Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Assemble: 30 mins
Total: 100 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 20 pockets
Known as aburaage, deep-fried tofu pouches are very popular in Japan. By the 1980s, close to 300,000 to 450,000 pouches were made daily and roughly one-third of the soybeans used for tofu went to making aburaage. Today, the love for these tasty pockets continues.
In the United States, these pouches are widely available in the refrigerated aisle in Asian supermarkets, but can also be bought canned from online retailers. Many tofu pockets are gluten-free, but double-check the label before buying if there's a wheat allergy in the house.
What Is Inari Sushi?
Inari sushi is made by filling a pouch of seasoned fried tofu with sushi rice. It is named after the Shinto god Inari, who is said to have had a fondness for tofu. These tofu pouches are a portable, healthy, everyday vegetarian and vegan dish.
You can dress these up any way you wish, as our recipe is just the most basic recipe to make inari. Use your imagination and other ingredients you have at hand to prepare your version of Inari sushi.
Tips for Making Inari Sushi
- Cool the rice – Place the cooked rice into the biggest bowl you have—the more surface area there is, the quicker the rice cools. Fanning the rice doesn't just help it cool down; it also creates the beautiful shine that sushi rice is known for.
- Don't make the rice mushy – When adding the vinegar-sugar mixture and seaweed, be sure to mix them into the rice gently. You don't want to overwork the rice or else it'll start to get mushy.
“I can see why inari sushi is often packed into lunchboxes. They’re truly the perfect portable bite. The fluffy rice and fried tofu pocket contrast nicely with each other. Working with the sushi rice can be messy—I recommend keeping a bowl of water around so you can wet your hands in between forming the rice balls.” —Patty Lee
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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2 cups sushi rice, or medium-grain rice
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2 teaspoons granulated sugar
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2 tablespoons rice vinegar
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2 sheets nori, or gim, crumbled
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10 square inari pockets, cut in half
Steps to Make It
Make the Sushi Rice
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Gather the ingredients.
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Cook 2 cups sushi rice or medium-grain rice according to instructions in a rice cooker or a pot on the stove.
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Once the rice is done, fluff the rice with a spoon.
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Let rest with the lid on for another 10 to 15 minutes.
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In a bowl, combine 2 teaspoons granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, whisking to combine.
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Transfer the rice to a very large wooden bowl or salad bowl. Spread out in a thin layer so that the rice cools.
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Cool the rice using a hand fan or waving a magazine back and forth, and when it's cool enough to handle, mix in the vinegar-sugar mixture to the rice. Keep fanning as you combine.
Assemble the Inari Sushi
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Mix 2 sheets nori or gim (crumbled) into the seasoned rice.
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Wet your hands with rice vinegar or water so the rice doesn't stick. Divide the rice into 20 portions, either by weighing the total amount and neatly dividing, or using a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Form into egg-shaped balls.
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Press each rice ball firmly into each of the 10 inari pockets. Repeat the process until you have used all the rice and pockets. Serve immediately.
How to Store Inari
Inari keeps well overnight if refrigerated and can be eaten cold.
Feeling Adventurous? Try This:
For other fun lunches with aburaage, use this recipe as a template and add steamed vegetables, furikake seasoning, radishes, avocado, thinly sliced seaweed, bamboo shoots, or proteins like crab, pork, or fish. Any way you choose to make them, inari sushi is great for an office or school lunch box.
To make a complete lunch of these tasty treats, here are a few ideas on what to serve alongside:
- Serve with sauce – Serve some soy sauce or tamari on the side for dipping your inari sushi.
- Make it spicy – Wasabi also makes a great addition, as each guest can add a dab or two into each pocket, depending on their heat tolerance.
- Add veggies – Steamed vegetables, like asparagus, broccoli, and snap peas, are an ideal side to these pockets.
- Add some texture – Sesame seeds (white, black, or both), add some crunch and nutrition to the pockets, so sprinkle some on top if desired.
- Soup is always a yes! – A bowl of miso soup is also a welcome addition to an inari sushi lunch.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 10 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 154 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 3g | 4% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 2% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 164mg | 7% |
| Total Carbohydrate 28g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 2% |
| Total Sugars 7g | |
| Protein 4g | |
| Vitamin C 1mg | 7% |
| Calcium 45mg | 3% |
| Iron 1mg | 4% |
| Potassium 50mg | 1% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
