✔ Updated · rice, fish, calories + safety compared
Nigiri and sashimi both put a slice of fish front and center, and they sit side by side on most sushi menus. The difference is one simple thing: rice.
Nigiri is a type of sushi: a slice of raw or cooked fish or seafood draped over a small, hand-pressed mound of vinegared sushi rice, often with a dab of wasabi in between. Sashimi is thinly sliced raw fish or seafood served on its own, with no rice. Because it has no vinegared rice, sashimi is not technically sushi.
- Rice: nigiri sits on seasoned sushi rice; sashimi has none.
- Toppings: nigiri can be raw, seared or cooked (shrimp, eel, egg); sashimi is almost always raw.
- Eating: nigiri is eaten in one bite with fingers or chopsticks; sashimi is eaten with chopsticks.
- Calories: sashimi is lower in calories and carbs because there is no rice.
Nigiri vs Sashimi at a Glance
| Nigiri | Sashimi | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A type of sushi: fish or seafood on hand-pressed vinegared rice | Sliced raw fish or seafood served without rice |
| Name means | “Two fingers” or “hand-pressed” | Roughly “pierced body” |
| Rice | Yes, about a tablespoon or two of sushi rice per piece | No |
| Toppings | Raw fish, seared (aburi) fish, cooked shrimp, eel, egg omelet | Mostly raw fish and seafood: tuna, salmon, yellowtail, scallop, octopus |
| Served with | Wasabi (often inside), soy sauce, pickled ginger | Shredded daikon, shiso leaf, wasabi, soy sauce |
| Taste and texture | Fish balanced by slightly sweet, tangy, soft rice | Pure flavor and texture of the fish |
| Calories | About 40 to 70 per piece | About 25 to 50 per slice, depending on the fish |
| Best for | A balanced, filling bite; a good start if raw fish is new to you | Tasting the fish itself; low-carb eating |
What Is Nigiri?
Nigiri, or nigirizushi, is sushi in its simplest hand-made form. A sushi chef shapes a small oblong of seasoned rice in the palm, adds a touch of wasabi and drapes a slice of fish (the neta) over the top. Some pieces get a thin band of nori to hold the topping in place.
Toppings are not always raw. Ebi (cooked shrimp), unagi (grilled eel) and tamago (sweet egg omelet) are classic cooked nigiri, and aburi nigiri is fish seared with a torch for a smoky, melted surface.
What Is Sashimi?
Sashimi is raw fish or seafood cut into clean, even slices and served on its own. It is all about the quality of the fish and the knife work. It usually comes with finely shredded daikon radish, a shiso leaf, wasabi and soy sauce.
Common choices are tuna (maguro), fatty tuna (toro), salmon (sake), yellowtail (hamachi), scallop (hotate) and octopus (tako). Since there is no vinegared rice, sashimi is not technically sushi, even though sushi restaurants serve it.
Nigiri vs Sashimi vs Sushi
Sushi means any dish made with vinegared rice. Nigiri is one type of sushi, alongside maki (rolls wrapped in nori), uramaki (inside-out rolls), temaki (hand rolls) and chirashi (fish over a bowl of rice).
Sashimi is the odd one out because it has no rice at all. A simple way to remember it: sushi is about the rice, sashimi is about the fish, and nigiri is where the two meet. For rolls and sides, see what to serve with sushi.
How to Eat Nigiri and Sashimi
- Nigiri: pick it up with fingers or chopsticks, turn it so the fish side touches the soy sauce, not the rice, and eat it in one bite.
- Sashimi: use chopsticks. Add a little wasabi to the fish itself, dip lightly in soy sauce and eat it in one or two bites.
- Wasabi: nigiri often has wasabi tucked under the fish already, so taste before adding more.
- Ginger: eat a slice of pickled ginger between different fish to reset the palate, not on top of the sushi.
Raw Fish Safety
Raw fish can carry parasites and bacteria. The FDA Food Code requires fish served raw, such as sashimi and most nigiri, to be frozen first to kill parasites: at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days, or at -31°F (-35°C) until solid and held there for 15 hours, or frozen solid at -31°F and held at -4°F for 24 hours. Certain tunas and some farm-raised fish are exempt.
“Sushi-grade” and “sashimi-grade” are marketing terms, not regulated US grades. At home, buy raw-eating fish only from a seller who can confirm it was handled and frozen for raw use, since most home freezers sit around 0°F and are not cold enough. Keep it at 40°F or below and eat it the same day; how long sushi is good for has the details.
The FDA advises pregnant women, young children, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system to avoid raw fish. Cooked toppings such as shrimp and eel, or fish cooked to 145°F, are the safer choice.
Which Should You Order?
Order nigiri for a balanced, filling bite where the rice softens strong flavors. It is a good starting point if raw fish is new to you, and cooked pieces such as shrimp, eel and egg give an easy way in.
Order sashimi to taste the fish itself, to keep carbs low or when a restaurant is known for its fish. Many diners order a few of each to compare.
Can You Substitute One for the Other?
Yes. Sashimi slices become nigiri when laid over small mounds of seasoned sushi rice, and nigiri becomes a sashimi-style plate if the rice is left aside. For a cooked alternative with the same flavors, try a spicy sushi salmon bake or a dynamite sushi roll.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of nigiri?
Nigiri, or nigirizushi, is a type of sushi made from a small, hand-pressed mound of vinegared sushi rice topped with a slice of fish or seafood, sometimes with wasabi in between or a thin band of nori holding the topping in place.
Is sashimi considered sushi?
Not technically. Sushi refers to dishes made with vinegared rice, and sashimi is sliced fish served without rice. Sushi restaurants serve both, so the two are often grouped together on menus.
What is the difference between aburi and nigiri?
Aburi is a style of nigiri. The fish is lightly seared with a blowtorch before serving, which melts the fat, adds a smoky flavor and warms the surface, while the center stays raw. Regular nigiri is served raw or fully cooked.
Which is healthier, nigiri or sashimi?
Sashimi is lower in calories and carbohydrates because it has no rice, so a slice is usually 25 to 50 calories. A piece of nigiri is about 40 to 70 calories. Both provide protein, and fatty fish such as salmon adds omega-3 fats.
Is it safe to make sashimi at home?
Only with fish sold for raw eating by a seller who confirms it was frozen to FDA parasite-destruction standards, since home freezers are usually not cold enough. Keep it at 40°F or below and eat it the same day. Higher-risk groups should avoid raw fish.
