The Wax Paper Hack That Makes Rolling Sushi Burritos Easy

The only thing better than eating sushi might be eating it in the form of a burrito with your bare hands. Since this trendy dish is much bigger than your average sushi roll, you can fit a lot more fish, veggies, and other flavorful embellishments into it before rolling it all together. With this in mind, if you're keen on making a stacked sushi burrito at home, wrapping all those fresh ingredients tightly together is crucial. For those who don't own a bamboo rolling mat, perhaps you use a clever hack to make sushi instead. One common kitchen tool that often goes underappreciated is wax paper, which happens to be perfect for rolling sushi burritos (and normal sushi rolls) when the craving hits.

When you think about it, you could consider wax paper to be a sushi-maker's best friend. It's both moisture-resistant and nonstick, making it especially useful when you're handling sticky rice that tends to get everywhere when you want it to be the sushi's outermost layer. It might take a few tries to get it right when first trying this method but you'll be able to get a feel for how much pressure your sushi burrito needs after a bit of practice. The only thing to worry about before starting is that you've cut a piece of wax paper that's a bit bigger than your square of nori or whatever ingredient you're starting with.

Wax paper doubles as a sushi burrito holder

If you're trying out this rolling method at home, you most likely first fell in love with sushi burritos at a specialty restaurant and decided the concept was deliciously genius enough to learn how to make at home. You may have noticed that some sushi burrito shops will serve it to you wrapped in parchment paper, keeping your hands clean and allowing you to gently peel away the paper as you make your way to the last bite. It's a good idea to keep this idea in mind when making homemade sushi burritos. Wrapping your burrito in the wax paper will serve the same function.

Holding your burrito together with wax paper is an especially welcome idea if you've created uramaki, otherwise known as an inside-out roll, where traditional sushi rice is on the outside. Some culinary creatives have even used crunchy Cheetos dust as the outer layer of their sushi burrito. This unique approach would certainly necessitate the use of a wax paper sleeve to keep your fingers from turning bright orange unless licking your fingers clean sends you to a happy place. If using a typical sheet of nori is your sushi-making go-to, be sure to wet your fingers and carefully moisten the seam of your finished sushi burrito to lock everything in place plus prevent any spillage. One can only ponder what other simple kitchen wonders wax paper can help out with when you're in a pinch.