How to Make Hand Rolls and Temaki at Home

Temaki (手巻き) — hand-rolled cones of nori, rice and fillings — are the easiest sushi to make at home. No mat, no cutting, and everyone rolls their own at the table. It's the ideal sushi party.

The easy way. Nori: half sheets, kept dry. Rice: about 2 tbsp seasoned sushi rice per roll. Fillings: sashimi, cooked prawn, tamago, cucumber, avocado, crab. Eat: straight away, while the nori is crisp.

Step by step

1. Hold a half sheet of nori shiny side down in your palm. 2. Spread about 2 tablespoons of rice on the left third, angled diagonally. 3. Lay fillings diagonally across the rice. 4. Fold the bottom-left corner over the fillings, then roll into a cone. 5. Seal the edge with a grain of rice. 6. Eat immediately.

Filling ideas

Classic raw: tuna, salmon, yellowtail, scallop, ikura. Cooked: boiled prawn, crab, unagi, tamago, teriyaki chicken. Vegetable: cucumber, avocado, shiso, pickled radish (takuan), natto. Extras: mayo, sesame, scallion, tobiko.

Party setup

Lay out rice, a stack of half-sheet nori, fillings on a platter and small bowls of soy sauce and wasabi. Allow about 4–6 rolls per person. A supermarket sashimi platter stretches a long way in temaki. See cheap sashimi platters for home and how much sushi per person.

Keep nori crisp. Store it sealed until the last moment, and don't pre-roll — soggy nori is the main temaki mistake.

For kids and pregnant guests: put out a separate plate of cooked fillings — prawn, tamago, crab, cucumber. See sushi without raw fish.

Keep sashimi cold. Put the fish platter on ice, bring out small amounts at a time, and throw away anything left out for more than about two hours.

Common questions

What is the difference between temaki and maki?

Temaki is a hand-rolled cone; maki is rolled with a mat and cut.

How much rice per hand roll?

About 2 tablespoons.

Where else can I look?

See how to make sushi rice.

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.