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You are here: Home / Food & Drink / Dinner / Rolling Sushi Without a Mat

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat

Last updated on May 30, 2018 By The Kreative Life 18 Comments

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Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

I love eating sushi rolls! I eat it every chance I get. My favorite type is the eel roll. I know it is an acquired taste, but it tastes yummy to me. During my pregnancy I craved sushi all of the time, but I couldn’t eat it. I know there were certain types I was able to eat, but I chose not to because once I had one roll then I would want more. A couple of weeks ago, I ate sushi almost every day for lunch. I spent anywhere from $5 to $8 a roll. That’s almost $40 a week just for me to eat lunch! I know I could have made lunch at home, but it was easier for me to run in a store and by a roll. I knew if I kept spending money on sushi at that rate then I would be close to spending $160 a month for my lunch. Since I wanted sushi rolls for lunch and I wanted to save money, I decided to try my hand at rolling sushi without a mat.

A few years ago my sister went to Japan and brought me back an authentic sushi roll making set, complete with mat and all. Well, the reason this tutorial is called Rolling Sushi Without a Mat is because I can’t find my set anywhere. At the time she bought me the set I hadn’t eaten sushi at all and was apprehensive about eating any type of raw fish (at least I thought all sushi was raw), so I packed the set away and now I have no idea where it is.

Now that I want to make sushi on my own, I had to learn how to roll without my mat. I know I could use a bamboo placemat, but I’ve misplaced those also. So, here is how to roll sushi without a mat. Enjoy!

Step 1. On a flat surface, lay down a kitchen towel, plastic wrap on top of the kitchen towel, and your sushi wrap (dull side down) on top of the plastic wrap.

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

Step 2. Cover your hands in olive oil, so the rice won’t stick to your hands. Spread your cooked sushi rice (I completely cooled mine in the fridge before adding) evenly on top of wrap. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

Step 3. Flip the wrap over, rice side down, and add your filling ingredients. For this roll, I used cucumber slices and I blended crab, shrimp, and cream cheese together in a food processor.

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

Step 4. Bring the plastic wrap up and gently tuck the roll under. Do not squeeze the roll at this point. Continue using the plastic wrap to roll the sushi wrap all the way.

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

Step 5. Using the kitchen towel, place it over the roll and squeeze and pull to make the roll tight. Continue doing this until the roll is as tight as you can get it, without breaking the roll.

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

Step. 6. Place roll on cutting board and cut into 1-inch pieces. Serve with pickled ginger or wasabi sauce or both.

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

Rolling Sushi Without a Mat - The Kreative Life

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Filed Under: Dinner, Food & Drink Tagged With: Dinner, Seafood

About The Kreative Life

Hi, I’m Kendra! I’m a Miami Blogger, a mom, a wife, and an amateur food photographer (at least I like to think so). I like to write about crafts, family, diy projects, food, blogging, and marketing tips, and a swell gal to get to know. I love to travel to any place that has warm weather, a beach, and great food!

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Comments

  1. Amanda

    March 28, 2013 at 7:58 AM

    i love sushi!! and my sushi cravings quadrupled now that im pregnant!! can’t wait to eat some spicy tuna in august!!! 🙂 i’ve never tried making sushi myself, but have always wanted to. awesome tutorial!

    Reply
    • Kreative Creationz

      March 28, 2013 at 8:54 AM

      Thank you, Amanda! I bet August can’t come fast enough.

      Reply
  2. Nicole

    January 17, 2014 at 7:04 PM

    Do you add any flavor to the rice when you cook it?

    Reply
    • Kreative Creationz

      January 17, 2014 at 7:08 PM

      Hi, Nicole! I don’t add any flavor to the rice.

      Reply
  3. Owen Jones

    June 15, 2015 at 2:36 AM

    Great tips on sushi-rolling, Kendra. I’ve never made my own, but I think I will give it a try now.

    Reply
  4. Robin Rue (@massholemommy)

    June 15, 2015 at 6:15 AM

    We don’t eat seafood in our family, so I never would have known how to do this. Thanks 🙂

    Reply
  5. mykidsguide

    June 15, 2015 at 1:04 PM

    Great tip! My son loves sushi and I make it for him all the time. Although it’s easier to roll sushi with the bamboo mat, this works, too.
    mykidsguide recently posted…Teen Fashions on a Budget: William & Kate MakeoverMy Profile

    Reply
  6. Misty Battle

    June 15, 2015 at 5:15 PM

    Awesome tip and trick. I have to try this method out for myself.
    Misty Battle recently posted…Summer Walking and Staying Safe Tips With BlazeBandsMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Sicorra@NotNowMomsBusy

    June 15, 2015 at 5:18 PM

    I have always heard that people really like Sushi, or really not. Unfortunately, we are in the really not category. Something about raw fish just doesn’t appeal to me.
    Sicorra@NotNowMomsBusy recently posted…Are The Personal Care Products You Use Every Day Really Safe? #InfographicMy Profile

    Reply
  8. Chelley @ AisForAdelaide

    June 15, 2015 at 8:25 PM

    I LOVE eating and making sushi! I always thought you NEEDED a mat- this is so innovative!
    Chelley @ AisForAdelaide recently posted…A Media Kit for Every Social Media MavenMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Jennifer Stewart

    June 15, 2015 at 9:35 PM

    I love to eat the rookie sushi but I can never roll it correctly. It ends up being a mess! Like a rice bowl! Thanks for the tutorial!
    Jennifer Stewart recently posted…Happiness is Homemade Link Party #happinessishomemadeMy Profile

    Reply
  10. Michelle Hwee

    June 15, 2015 at 11:22 PM

    Wow this is great! How cool that you did it with a towel 🙂 I love sushi!

    Reply
  11. Elizabeth O.

    June 16, 2015 at 3:39 AM

    We love sushi. I didn’t know you can do it without a mat. Thanks for this.

    Reply
  12. Debbie Denny

    June 16, 2015 at 2:04 PM

    I am not much of a sushi eater, but my daughter is. I will tell her about this.
    Debbie Denny recently posted…Let’s GET SMURFY on March 31, 2017!My Profile

    Reply
  13. Channel Imperial

    June 17, 2015 at 5:30 AM

    Savvy! Using the plastic wrap as a sushi mat is such a great idea!

    Reply
  14. Thomas

    August 30, 2018 at 11:02 PM

    I am not much of a sushi eater, but my daughter is. I will tell her about this.

    Reply
  15. James

    November 11, 2019 at 9:39 PM

    Nice tips!
    I always use Rubberized Mat because these mats tend to absorb moisture really well and they do not have any chemical smell too. To use it as a bamboo mat, keep it on a clean kitchen counter and cover it with a plastic cling film. Put the Nori sheet on the plastic to cover it and spread a spoon of seasoned sushi rice over it.
    Thanks for sharing
    James recently posted…30 Good Ideas for Sushi Roll FillingsMy Profile

    Reply
  16. Tony Chen

    January 28, 2020 at 1:23 AM

    I can’t believe there are so many creative ways to make sushi, the plastic wrap trick is a definite must to be tried at home 🙂

    Reply

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My name is Kendra and I'm a mom to two beautiful boys and a wife to a wonderful husband! I'm a Miami-based influencer who loves giving tips to busy moms about balancing their families, health, and businesses.

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