Maki vs. Temaki: 3 Differences Between Maki and Temaki Sushi

Maki is rolled sushi, also known as makizushi, maki sushi, or norimaki. Maki rolls can take many forms, whether small or large, shaped into a roll formed in a makisu (bamboo mat), or hand-rolled. They always feature sushi rice and toppings wrapped together in toasted nori seaweed. Makizushi can be an appetizer, a main dish, or part of a bento box, typically paired with soy sauce for dipping and gari (pickled ginger) to cleanse the palate. Typically maki rolls are cut into bite-sized pieces.

Temaki is sushi in the hand roll form, otherwise known as hand roll sushi. Typically they are made from vinegared rice and sashimi (raw fish), veggies, or other fillings enclosed in a nori (seaweed) cone. For temaki in Japan, it's common to use cooked seafood like smoked salmon, shrimp tempura (a Japanese-style deep-fried shrimp), or even tamago, which is a sweet egg omelette found in many sushi bars.

Sushi rolls and hand rolls contain the same core ingredients and are served with soy sauce and wasabi. They both differ from nigiri sushi in that they share the rolled form, but there are three differences between maki and temaki.

• Shape: The main difference between maki and temaki is the shape. Maki is rolled into a tubular shape using a sushi mat made of bamboo, and the ingredients are encircled by a large sheet of nori. Temaki is rolled by hand into a cone shape using a small sheet of nori.
• Consumption: Maki is usually sliced into six or eight small pieces with a sharp knife and eaten with the help of chopsticks. You eat temaki rolls more like an ice cream cone and use your hands.
• Variations: Any cone-shaped sushi is known as temaki, but there are different types of sushi under the maki roll umbrella. Futomaki refers to maki rolls with multiple ingredients; this includes American sushi menu classics such as the Philadelphia roll or California roll. Often these rolls contain meat and vegetables like radish, daikon, and sometimes even egg in addition to fish or other main ingredients. Hosomaki is a maki roll with only one filling; examples include a simple cucumber roll or tuna roll. Uramaki is a roll style where the cooked rice is layered on the outside of the nori seaweed sheet and coated with sesame seeds.

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