Hand Rolls (Temaki Sushi) Recipe
Learn how to make hand rolls (called temaki sushi) with seasoned sushi rice, smoked salmon, avocado, cucumber, sprouts and mushrooms.
How to Make the Best Hand Rolls (Temaki Sushi)
There’s something special about gathering around a table and building your own hand rolls. These temaki sushi are the perfect interactive meal—everyone gets to customize their own cone-shaped roll with their favorite combination of fresh ingredients. Unlike traditional maki rolls that require a bamboo mat and precise technique, hand rolls are refreshingly simple and forgiving.
The key to great hand rolls starts with properly seasoned sushi rice. The combination of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt transforms ordinary Calrose rice into that slightly sweet, tangy base that makes sushi so irresistible. When you fan the rice while mixing in the seasonings, you’re not just cooling it down—you’re giving it that beautiful glossy sheen that’s the hallmark of well-prepared sushi rice.
Set out all your fillings in small bowls and let everyone build their own creations. The combination of silky smoked salmon, creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, and savory sesame-scented mushrooms wrapped in crispy nori is absolutely satisfying. Don’t forget to mix up a little wasabi with soy sauce for dipping—it brings all the flavors together perfectly.
Hand Rolls (Temaki Sushi)
Learn how to make hand rolls (called temaki sushi) with seasoned sushi rice, smoked salmon, avocado, cucumber, sprouts and mushrooms.
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
Sautéed Mushrooms
Fillings & Assembly
Instructions
Prepare the Sushi Rice
- Rinse rice well until water almost runs clear. Strain and place in a medium pot with water, salt and sugar.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Keep lid on until close to serving time.
- While warm, place rice in a wood bowl and sprinkle with rice vinegar. Using a wood paddle, 'slice' the rice rather than mix. Fan the rice to cool while slicing to mix and fluff.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and cover with a damp kitchen towel.
Prepare the Fillings
- Sauté mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add sesame oil and cook 2 more minutes. Season with soy sauce to taste.
- Prep bell pepper, cucumber, and avocado by cutting all into long, thin 4-inch strips. Place each in individual bowls.
- Place the sprouts in a bowl and the smoked salmon on a small platter.
- Cut nori sheets in half so you have two rectangles out of each sheet.
Assemble the Hand Rolls
- Place nori sheet horizontally with the rough side facing up. Spread sushi rice on the left half of the sheet, leaving a ½-inch border and 2-3 inches of no rice on the right side.
- Align strips of veggies diagonally on the rice, with ends pointing towards the upper left corner. Top with smoked salmon, mushrooms, and sprouts.
- Starting with the left bottom corner, fold up over the ingredients, then wrap the right side over and around to form a cone about the size of an ice cream sugar cone.
- Season with a small spoonful of soy sauce mixed with wasabi paste.
Notes
- If your rice vinegar is seasoned, reduce the sugar and salt in the rice.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute baked tofu cut into strips for the smoked salmon.
- Makes 14-16 hand rolls total.
