How To Roll Sushi (with or without a mat) – 4 Easy Ways

Rolling sushi is a fun, creative way to prepare fresh and colorful meals at home. Once you learn a few basic techniques, you’ll be able to craft beautiful sushi rolls in different shapes with all your favorite ingredients. This guide covers everything about how to roll sushi. Follow along to become a sushi rolling pro.

All About Sushi Rolling

Sushi starts with the key ingredient: sushi rice. Cook short-grain Japanese rice and mix with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. This gives the rice its signature sticky-yet-fluffy texture.

Here are the basics of sushi rolling:

• Place a nori seaweed sheet on a bamboo mat
• Spread seasoned rice over the nori
• Layer fillings across the center
• Lift the mat over to encase fillings
• Roll forward while holding ingredients in place
• Slice roll into rounds

Now let’s try some different rolling methods.

4 Ways Rolling Sushi

Method 1: Traditional Rolling with a Mat

Using a bamboo rolling mat makes rolling easier for beginners. Follow these steps:

• Place nori sheet on mat, shiny side down
• Spread rice evenly, leaving 1 inch uncovered
• Align fillings across center of rice
• Lift front end of mat over fillings
• While lifting mat, roll away from you
• Apply pressure for tight roll
• Wet bare nori edge to seal
• Slice rolls into 1-2 inch rounds

Fillings like cucumber, avocado, shrimp, tuna, salmon, and yellowtail work great for classic rolls.

Method 2: Hand Rolling (No Mat)

With practice, you can roll sushi without any mat:

• Place nori sheet in palm of hand
• Spread rice, leaving 1 inch of nori exposed
• Align fillings in center
• Use thumbs to lift edge of nori over fillings
• Roll forward tightly using palms
• Seal edge with water
• Cut into rounds

Hand rolling makes small rolls easily. Try fillings like carrots, mango, crab sticks, omelet, and asparagus.

Method 3: Inside-Out Rolling

This creative style rolls the rice on the outside:

• Place plastic wrap on mat
• Spread rice thinly on plastic wrap
• Flip seasoned side down onto nori
• Align fillings across center of rice
• Lift mat edge up and over fillings
• Roll away to encase fillings
• Unroll plastic wrap
• Slice rolls

Inside-out rolling allows for exciting textures and patterns. Fill with spicy tuna, tempura shrimp, crab salad, fish roe, or avocado.

Method 4: Temaki (Hand Rolled Cones)

Temaki are fun, easy sushi cones:

• Place nori sheet in palm
• Spread rice in a stripe on half of sheet
• Add fillings in line across rice
• Fold nori in half to form cone
• Gently squeeze closed

Temaki are casual finger food. Fill with tuna, salmon, avocado, cucumber, shrimp, mango, or cream cheese.

Tips and Tricks

Use these pro tips for sushi success:

• Wash and drain rice well before cooking
• Cook rice with a dash of vinegar for fluffiness
• Cool rice quickly before adding sushi vinegar
• Spread rice evenly, about 1/4 inch thick
• Keep fillings small and lengths tight
• Wet blade before slicing for clean cuts
• Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger

FAQs: Rolling Sushi

Can you roll sushi without a mat?

Yes, you can roll sushi without a mat. It takes some practice, but you can roll the rice and filling in a sheet of nori (seaweed) using just your hands. The mat helps compress the roll evenly but isn’t required.

Can you roll sushi with a paper towel?

You can try rolling sushi with a paper towel instead of a mat. The paper towel provides a surface to roll on, though it may stick more than a bamboo mat. You’ll want to dampen the paper towel first.

Do you roll sushi hot or cold?

Traditionally, you want to roll sushi with cold rice. The rice should be at room temperature before rolling. Rolling hot or warm rice can make the nori soggy and mess up the roll.

Can you roll sushi with aluminum foil?

Aluminum foil can be used as a substitute for a sushi rolling mat. Make sure the foil is flat and smoothed out before placing the nori and rice on top. The foil holds its shape for rolling uniform sushi.

Conclusion: How To Roll Sushi

Rolling sushi is fun and doable for any chef. Master the rice, practice your rolling skills, and fill rolls with your favorite ingredients. Revisit this guide when you need a refresher. Keep practicing new techniques and combinations. Soon you’ll be crafting creative sushi rolls like a pro.