – depending on how thick you like your sushi. Once cut, you can serve immediately or refrigerate for up to four days.
Don’t forget the dipping sauce!
faq and substitutions for easy homemade sushi
Can I make raw sushi this way? Absolutely. Part of what makes this recipe so amazing is that you can completely customize it to your preferences! The only adjustment you should make is that raw sushi should only be stored for two days in the refrigerator as opposed to cooked sushi, which can be stored for four days.
What other fillings can I use? Other fun fillings include imitation crab, fish roe, thinly sliced carrots, pickled onion, raw or cooked Salmon or Tuna.
Can I substitute regular white rice for the Calrose rice? Unfortunately no. Even basmati rice is not ideal for sushi because it needs to be sticky enough to hold together once rolled. Your local grocery store should carry it, and if not, it is easy to find and order online.
Should I rinse the rice before cooking it? Absolutely, yes. It is important to wash the rice before cooking so that the excess starch can be rinsed off. You want the rice to be sticky, but if not rinsed, it can become “chewy”.
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Easy Homemade Sushi
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Calrose rice rinsed and cooked
- 1/2 Cup rice vinegar
- 1 Cup frozen popcorn shrimp air fried or oven baked
- 1 medium cucumber julienned (or thinly sliced into strips)
- 1 fresh avocado sliced
- 1/2 block cream cheese sliced into strips
- 1 package nori seaweed sheets
- 1/4 Cup soy sauce for dipping optional
- 1/4 Cup Yum Yum sauce for dipping optional
Instructions
- The first thing you need to do to prep for this delicious treat is to make your Calrose rice. There is no special trick here. You just simply follow the package instructions. Read the instructions and DO NOT RINSE the rice. Just measure out the appropriate amount of water and rice and allow to cook on a low temperature until all the liquid is absorbed. Then, set your rice to the side to cool slightly.
- Next, oven bake or air fry your popcorn shrimp and set it to the side to cool slightly.
- Then, julienne (thinly slice into strips) your cucumber. I use a potato peeler. Slice your avocado and cream cheese.
- To begin assembling the sushi rolls, lay out a nori sheet on a clean dry surface and wet your hands with the rice vinegar. Proceed to press the rice into a thin layer on top of the nori sheet.
- Once the nori sheet is covered with a thin layer of rice, begin assembling the filling in a thin layer on the edge nearest you.
- When filling the sushi rolls, start with a layer of cucumber, then add a strip of cream cheese and avocado. Last, add the cooked popcorn shrimp on top. You're now ready to begin rolling.
- Starting with the edge where you have assembled the fillings, begin tightly rolling the sushi away from you. You may need to wet your hands again in the rice vinegar to keep the rice from sticking.
- Continue to roll the whole sheet.
- After experimenting, I found that the easiest way to cut the sushi was with a really sharp serrated bread knife. You will want to be careful not to press down on the sushi as you cut, so that it retains its round, full shape. You could use a very sharp chef's knife for this or a sharpened serrated knife.
- Each sushi roll should produce six to eight small cut rolls, depending on how thick you like your sushi. Once cut, you can serve immediately or refrigerate for up to four days.
