Salmon Nigiri with Vinegared Sushi Rice

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-25 · Updated 2026-04-25

Simple salmon nigiri sushi featuring hand-formed vinegared sushi rice topped with delicate slices of fresh salmon. This Japanese sushi recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs sushi rice, rice vinegar, and sugar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sushi rice
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 oz fresh salmon fillet, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp wasabi paste
• for serving soy sauce

The rice cooker we’d use for this → Best Rice Cookers for 2026: Fuzzy Logic, Induction & Basic Picks for Perfect Grains

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup sushi rice under cold water by swirling and pouring off water 3 times until clear; drain thoroughly.
2. Step 2: Cook rice with 1 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker or pot for 15 minutes; let it steam off heat for 10 minutes.
3. Step 3: In a small bowl, stir 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt until dissolved.
4. Step 4: Transfer rice to a wooden or plastic bowl and gently fold in the vinegar mixture while fanning to cool to room temperature.
5. Step 5: Wet your hands with water and shape 12 small oblong mounds of rice, each about 2 tablespoons.
6. Step 6: Spread a thin layer of 1 tsp wasabi paste evenly over each salmon slice.
7. Step 7: Place each salmon slice atop the rice mounds, gently pressing to adhere.
8. Step 8: Serve salmon nigiri with soy sauce on the side for dipping.