Inari Sushi options seasoned sushi rice tucked inside candy and savory tofu pockets. This home-cooking favourite is mild, flavorful, and vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. On this easy recipe, I’ll present you how briskly and straightforward it’s to make at house with store-bought or house cooked model.
- The best sushi to make! – When you get pleasure from cooking along with your children, give Inari sushi a strive! It’s tremendous enjoyable and ridiculously straightforward.
- Candy, savory, and comforting – This mild and scrumptious sushi is simple to eat and in style amongst children and adults alike.
- Non-compulsory store-bought shortcuts can shorten the prep time, so you’ll be able to whip them up in a flash.
When you’re craving home made sushi, strive my Vegetarian Sushi Rolls, Dragon Roll, and Sushi Rolls (Maki Sushi – Hosomaki) subsequent!
What’s Inari Sushi?
Inari sushi or Inarizushi (稲荷寿司, いなり寿司) is good and tangy sushi rice tucked inside seasoned deep-fried tofu pouches known as Inari age.
First, we simmer skinny, fried tofu pockets, often known as aburaage (油揚げ), in a candy and savory dashi broth. After they soak up the seasoning, we gently squeeze them and fill them with vinegared sushi rice. The result’s a fragile sushi with a wonderfully balanced sweet-savory taste.
The dish takes its identify from the Inari deity of harvest, whose fox messengers are stated to like fried tofu. Because of this, many individuals affectionately name it O-Inari-san. Over time, it grew to become a beloved home-style dish. In the present day, you’ll usually discover Inari sushi at supermarkets, in bento bins, and at household gatherings all through Japan.
Substances for Inari Sushi
- Inari age (seasoned tofu pockets) – retailer purchased or make Selfmade Inari Age
- sushi rice – for step-by-step recommendations on cooking and seasoning it, see my How you can Make Sushi Rice recipe
- toasted white sesame seeds
- sushi ginger and shiso (perilla) leaves – non-obligatory, for garnish
Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.
How you can Make Inari Sushi
- Put together sushi rice. Cook dinner rice with kombu. Switch the cooked rice to a sushi oke or a baking sheet. Season it with sushi vinegar and sprinkle with sesame seeds. For my step-by-step methodology and useful suggestions, see my How you can Make Sushi Rice recipe.
- Type the sushi rice into rectangular parts.
- Fill the tofu pockets. Gently open every pouch and stuff the rice into each corners. Form gently. Shut the Inari sushi and place the sealed aspect down on a plate.
- Form gently and shut the Inari sushi pockets. Place the sealed aspect down on a plate.
- Serve at room temperature. Garnish with non-obligatory shiso leaves and sushi ginger (gari).
Nami’s Recipe Suggestions
These easy suggestions will assist you make Inari Sushi completely each time.
- Fan the rice whereas seasoning – This step helps take away extra moisture and offers the rice a wonderful shine.
- Let the sushi rice cool to physique temperature – If the rice is simply too sizzling, it may possibly tear the tofu pouch or make the rice mushy.
- Frivolously moisten your fingers – This prevents the rice from sticking and retains the floor clean.
- Don’t overfill – Fill about 80% full so you’ll be able to shut the pouch neatly. Gently press the rice into corners for delicate, rounded edges.
- Make your individual Inari age forward of time – Since home made seasoned tofu pouches freeze properly, you’ll be able to prep upfront and assemble later.
Variations and Customizations
Seeking to change issues up?
- Make combined sushi rice. For additional coloration and texture, add blanched julienned carrots, Simmered Shiitake Mushrooms, and white sesame seeds.
- Hold the stuffed pocket open. As an alternative of closing it, tuck the perimeters of the oblong Inari age contained in the pocket so you’ll have clean, spherical edges on prime. High with sliced cucumber, ikura (salmon roe), shredded egg crepe, (kinshi tamago), boiled shrimp, or cooked salmon flakes.
What to Serve with Inari Sushi
Serve Inari sushi any time of yr, whether or not for snack time, gatherings, and easy household meals. Merely select seasonal sides to spherical out the menu.
Storage Suggestions
To retailer: Get pleasure from Inari sushi the identical day. Hold in a cool place for a number of hours. If wanted, refrigerate for as much as 24 hours by wrapping tightly with plastic and protecting with a thick kitchen towel to forestall the rice from hardening.
Retailer leftover inari age of their liquid within the fridge for two–3 days or freezer for as much as 1 month.
FAQs
Inari sushi is often vegetarian as a result of we fill it with seasoned sushi rice and wrap it in candy tofu pockets known as Inari age. Nonetheless, many store-bought Inari age include fish-based dashi, so that they’re not absolutely vegetarian or vegan. To make it vegetarian or vegan, search for dashi-free Inari age or put together Selfmade Inari Age with out bonito flakes.
I like to recommend having fun with Inari sushi the identical day you make it. Sushi rice dries out because it sits, so assemble and serve it recent for the very best texture. You possibly can put together home made inari age forward of time. Then merely fill and assemble the sushi simply earlier than serving.
The principle distinction is the form. Within the Tokyo (Kanto) space, individuals form Inari sushi into an oval or barely rectangular type, resembling a small rice bale (tawara). Within the Osaka (Kansai) space, they type it right into a neat triangle, usually stated to resemble fox ears related to Inari shrines. Each areas historically near the tofu pouch utterly—the distinction comes right down to the regional form, not the elements.
I’d love to listen to how yours turned out! 💛 Please go away a star score and remark under to share your expertise. Your suggestions not solely helps Simply One Cookbook but in addition helps different house cooks uncover recipes they will belief.
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Earlier than You Begin: The rice cooking time is 45 minutes to 1 hour, relying on the tactic you utilize.Please be aware that 1½ cups (2 rice cooker cups, 300 g) of raw Japanese short-grain rice yield 3½ cups (660 g) of steamed rice, sufficient for 12 Inari sushi items. It’s essential to use Japanese rice or your sushi will crumble.
To Cook dinner the Rice
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Wash and rinse: Place 1½ cups raw Japanese short-grain white rice in a bowl. To fast rinse, add simply sufficient water to submerge the rice, then instantly pour off the water; repeat and pour off. To clean, gently agitate the moist grains along with your fingers in a round movement for 10–15 seconds. To rinse, add water to cowl the grains and instantly pour it off; repeat. Repeat the wash and rinse cycle two extra instances. Lastly, drain the rice very properly in a fine-mesh sieve and shake off the surplus water.
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Cook dinner: Put the well-drained rice within the interior pot of a rice cooker. Add 1½ cups water. Subsequent, wipe off any dust particles from 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) with a humid fabric, however maintain the white powdery substance. Place the kombu on the rice and soak each for 20–half-hour. Then, begin cooking. Nami’s Tip: For straightforward measuring, use your rice cooker’s Sushi Rice mode and add water to the 2 rice cup line. Or, use the White Rice mode and add water to slightly below that line*. You may as well cook dinner it in a pot on the range, donabe, or Immediate Pot utilizing the identical rice and water quantities.*The rice-to-water ratio for sushi rice is 1 to 1 (as a substitute of standard 1: 1.1 or 1.2); we cook dinner the rice on the agency aspect, since we later add extra liquid with the sushi vinegar.
To Season the Sushi Rice
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Whereas the rice is cooking, make the sushi vinegar. Mix 4 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 2 Tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt in a small bowl. Microwave it for 30–40 seconds and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Set it apart and funky to lukewarm or room temperature.Nami’s Tip: Alternatively, you’ll be able to carry it to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high warmth and whisk to dissolve the sugar.
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Moisten a wood sushi oke (hangiri), or a baking sheet, with working water and drain properly. When the rice is completed, discard the kombu (or use it to make simmered kombu). Switch the recent rice to the sushi oke or baking sheet.
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Whereas it is sizzling, evenly unfold it out with a rice paddle and slowly drizzle the cooled sushi vinegar over it. Gently “slice” the rice with the rice paddle at a 45-degree angle to include the seasoning and break up the rice chunks. Don’t stir or combine as a result of that will break the grains and make it mushy. As you slice, vigorously fan the rice with a paddle fan or one other fan to chill it. Gently flip the rice each few slices. Nami’s Tip: Fanning wicks away the surplus moisture and makes the rice shine.
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Sprinkle 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds over the sushi rice and gently “slice” the rice once more to mix. Proceed till the rice is the temperature of human pores and skin. Subsequent, divide the sushi rice into quarters; every quarter makes 3 items of Inari sushi.
To Make the Inari Sushi
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Gently squeeze the liquid from 12 Inari age (seasoned fried tofu pouch) and pour right into a small bowl. Moisten your fingers with it, then place about ¼ cup of sushi rice in your palm.
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Moisten your fingers with it, then place about ¼ cup of sushi rice in your palm. Gently type the rice into an rectangular form. Use simply sufficient strain to maintain the sushi rice ball from falling aside. Do not squeeze too tightly, and maintain it as ethereal as attainable.
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Repeat; it’s best to be capable of make 12 sushi rice balls. Rigorously open the pocket, separating the pores and skin all the way in which to the underside of the pocket. Be mild, because the pores and skin is skinny. Then, fold again the pores and skin on the opening.
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Stuff a sushi rice ball into the Inari age pocket all the way in which so the 2 corners look clean and spherical.
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Unroll the pores and skin on the opening and fold each aspect edges down onto the sushi rice ball.
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Fold the back and front edges down such as you’re wrapping a gift. Place the Inari sushi seam aspect down onto a plate or tray. Proceed filling the remainder of the pockets. Your Inari sushi at the moment are able to serve.
How you can Make Ornamental Inari Sushi (non-obligatory)
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After stuffing the pocket with sushi rice, maintain it open on prime and tuck the perimeters of the Inari age contained in the pocket so you’ll have clean, spherical edges. Then, add any toppings you want. Right here, I used sliced cucumber, ikura (salmon roe), shredded egg crepe (kinshi tamago), boiled shrimp, and cooked salmon flakes.
To Retailer
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Get pleasure from Inari Sushi on the identical day for the very best style and texture. You possibly can maintain them in a cool place for a number of hours.If wanted, retailer leftovers within the fridge for as much as 24 hours. Place them in an hermetic container (or cowl tightly with plastic wrap), then wrap the container in a thick kitchen towel. This helps shield the rice from chilly air so it doesn’t flip onerous or dry.Retailer leftover inari age pouches with their simmering liquid. Hold them within the fridge for two–3 days, or freeze for as much as 1 month.
Energy: 98kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 2g, Fats: 1g, Saturated Fats: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g, Monounsaturated Fats: 1g, Sodium: 124mg, Potassium: 25mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg
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Editor’s Observe: The publish was initially revealed on February 28, 2011, and up to date with new photographs on December 22, 2021, and republished with extra useful content material on February 12, 2026.
