Explaining the Differences Between Maki and Sushi

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Maki and sushi might seem similar, but they’re made and presented in different ways

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Co-authored by Devin McSween Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: October 22, 2024 Fact Checked

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Differences Between Maki and Sushi

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What is sushi?

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What is maki?

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You’re browsing the sushi menu at a new Japanese restaurant when you see both sushi and maki listed to order. If maki is on the menu with sushi, does that mean it’s the same as sushi? Sushi actually comes in lots of delicious types, with maki being one of them. In this article, we’ll tell you about the differences between maki and sushi so you know what to order the next time you’re craving sushi. Read on to learn more!

Things You Should Know

Sushi is a popular Japanese dish that’s made with rice and sushi vinegar. Maki is a type of sushi that’s rolled with nori, or a sheet of seaweed.
Maki is formed into a cylindrical roll and cut into bite-sized pieces, while sushi can come in many different shapes.
Sushi was introduced in Japan in the 9th century. Some of the most popular types are nigiri, chirashi, inari, and oshizushi.
Maki became popular in Japan in the 1800s. It comes in different types like temaki, hosomaki, and uramaki.

Section 1 of 3:

Differences Between Maki and Sushi

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Sushi is a dish made with vinegar and rice; maki is a type of sushi. You might be surprised to learn that sushi is not just one single dish. It actually describes any dish that is made with cooked rice mixed with sushi vinegar. So, maki is just a type of sushi. It is a rolled form of sushi that wraps a sheet of seaweed, called nori, around the vinegared rice.^{[1]
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- Besides maki, other popular types of sushi are nigiri, chirashi, and inari.
- If you’re wondering about sashimi, it’s not a type of sushi. It is just thin slices of raw fish, like tuna and salmon, that are served without rice.^{[2]
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Maki contains nori, veggies, and fish, while sushi uses many ingredients. The only thing sushi has to be made with is vinegared rice, which leaves the door wide open for lots of yummy ingredients. Different types of sushi contain raw or cooked fish, shellfish, vegetables, and tofu. On the other hand, maki only has to be made with nori. It usually also contains veggies, like carrots and cucumbers, and a slice of raw fish.^{[3]
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- Traditional Japanese sushi typically only contains 1 type of seafood or vegetable, while western-style sushi uses many ingredients in just 1 roll. Western sushi also uses ingredients that aren’t in traditional rolls, like avocado.
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Because sushi can refer to many different types, it might be round, triangular, rectangular, or even shapeless. Maki is sushi that’s rolled up, so it usually has a long, cylindrical shape. It’s then cut into 6 or 8 circular rolls that you eat with chopsticks.^{[4]
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Section 2 of 3:

What is sushi?

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Sushi is a Japanese dish that’s made with rice and sushi vinegar. Sushi originates from 4th century Southeast Asia, where it was a dish of salty, fermented rice and fish. It was introduced to Japan in the 9th century, where it really gained popularity. Chefs started to add vinegar to the rice to better preserve the fish. By the 1800s, sushi became the bite-sized pieces of rice, fish, and vegetables that you’re familiar with today.^{[5]
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- Sushi roughly means “it’s sour” or “sour rice” in Japanese. This likely refers to the dish’s fermented origins.
- Sushi became popular in the United States in the late 1960s.
- If you’re feeling experimental, make your own sushi! Just cook some sushi rice, gather your fresh fish and veggies, and form the roll.
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Sushi comes in different types that are prepared in different ways. Besides the ingredients of cooked rice and sushi vinegar, most sushi includes fillings like salmon, tuna, shrimp, eel, cucumber, carrots, and mushrooms. For the most part, you’ll see sushi served with a dab of wasabi and a side of soy sauce for dipping. Some of the most popular sushi are:^{[6]
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- Nigiri or nigirizushi: this sushi consists of a flattened ball of rice topped with a thin slice of a raw fish or vegetable. It’s the most simple form of sushi and is usually eaten with your hands.
- Chirashi or chirashizushi: this is a type of sushi served in a bowl. Chirashi translates to “scattered,” so its rice base is topped with a variety of ingredients like raw fish, vegetables, omelets, and roe. You eat this sushi with chopsticks.
- Inari or Inarizushi: this sushi is made with fried pockets of tofu that are stuffed with rice. It’s more of a finger food that you eat with your hands.
- Oshizushi: this is a pressed form of sushi. Rice and ingredients like fish and vegetables are layered inside a square or circular mold. The layers are pressed together and cut into bite-sized pieces that you eat with chopsticks.

Section 3 of 3:

What is maki?

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Maki, or norimaki, is a rolled sushi that’s made with nori, or seaweed. In Japanese, maki simply means “to roll.” It’s one of the most popular forms of sushi that came onto the scene in the late 1800s. Traditionally, a sheet of nori is placed on a bamboo mat and topped with a layer of rice, fish, and vegetables. The bamboo mat is rolled up, creating a cylindrical roll that’s cut into bite-sized pieces.^{[7]
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- With a bamboo mat, or makisu, it’s easy to roll up maki on your own!
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Like sushi, maki also comes in various types that are made differently. All maki is made with nori and rolled up in some form. However, different versions of maki have slight differences in their preparation and presentation. Some of the most popular maki rolls are:^{[8]
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- Temaki or temakizushi: this is a hand-rolled version of maki. The nori sheet is wrapped into a cone-like shape with your hands and then filled with rice and other ingredients. They’re usually eaten with your hands.
- Hosomaki: this is the smallest version of maki. Because it’s so small, it only contains 1 other filling besides rice. It’s usually eaten with chopsticks.
- Uramaki: this maki is made inside-out, with rice on the outside and nori on the inside. It tends to be popular outside of Japan and is the form of popular rolls like the California and Philadelphia roll. You eat uramaki with chopsticks.
- Kappamaki: this simple maki is just filled with cucumber. It’s named after a mythological creature called a Kappa, which is thought to love cucumbers. It’s super easy to make this maki yourself and enjoy it with chopsticks.