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Inari Sushi (Japanese Tofu Pocket Sushi)

ByJuri Austin Published on Updated on
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5 from 9 votes
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Inari Sushi (or inarizushi) is made with tofu pockets (seasoned aburaage) and stuffed with sushi rice. It is a sweet and savory vegan sushi perfect for an bento lunch box!

Looking for vegetarian sushi recipes? Try my Chirashi Sushi, Avocado Roll, or Kappa Maki!

Simple inari sushi on a plate

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From Linda: “Loved reading, this very easy to understand. Thank you”

I’ll walk you through the ingredients and step-by-step instructions. I hope you enjoy it!

Why You Will Love This Recipe 

  • Inari sushi is an easy-to-prepare sushi recipe that uses simple ingredients.
  • It’s the perfect choice for Obento boxes or as a grab-and-go snack.
  • You can easily customize it with various fillings.

Inari Sushi

Inari sushi is traditional Japanese sushi made by filling inari tofu pockets (seasoned aburaage) with sushi rice (vinegar rice). The tofu pockets are also referred to as inari age. Inari sushi is a staple menu of family gatherings, house parties, and picnics in Japan.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Tofu Skin Sushi:

ingredients for inari sushi.
  • We use short-grain rice in Japanese cooking. It is starchy and easy to stick together, so it’s perfect for making sushi. If this is your first time cooking it, check out our “How to Cook Japanese Rice on the Stove.”
  • Aburaage is deep-fried tofu. It is made by cutting tofu into thin slices and deep frying them twice at different temperatures. “Abura” means oil, and “age” means deep fry in Japanese.
  • Mirin, soy sauce, and sugar for making inari tofu pockets.
  • Rice vinegar, sugar, and salt for seasoning the rice.

How To Make Inari Sushi: STEP BY STEP 

Here are some quick visual instructions! You can go to the printable recipe card below for the video and detailed ingredients and instructions.

How to make inari sushi.

Step 1

Roll a rolling pin on the aburaage and cut them in half.

How to make inari sushi.

Step 2

Put the aburaage in a pan with mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and water.

How to make inari sushi.

Step 3

Cover with a small lid (otoshibuta) and simmer.

How to make inari sushi.

Step 4

Blend cooked Japanese rice with the vinegar mixture to make sushi rice.

How to make inari sushi.

Step 5

Grab the sushi rice and form one serving.

How to make inari sushi.

Step 6

Open the inari age and stuff the sushi rice in it.

inari sushi on a tray.

Finally, it’s done! You can eat right away, but if you wait another couple of hours, the taste of inari tofu pockets and sushi rice will truly come together. This will make it more delicious.

Recipe Tips

  • Rolling the aburaage makes it easier to open the tofu pocket.
  • Aburaage contains a lot of oil, which can affect the taste and smell of Inari age. To avoid this, we boil aburaage quickly in the pot before simmering it with the soup.
  • You can utilize the leftover soup from making inari age for another dish(see the filling variation section).
  • I recommend cooking inari age (steps 1 to 3) on the previous day and letting them cool down slowly if you have time. This allows the flavors to seep through, making the taste more robust.

Filling Variations

hijiki inari sushi on a plate.

I like eating inari sushi plain, but you can also mix some ingredients into the rice. If you have a leftover soup from the inari tofu pockets, simmer some vegetables with it, and make veggie inari sushi! Here are inari sushi filling ideas:

  • Simmered vegetables (carrot, renkon (lotus root), green peas, green bans, mushroom)
  • Edamame
  • Umeboshi (pickled plum)
  • Pickled Daikon
  • Sesame seed
  • Scrambled eggs
  • Grilled salmon
  • Shrimp
  • Avocado

Storage

  • Inari sushi will last a half-day at room temperature, three days in the fridge, and one month in the freezer.
  • If you freeze it, wrap each in plastic wrap, and put it in a freezer-safe bag. To reheat it, please warm it up in the microwave before you eat it.
  • You can also freeze inari tofu pockets without the rice. I recommend making a bunch of them and storing them in the freezer. This prep will save time for the next time you make Inari sushi.

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inari sushi on a plate.

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inari sushi

Inari Sushi (Japanese Tofu Pocket Sushi)

5 from 9 votes
Print Pin Save
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 10 pieces
Author: Juri Austin
Inari Sushi (or inarizushi) is made with tofu pockets (seasoned aburaage) and stuffed with sushi rice. It is a sweet and savory vegan sushi perfect for an obento lunch box!

Equipment

  • Frying pan 22cm (for cooking inari sushi pockets)
  • Staub pot 18cm (for cooking rice)

Ingredients

Inari tofu pockets

Sushi Vinegar

Instructions

Make Inari Tofu Pockets

  • Roll a rolling pin on an aburaage and cut them in half.
  • Boil the aburaage for 2-3 minutes in boiling water. Squeeze each aburaage to drain the water.
  • Put mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and water in a pot, place the aburaage, and boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to low, cover with a small lid (otoshibuta), and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and let it cool down for a while, squeeze lightly and leave them on a plate (separate from the soup).

Make Sushi Rice

  • Put rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl and mix well.
  • Transfer cooked rice (while it's hot) to a large bowl, add the sushi vinegar, and mix gently (do not smash grains).
  • When the sushi vinegar is blended well, turn it upside down so that the bottom does not stay hot, and use a paper fan to blow away the moisture and let it cool down. Repeat this several times.

Fill inari tofu pockets with sushi rice

  • Moisture your hands, grab the rice and form it lightly for one serving.
  • Open the inari tofu pockets and fill them with the rice.

Video

Notes

  • Storage: It will last for a half-day at room temperature, three days in the fridge, and one month in the freezer. If you freeze it, wrap each in plastic and put it in a freezer bag.
  • When stuffing rice, push in with your finger so that the rice is properly placed in the corner of the aburaage. Also, handle inari tofu pockets gently so that they do not break.
  • Please see the “How to cook Japanese short-grain rice” recipe for cooking Japanese rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.3g | Protein: 4g
Course: Rice
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: inari sushi, vegan
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