Have you ever gone out for a relatively expensive dish, Sushi, and realized you ordered way more than you could eat? We’ve all been in that scenario. Sushi is one of those dishes you want to take home any leftovers, considering the price. That said, can you reheat Sushi? The straightforward answer is yes!
You can reheat Sushi using one of many methods, such as your microwave, oven, or steamer. However, you should stick to ordering just enough that you don’t have to take home leftovers. Sushi is a high-risk food for foodborne illnesses such as salmonella, botulism, and E.colii. Taking home leftovers can only heighten that risk.
You can indeed reheat Sushi. Sushi can relatively easily get reheated, though you should try to serve your Sushi at room temperature, which is anywhere from 68°F or 20°C to 72°F or 23°C. You can eat your Sushi at a considerably lower temperature. However, consuming your Sushi at room temperature would be best for more prominent flavors and full flavor.
There are numerous ways to reheat your leftover sushi with or without cooking the Sushi further. If you choose a method that slightly cooks your Sushi, that is okay! Slightly cooking your sushi leftovers could help reduce your risk of foodborne illnesses such as botulism (food poisoning), E.Coli or Salmonella. No one wants a foodborne sickness!
Foodborne illnesses can be exceedingly miserable as well as deadly. If you consume Sushi that has gotten you sick, you will experience symptoms in the next six to 24 hours, such as:
Fever.
Upset Stomach.
Nausea.
Tingling in the muscles.
Muscle weakness.
Cramping of the stomach.
Vomiting.
Blurred vision.
Severe dehydration.
Most symptoms will resolve on their own in most adults within a day or two. Yet, you should see your regular medical provider if your illness symptoms do not resolve within 72 hours. Children and young infants are at a higher risk for an illness; you should take your child or infant to see your provider immediately.
What Happens If You Reheat Sushi?
Though you can reheat most Sushi with no implications, the reheating process could negatively impact some sushi you reheat. In most sushi restaurants, the raw fish and vegetables in Sushi you usually receive are at room temperature rather than chilled, so you should not heat them. Heating your uncooked ingredients, like vegetables that are served cold, could change the texture, making it less crunchy and soggier.
Sushi Rice
Sushi rice, usually served at room temperature in a restaurant, is ideal for reheating! When you reheat your sushi rice, it will have a remarkably soft and fluffy texture, bringing the flavor back to the rice as well. You will have no problems reheating sushi rice!
Sushi Fish
The fish in Sushi is usually cold, but as the chef prepares it with his hands, his hands warm the sushi fish just enough to take the chill off. Reheating your Sushi in the microwave for a few moments, roughly 30 seconds, can give the same effect to your sushi fish as the chef hand-warming the fish. Reheating your Sushi can soften the fish enough to provide you with that freshly made taste.
Lastly, the vegetables in your Sushi, like carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, sweet potato, avocado, or asparagus, will never get their original texture or taste when reheating them. Once the vegetables in your Sushi have gone cold and soggy, there is no saving them. You eat vegetables in Sushi raw to preserve their original crunchy texture and flavor.
How Do You Heat Up Cold Sushi?
Heating sushi is as simple as 1, 2, 3! You can heat up cold Sushi in numerous ways using your microwave, oven, steamer, and more! You must, however, use caution reheating Sushi since it is more ideal if you eat all of your Sushi at the time of purchase rather than bringing home leftovers.
Nonetheless, you can heat your leftover sushi efficiently in one of the few ways below.
1. Microwave
One of the only ways you can reheat raw ingredients and keep them relatively the same is in your microwave. First and foremost, your microwave for reheating Sushi can be an ideal reheating method. In your microwave, your rice will turn moister and softer, your fish will have a better flavor than chilled, and have an improved texture.
Although one thing you need to keep in mind when reheating your Sushi in your microwave is not to overheat your Sushi, as this will cook your fish, giving you a bizarre variety of Sushi. It would be best if you also discarded your Nori because it does not hold up well in the microwave.
Based on a 1000-watt, medium-powered microwave, you may need to adjust your microwave settings to achieve your desired results. Ensure to fluctuate time with how much Sushi you have; for example, one small sushi roll will only need a partial 30 seconds in the microwave. Mild reheating in the microwave will not destroy the consistency of the vinegared rice in your Sushi and maintains a soft texture.
Finally, some of your vegetables, like carrots, asparagus, sweet potato, or bell pepper, will retain somewhat the same texture and preserve the flavor and juiciness of your raw ingredients. Toppings like tuna become much tastier and juicier in your microwave, softening it just enough to make it taste freshly made.
Steps
Place your Sushi on a microwave-safe bowl or plate. Keep your Sushi from touching each other on the plate.
Set a cup of cold water next to your plate or bowl of Sushi. Doing so will help prevent your Sushi from becoming dry.
Heat your Sushi on medium power in 10-second intervals. Check the temperature between intervals by touching your Sushi and testing the temperature. Continue microwaving in 10-second intervals until you reach your desired temperature.
Once you have reached your desired temperature of your Sushi, remove your Sushi from the microwave and consume it immediately.
2. Steamer
Next, you could use your steamer to reheat your sushi leftovers. Utilizing a steamer is a few straightforward steps that take under 15 minutes! All you need is one of two things: a steamer or a heatproof dish and a pot with a lid. Placing your sushi rolls above steaming water can quickly and effectively warm your Sushi—no need for a fancy steamer in this instance.
Steps
Place your steamer on a flat surface, such as your kitchen counter.
Fill your steamer’s reservoir with water according to your machine’s instructions.
Place the steamer basket in your steamer.
Add your sushi rolls to the basket of your steamer. Ensure that your sushi rolls are kept from touching each other, as they will stick together.
Close your steamer, turn it on, and set the time for 2 or 3 minutes; you can repeat this step intermittently until you reach the desired temperature.
Once you have arrived at your wanted temperature, you can remove your Sushi from your steamer.
Let your sushi cool until it is cool enough to consume.
If you do not own a steamer, no worries, you can make do with some steam racks or stands and a pot of boiling water! Read on to discover how.
Fill your medium pot with about ½ inch of water. Cover your pot with a lid and heat your water on medium until your water has warmed, scarcely roughly 2 to 3 minutes.
Once you start to see your lid steam up a tad, bring your water to a boil.
Carefully arrange your sushi rolls in a heatproof dish or steaming bowl. Do not let your sushi rolls adjoin each other; they will stick together.
Use steam stands or racks to position your heatproof dish or steamer bowl of Sushi in your pot of boiling water. Steaming racks or stands will keep your heatproof or steamer bowl stable while heating your Sushi.
Once your Sushi has achieved your expected temperature, you can withdraw your Sushi from your pot of boiling water.
Enjoy! Eat immediately.
3. Skillet
Another form of reheating Sushi would be utilizing a skillet or wok to pan-fry or deep fry your leftover Sushi. However, this will cook your fish just slightly enough to significantly decrease your probability of catching a foodborne illness.
Whether you prefer to pan-fry or deep fry, either strategy takes shorter than 15 to 20 minutes.
Pan-Fry
If you have nigiri, maki rolls, or inari, you should start by pulling them apart on a plate. Separate any rice from any fillings and discard the Nori. Confirm that you dice large chunks into smaller chunks before cooking to encourage even cooking.
Set everything that is suitable for pan-frying in a skillet or wok with a pinch of oil of your choice, roughly a tablespoon. Cook on medium to high heat until the fish has browned and has scarcely cooked on the inside. You could add your favorite sauces to give your sushi additional flavor and moisture, like:
Oyster sauce.
Soy sauce.
Hoisin sauce
Unagi sauce.
Teriyaki sauce
Once your Sushi has thoroughly heated, you can remove it from your wok or skillet.
Serve immediately.
Deep-Fry
First, extract any ingredients that are not deep fryer friendly such as lettuce, celery, cucumber, or bell pepper.
Cover your sushi rolls in flour.
Then, roll in an egg wash or beaten egg.
Lastly, coat your Sushi in panko or bread crumbs before frying.
Set your leftover sushi rolls in the deep fryer at 350°F or 177°C.
Deep fry your leftover sushi until browned evenly on all sides, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
Release your Sushi from your deep fryer once they have barely browned.
Put your sushi rolls on a paper towel-lined plate to catch surplus grease.
Enjoy once chilled enough to devour! Serve with your favorite dipping sauce like Natsume sauce, soy sauce, or sweet and sour!
4. Oven
Reheating your Sushi in your oven can be a better strategy for reheating sushi leftovers. However, you may end up with a crispier result than planned utilizing your range, so keep an eye on your Sushi while reheating.
Steps
Preheat your oven to 325°F or 163°C.
Place your Sushi in a greased oven-safe dish.
Once your oven has preheated, place your oven-safe dish containing the Sushi into your oven.
Let your sushi heat for roughly 8 minutes or until the chill has been taken off your Sushi. Flip your Sushi at 4 minutes or the halfway point of heating to heat your sushi rolls evenly.
You should remove your Sushi from your oven when your Sushi has reached your desired temperature.
Serve once your Sushi has cooled to a consumable temperature. Try it with your favorite sushi dipping sauces like mustard, soy sauce, horseradish, or wasabi!
Similar to your oven, your toaster oven will give a crispy result when utilizing this method to reheat your leftover sushi. However, the main difference between your toaster oven and your regular oven is that your toaster oven will preheat quicker than your oven, making it a perfect option if you are in a bit of a rush.
Steps
Preheat your toaster oven to 325°F or 163°C.
You can place your leftover sushi on the toaster oven tray once it has preheated, ensuring they do not touch, so they do not stick together.
Heat your Sushi for roughly 3 to 4 minutes or until the chill has lifted from the Sushi. Touch test your Sushi every few minutes until you hit your desired temperature.
Once your sushi rolls have reached your desired temperature, you can remove your Sushi from your toaster oven.
Let your Sushi rolls cool before enjoying them!
What’s the Best Method for Reheating a Cold Sushi?
Microwaving your sushi leftovers with a glass of water is, by far, your best method to reheat your Sushi. The mild reheating of your microwave will give a wonderfully fluffy and soft texture delivering that fresh taste. Though you should discard the Nori in your Sushi as it does not hold up well in the microwave.
As well as discarding your Nori, you should remove ingredients like lettuce that will go limp and unpalatable in the microwave beforehand. Consider heating your ingredients, like your rice and fish, separately if it is possible to prevent a weird texture.
Mild heating from your microwave makes reheating Sushi easy as pie! It will not ruin your rice and will actually improve its texture from being chilled. Microwaving is fast and easy, so you can quickly have your Sushi in under 5 minutes! There’s no wonder most people popularly use this method!
How Long Does Sushi Last?
How long will your Sushi last? Sushi, in general, is a high-risk food for foodborne illnesses like Listeria, salmonella, or E. coli, and you should respect that. Frankly, it is best to consume all of your Sushi at the time of purchase and not take any leftovers home.
You can quickly catch a foodborne illness from Sushi, especially if you consume mishandled Sushi. However, Sushi can be rather expensive, and you may only be able to finish some of your sushi dish at the time of purchase.
Ensure that you transfer your Sushi to an airtight receptacle and place it in your fridge within 2 hours of being at room temperature. No worries, you are more than able to store your leftovers and reheat them, preferably within 24 hours. Though, if you can’t use them within 24 hours, you can freeze Sushi as the quality of your Sushi rapidly declines within the first 24 to 48 hours.
Final Thoughts
All in all, you are more than able to store and reheat your Sushi. Whether you reheat your Sushi in your oven, skillet, or steamer, you can guarantee you can reheat your Sushi one way or another. However, microwaving your Sushi with a cold glass of water is known to be one of your better methods of reheating Sushi. What is your favorite reheating method for your Sushi?
