How to Make Maki Rolls at Home

Maki (巻き) rolls are rice and fillings rolled in nori with a bamboo mat. With seasoned rice, a mat and a sharp knife, you can make good rolls on your first try.

What you need. Rice: seasoned sushi rice, cooled to body temperature. Nori: half sheets for thin rolls, full sheets for thick. Tools: bamboo mat (makisu), sharp knife, bowl of vinegared water (tezu). Fillings: cucumber, avocado, tamago, cooked prawn, tuna, salmon.

Types of maki

Hosomaki — thin rolls with one filling, such as cucumber (kappa maki). Futomaki — thick rolls with several fillings. Uramaki — inside-out rolls with rice on the outside, like a California roll.

Step by step

1. Place the mat with slats running sideways, and lay the nori shiny side down. 2. Wet your hands in tezu (water with a splash of vinegar). 3. Spread a thin, even layer of rice, leaving about 2cm bare at the far edge. 4. Lay fillings in a line across the centre. 5. Lift the near edge of the mat and roll it over the fillings, tucking tightly. 6. Keep rolling, pressing gently, until the bare edge seals. 7. Squeeze lightly along the mat to shape.

Cutting

Use a very sharp knife, wiped with a damp cloth between cuts. Cut in half, then each half into three or four — 6 pieces for hosomaki, 8 for futomaki. Use a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing down.

Less rice is more. Beginners overfill. A thin layer of rice and a modest line of fillings rolls far more neatly.

For uramaki, wrap the mat in cling film so the rice doesn't stick, and roll with the rice facing down.

Raw fish at home: only use fish sold for raw consumption, keep it cold, and eat the same day. See is it safe to eat raw fish.

Common questions

Which side of the nori goes down?

The shiny side faces down.

Why does my roll fall apart?

Usually too much filling or rice, or a loose roll.

Where else can I look?

See how to make sushi rice and hand rolls.

Compiled by our editorial team from established Japanese home-cooking references, rice retailer information and Hong Kong grocery coverage, retrieved September 2026. Prices are indicative and change often. No brand or retailer paid for inclusion.