What does sushi taste like?

Not all types of food are for everyone. Many people are also afraid to try sushi, one of those strange foods at first sight, because they instantly associate it with raw fish and other unfamiliar ingredients.

It’s true that many times you either love it or hate it, but did you know that there are a ton of different types of sushi and not all of them have raw fish as part of the creation?

You can get options that have things like fried prawns and some sushis can even be made without meat, since the base of this dish is rice.

So what does sushi taste like? Although there are many different types of sushi depending on the ingredients used, most sushi has a refreshing, clean seafood flavor. Sushi is often accompanied by soy sauce and wasabi, so with these added flavors it can be a bit more salty and spicy. 

In this guide, we will explain what sushi tastes like.

We’ll talk about the different aspects, like flavors and textures, but we’ll also discuss how different types of sushi and different ingredients used can alter the flavors. Keep in mind that there are many variables here.

Read on to find out what sushi tastes like and much more.

What does sushi taste like?

Sushi is a traditional dish that comes from Japan. The basic ingredients of sushi are plain rice, sugar, and salt . These ingredients are completed with raw fish, shellfish and a variety of vegetables.

Then all the ingredients are rolled into a long roll and cut into slices.

Although sushi can contain fish or other forms of shellfish, it does not usually taste excessively fishy.

It can hold a wide variety of flavors and can be spicy or plain. Some sushi makers even deep-fry their sushi, giving it a whole new set of flavors and textures.

Sushi is often in high demand and is quite a popular specialty.

It’s true that you usually either love it or hate it, but there are a lot of misperceptions surrounding this dish, so it’s a good idea to dig into the different types and flavors.

different types of sushi

Since there are so many types of sushi, we thought covering most sushi options would help you fully understand that flavors can be very different.

Remember that the ingredients of the sushi can change and, therefore, the flavors will also be different in all cases. 

While we certainly can’t talk about all the variations of sushi out there, we can talk about the main types of sushi and how they differ from each other.

This seems to be the best way for me to really describe to you what they taste like and what kinds of flavors and textures you can expect from each one.

These are the main types of sushi you will find:

• • temaki

• Chirashi
• Inari
• Maki
• Nigiris

In addition, there is also sashimi, which is not considered sushi but is very similar to sushi. We’ll talk about sashimi for a moment too.

Within each of these categories, the flavors and ingredients may continue to vary, but this will give you a good general idea of what to expect.

If you’re afraid you’ll end up eating raw fish, look for a sushi option that has tempura. Tempura is a type of fried shrimp, which means that the seafood is cooked.

If you order sushi at a restaurant, always check the list of what’s in each option to find out what you’re specifically eating.

temaki

Temaki is a unique type of sushi that is shaped like a cone. The nori exterior is wrapped differently to create the cone, rather than a cylinder when the sushi is rolled.

Appearance makes all the difference in this particular style of sushi.

Temaki has more nori than most other types of sushi, giving it a more pronounced umami flavor.

If you’re not familiar with nori, it’s the seaweed wrapper that sushi is rolled in and that holds all the ingredients inside together. Since the temaki uses a bit more nori (or seaweed), adjust the flavor slightly.

Temaki is not sliced like traditional sushi rolls, but instead is a full, cone-shaped hand roll.

It’s almost like a wrapper contained within the nori. The internal ingredients of temaki can vary, but traditionally it is made with some type of fish in the center.

This type of sushi roll is usually eaten with the hands and fingers, rather than with chopsticks, because it is larger than traditional sushi slices of a roll and can be very difficult to balance and manage with chopsticks.

The cone has other traditional fillings, like regular rice. The other fillings can vary with a variety of meats and vegetables. It may have raw or cooked fish, depending on what you choose as main flavors.

Some common meat options are salmon roe, salmon, tuna, spicy tuna, etc.

Chirashi

Chirashi is a sushi very similar to sashimi. This interpretation of sushi is raw fish completely covered in rice.

They typically use about nine ingredients to create chirashi and if raw fish is something you don’t like, this may be one to avoid.

The type of fish used can be changed, so you could choose a fish that is not as oily as others, which might reduce the fishy taste a bit.

This could also reduce the raw texture if that’s something you’re concerned about.

Chirashi is usually served in a bowl , rather than a roll like most sushi options. The bowl contains quite a bit of rice and is then topped with a mix of vegetables as well as whatever raw fish is chosen for the dish.

Since this is not a roll, the texture will be different and is more comparable to a bowl of rice.

The fish that is used can certainly vary.

If you prefer a lighter fish flavor or don’t want the oily, raw texture to be as heavy, you can try fish like tuna, red snapper, or even squid to help achieve a lighter flavor and/or texture like part of the sushi plate.

Inari

Inari sushi is a completely different variety of what most people think of as sushi. It is a unique style served on a roll as traditional sushi usually is.

This dish uses sushi rice and tucks it into bean curds that are fried together to make a pocket for the rice. 

This sushi is interesting because it is very similar to sushi rolls, but the fried bean curds are almost like a little open pocket. The rice is mixed with vinegar and then the rice pockets are covered with other sushi toppings and fillings.

This can include vegetables and raw fish, but it can also include cooked fish or something like shrimp. Some people refer to inari as a tofu pocket, rather than bean curd, but it’s mostly the same thing.

It can also be made as sachets or whole rolls and sliced like other sushi rolls. This is a very popular sushi option and many people enjoy the different textures and different flavors that the outer layer provides.

It’s also nice because this option can use cooked meat and change it. Ingredients such as mushrooms and carrots are usually added to give it color and flavor.

Maki

Maki sushi is probably what you are most used to seeing.  When you see sushi rolls that are wrapped in seaweed and contain any variety of ingredients, these are maki. Maki can be made with many different flavors and options.

The maki can have cooked fish or options like tempura. You will see that some rolls combine meats and use crab meat in addition to fish or shrimp. They are very versatile and can have different meats.

Different meats will change the flavors so that’s something to keep in mind. Traditional ingredients include some type of meat, as well as rice, cucumber, nori, avocado, sesame, and sushi rice.

Sometimes they may have other additions or variations, but this is the basic composition. Its overall flavor will depend on the meat used.

These sushi rolls are traditionally served with wasabi and soy sauce, and you can use one, both, or neither, as you prefer.

Although maki is just like the traditional sushi we all know and love, remember that you can vary the ingredients. Most of the base ingredients are constant, but the amount of the base ingredients can be altered.

For example, one may have less cucumber or more cucumber, while another may have more or less avocado.

Ultimately it will be the meat used that will make the difference and you can choose raw meat, cooked meat or something else like crab or prawns if you prefer those flavors.

Nigiris

Nigiri is a sushi roll very similar to sashimi. This type of sushi is a roll like the traditional one that you think of when you imagine sushi. They do it with vinegared rice and then a thin slice of raw fish.

It’s a type of raw fish sushi and they don’t usually substitute cooked meat for it, so you can expect the raw flavors and textures to come into play.

The most common types of raw fish for this particular type of sushi are salmon, halibut, and bluefin tuna.

This type of sushi is one of the most popular sushi options within Japan and is quite popular overall.  The raw fish is placed on top of the other ingredients, instead of rolling it all up.

It can also be seasoned or flavored differently, so the overall flavor of the dish can vary.

sashimi

Sushi and sashimi are often thought of as the same thing. However, sashimi is slightly different, which is why we want to talk about it here. Sashimi is made with raw fish, usually salmon or tuna.

However, shrimp, scallops, clams, octopus, yellowtail, or mackerel are sometimes used as well.

While sushi is really a rice-based dish that can include cooked meats or raw fish, sashimi is really all raw fish with rice added to it . It’s not usually a roll.

The base of sashimi is the raw fish that is used. From there, it is usually placed on top of a small portion of rice, usually sushi rice. You can also have some type of dressing to add different flavors or spices.

With this option, you definitely get the taste and texture of raw fish as the main piece of the dish.

Related questions

We hope you find this guide to understanding the flavors, textures, and tastes of sushi a valuable resource. Remember that there are many variables that can affect flavor.

We invite you to take a look at some of the most common questions and answers below for additional information that may be helpful.

Does the sushi have raw fish?

Sushi can contain raw fish, but it is not a requirement.

There are many types of sushi that traditionally use raw fish, but you will also see that there are several options that include cooked meat or even shrimp instead of some other type of fish.

Sashimi, on the other hand, is always made with raw fish . There are also types of sushi that are designed like sashimi, such as Nigiri.

What is the best sushi for beginners?

If you’re not sure where to start, you can start simple and then work your way up if you feel like it. Try something like the Philadelphia Roll , which features salmon, avocado, and cream cheese, or our Boston Roll recipe.

You can also try a spicy tuna roll or a California roll if you want to start small. Remember to check the ingredients and look for tempura if you prefer cooked shrimp meat in your sushi.

Do you eat sushi in one bite?

Traditionally, both sushi and sashimi are designed to be eaten in one bite . In most restaurants, the chef cuts them according to size.

In either case, it’s probably still one bite, but taking the whole piece or slice in one bite is the best way to enjoy the full flavor the way it’s meant to be enjoyed.

How do you eat sushi?

If you want to get it right, follow these steps.

• Use chopsticks or just your hand to pick up a piece of sushi.
• Dip the fish part into the soy sauce and add wasabi on top if you like (both are optional).
• Place the entire piece of sushi in your mouth at once, with the fish part touching your tongue.
• Finish with a piece of pickled ginger to cleanse the palate