Sushi vs. Sashimi: Differences Between Sushi and Sashimi

Sushi is a collection of Japanese dishes featuring vinegared rice and ingredients like raw fish, vegetables, and cooked elements like tamagoyaki, sweet rolled omelet. Sushi rolls come in all shapes and sizes, from large, multicolored futomaki, to simple, elegant nigiri.

In Japan, traditional sushi, like nigiri, is typically served with a dish of soy sauce and pickled ginger to cleanse the palate between bites. In most sushi restaurants, the sushi chefs will have seasoned the undersides of the fish with wasabi rather than providing it as an accompaniment. Makizushi is a popular item in bento-style lunch boxes.

Sashimi is a Japanese presentation of raw fish or meat, sliced thin and eaten alongside an assortment of garnishes and condiments like freshly grated ginger and wasabi, shredded daikon radish, minty shiso leaves, and a dipping sauce like soy sauce or ponzu.

You can make sashimi from vegetables, “sashimi-grade” saltwater fish (freshwater fish, which is more susceptible to harmful bacteria or parasites, is not used), shellfish, or raw meat. In the tataki style of sashimi preparation, the exterior of the protein is briefly seared or marinated in vinegar before being sliced. Some of the most popular types of sashimi include fatty tuna (otoro), mackerel (saba), yellowtail (hamachi), and scallop (hotate).

There are three distinct differences between these popular presentations of raw fish:

• Sushi rice. The primary difference between sashimi and other dishes featuring raw fish—such as nigiri, sushi rolls like futomaki and makizushi, and nori-wrapped cones of temaki—is the presence of seasoned, short-grain sushi rice. Sushi rice is seasoned with sushi vinegar, a combination of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, which brightens and elevates the flavors of the fish.
• Complementary ingredients. Like a maki roll or temaki, many types of sushi feature a combination of ingredients rolled together in an outer layer of rice held together with a nori wrapper. While Japanese restaurants offer condiments or garnishes with sashimi, it is typically served on its own to draw attention to the distinct flavors of the ingredient.
• Utensils. You can eat sushi by hand—many of the best sushi chefs shape pieces of nigiri to be consumed in one easy bite. On the other hand, chopsticks are the optimal utensils for eating thin sashimi slices.

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