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    Home » Appetizer

    09/28/2020

    Spicy Tuna Roll (How to Make Tuna Sushi at Home)

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    The Spicy Tuna Roll is a classic Japanese sushi roll – smooth, creamy, and fiery spicy. Nori seaweed sheet is filled with seasoned sushi rice, avocado, and sashimi-grade tuna that’s tossed in sriracha spicy mayo. This hand roll recipe takes about 15 minutes from start to finish once the sushi rice is ready.  I’ll share with you the secrets to make the best tuna sushi with a step-by-step guide!

    The Spicy Tuna Roll is a classic Japanese sushi roll – smooth, creamy, and fiery spicy. Nori seaweed sheet is filled with seasoned sushi rice, avocado, and sashimi-grade tuna that’s tossed in sriracha spicy mayo. This hand roll recipe takes about 15 minutes from start to finish once the sushi rice is ready.  I’ll share with you the secrets to make the best tuna sushi with a step-by-step guide! #SpicyTunaRoll #TunaSushi

    We love Japanese sushi rolls, and I often make Boston Roll, Spicy Salmon Roll, or these delicious spicy tuna rolls for lunch, dinner, or evening snack! For kid-friendly tuna sushi, you can make Tekkamaki Tuna Rolls or Tuna Nigiri.

    Spicy tuna hand rolls are rolled sushi made by rolling tuna and other ingredients (I used avocado) in nori seaweed sheet and seasoned sushi rice. You have two choices: either use nori to cover the rice and the fillings, like Tekkamaki,  or make “inside out roll” (uramaki), meaning the rice is on the outside covering seaweed. This recipe uses the “inside-out” technique, a more popular version outside of Japan.

    Table of Contents Show
    Ingredients in a Spicy Tuna Sushi Roll
    How to Make Tuna Roll at Home
    Tips & Tricks for Making the Best Tuna Sushi
    How Many Calories Does a Spicy Tuna Roll Have?
    Is Spicy Tuna Roll Raw?
    What Does Spicy Tuna Hand Roll Taste Like?
    Is Tuna Roll Good for You?
    Spicy Tuna Avocado Roll Recipe (+VIDEO)

    Ingredients in a Spicy Tuna Sushi Roll

    Spicy tuna roll ingredients on the counter.
    • Tuna: You’ll need sashimi-grade or sushi-grade tuna for this recipe. I recommend you purchase the tuna from a reputable place, and smell it before buying. Place the fish on ice before cooking. The traditional spicy tuna roll recipe uses raw tuna, but if you’re not a brave raw fish eater, you can substitute tempura tuna or canned tuna.
    • Spicy mayo: Or sriracha mayo, which is made of two ingredients: sriracha chili sauce and mayonnaise (1:2 ratio). Reduce the amount of sriracha sauce if you prefer a mild taste or add more for making it very spicy! I used the regular mayo, but you can substitute plain Greek yogurt for a healthier option.
    • Avocado: Use ripe avocado with a dark green color. Avoid overripe avocado as it can get too mushy. Look for avocados that yield to firm gentle pressure.
    • Nori Seaweed Sheets: Good nori should be black with a slightly green hue. The fresh nori sheet is crispy enough to easily break into half by folding it. You can find more information about nori in this post.
    • Sushi Rice: It’s best to use Japanese short-grain rice for the best fluffy rice.
    • Sushi vinegar: If you don’t have sushi vinegar, you can mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt as a replacement. It adds more flavor to cooked sushi rice.
    • Sesame Seeds: This ingredient is optional, but it adds so much flavor to your rolls. I used white sesame seeds, but you can also use black, or a combination of white and black sesame seeds.

    You’ll also need a sushi bamboo rolling mat to make the sushi for the best result. Alternatively, you can use a piece of parchment paper.

    How to Make Tuna Roll at Home

    Making tuna sushi rolls is easier than you think! Just follow the step-by-step photos below or watch our spicy tuna roll video and you’ll make your own spicy tuna rolls perfectly at home:

    Tuna Roll Recipe: step 1 and 2 photos.

    1. Cook the sushi rice with a 1:1 ratio between rice and water so that the rice is not too mushy for your rolls. Cook according to the instruction. Season the cooked rice with the sushi vinegar and mix well. If you don’t have sushi vinegar, use the mixture of white vinegar, sugar and salt.

    2. Cut the Tuna into 1/2-inch strips.

    Tuna roll recipe: step 3 and 4 photos.

    3. Make the spicy mayo by mixing together sriracha sauce and mayo to make spicy mayo. Mix tuna strips with spicy mayo in a medium bowl.

    4. Cut off 1/3 of the nori seaweed sheet using kitchen scissors. Then place the remaining nori sheet towards the bottom of the mat, shinning side facing down.

    Tuna roll recipe: step 5 and 6 photos.

    5. Evenly spread rice over nori. Sprinkle sesame seeds.

    6. Flip the rice covered nori sheet so that rice is facing down. Place the avocado and seasoned tuna on top of the nori.

    Tuna roll recipe: step 7 and 8 photos.

    7. Start rolling using your bamboo mat to firmly keep the roll in place. Apply some pressure to tighten it up.

    8. Once the roll is complete, you can move it to the cutting board and cut them into pieces.

    The Spicy Tuna Roll is a classic Japanese sushi roll – smooth, creamy, and fiery spicy. Nori seaweed sheet is filled with seasoned sushi rice, avocado, and sashimi-grade tuna that’s tossed in sriracha spicy mayo. This hand roll recipe takes about 15 minutes from start to finish once the sushi rice is ready.  I’ll share with you the secrets to make the best tuna sushi with a step-by-step guide! #SpicyTunaRoll #TunaSushi

    Tips & Tricks for Making the Best Tuna Sushi

    • Make sure to buy sushi-grade tuna for this recipe. You’ll need to cut the tuna into 1/2-inch strips for easy rolling.
    • Use Japanese short-grain sushi rice. You’ll need to add less water than cooking the regular rice (a 1:1 ratio between rice and water) so that your rice won’t get mushy during the rolling process.
    • Once the rice is cooked, transfer the hot rice to a large bowl and let it cool down slightly. When it’s still very warm, add the seasoning and mix well.
    • I recommend covering the mat with a piece of plastic wrap for easy cleaning.
    • To prevent the rice from sticking to your hands, you can make Tezu, a hand dipping liquid made with 1/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons rice vinegar. Wet your hands with Tezu before handling rice.
    • To prevent sushi rolls from falling apart, you’ll need to squeeze the roll gently while rolling. Once you finish, you can place the bamboo mat over the sushi roll and gently squeeze the roll again.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How Many Calories Does a Spicy Tuna Roll Have?

    For this recipe, there’s about 60 calories in each piece of tuna sushi, and 500 calories in each roll.

    The Spicy Tuna Roll is a classic Japanese sushi roll – smooth, creamy, and fiery spicy. Nori seaweed sheet is filled with seasoned sushi rice, avocado, and sashimi-grade tuna that’s tossed in sriracha spicy mayo. This hand roll recipe takes about 15 minutes from start to finish once the sushi rice is ready.  I’ll share with you the secrets to make the best tuna sushi with a step-by-step guide! #SpicyTunaRoll #TunaSushi

    Is Spicy Tuna Roll Raw?

    Traditional spicy tuna roll recipe calls for raw tuna, so you’ll need to buy sashimi-grade tuna.

    If you don’t like the idea of eating raw fish, substitute tempura tuna or canned tuna.

    What Does Spicy Tuna Hand Roll Taste Like?

    Tuna has a texture almost like rare filet mignon, and doesn’t have “fishy” taste. Spicy tuna roll has a nice balance of sweet, tangy, savory, and spicy flavor. The avocado adds a nice creaminess to the roll.

    Is Tuna Roll Good for You?

    Tuna sushi roll is good for you as tuna contains omega-3, an essential fatty acid. It also has limited calories without added fat. You can use brown rice instead of white rice for an even healthier version.

    If You Love This Recipe Try Out These Japanese Sushi Roll Recipes:

    Spicy Salmon Rolls made with your favorite salmon tossed in sriracha spicy mayo, then rolled in nori seaweed sheet and fluffy sushi rice! You can easily customize the roll by adding other delicious ingredients. It’s so much cheaper than the restaurant, and takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. I’ll share with you the secrets to make the best spicy salmon sushi, with step by step photos! #SpicySalmonRoll
    Spicy Salmon Roll
    This Caterpillar Roll recipe is made with delicious unagi and crunchy cucumber rolled in seaweed sheet and sushi rice, with an avocado topping. You can customize the roll with other delicious fillings. It’s so easy to make and I’ll share with you the secrets on how to make an avocado wrapper! #CaterpillarRoll #CaterpillarSushiRoll #CaterpillarMakiRoll
    Caterpillar Roll
    The Volcano Roll is highly addictive and will definitely blow your mind! It’s made with seafood, avocado, and cucumber rolled in seaweed sheet and sushi rice, with an incredibly delicious spicy lava topping. This recipe is easy to make and I’ll share with you the secrets on how to make a mouth-watering crab salad lava topping! #VolcanoRoll #VolcanoRollSushi
    Volcano Roll
    Boston Rolls are filled with creamy avocado, succulent shrimp, and crunchy cucumber, then rolled in nori seaweed sheet and sushi rice! It’s usually garnished with the bright orange tobiko (Japanese flying fish roe). In this recipe, you will learn how to make sushi rice, how to select fillings, how to roll the the sushi, and how to garnish with tobiko! #BostonRoll #BostonSushi #BostonRollSushi
    Boston Roll

    I hope you like this recipe, and if you tried it, let me know how your Spicy Tuna Roll turns out in the comments below! 

    The Spicy Tuna Roll is a classic Japanese sushi roll – smooth, creamy, and fiery spicy. Nori seaweed sheet is filled with seasoned sushi rice, avocado, and sashimi-grade tuna that’s tossed in sriracha spicy mayo. This hand roll recipe takes about 15 minutes from start to finish once the sushi rice is ready. I’ll share with you the secrets to make the best tuna sushi with a step-by-step guide!

    Spicy Tuna Avocado Roll Recipe (+VIDEO)

    The Spicy Tuna Roll is a classic Japanese sushi roll – smooth, creamy, and fiery spicy. Nori seaweed sheet is filled with seasoned sushi rice, avocado, and sashimi-grade tuna that’s tossed in sriracha spicy mayo. This hand roll recipe takes about 15 minutes from start to finish once the sushi rice is ready. I’ll share with you the secrets to make the best tuna sushi with a step-by-step guide!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 24 pieces (3 rolls)
    Author: Izzy
    Calories: 68kcal

    Ingredients 

    For Sushi Rice

    • 1 1/2 cup sushi rice Japanese short grain rice
    • 1 ½ cup water
    • 1 ½ tablespoons sushi vinegar or mixing 1 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt

    For Spicy Tuna Rolls

    • 4 oz sashimi-grade tuna
    • 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
    • 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
    • 3 sheets nori seaweed
    • 1 avocado ripe
    • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

    Optional for Serving:

    • soy sauce
    • wasabi paste
    • pickled ginger

    Instructions 

    • Make the Sushi Rice: Wash the rice with cold water until the water runs clear. Then add the rice and water to the rice maker. Cook according to the instruction. Once cooked, transfer the hot rice to a large bowl and let it cool down slightly. When it’s still very warm, stir in the sushi vinegar (or the mixture of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt).
    • Cut the Tuna: slice the tuna into 1/2-inch thick strips.
    • In a small bowl, mix together sriracha sauce and mayo to make spicy mayo.
    • Mix tuna strips with spicy mayo in a medium bowl.
    • Assemble Tuna Avocado Rolls: Lay out the bamboo mat with an optional piece of plastic wrap on top (this will make clean up easier).
    • Cut off 1/3 of the nori seaweed sheet using kitchen scissors.
    • Place the remaining nori sheet towards the bottom of the mat, shinning side facing down.
    • Take ¾ cup of cooked rice and evenly spread over nori. (You can dip your hands in Tezu vinegar water* to prevent sticking.)
    • Sprinkle with sesame seeds evenly on top. (I recommend toasting the sesame seeds first. Simply add them to a dry skillet on medium heat. Spread them evenly in the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until lightly browned.)
    • Flip the rice covered nori sheet so that rice is facing down.
    • Place tuna strips and sliced avocado on top of the nori.
    • Place the thumbs underneath the bamboo mat and lift the edge up and over the filling.
    • Roll the bamboo mat away from you and apply some pressure to tighten it up. Keep rolling until the ends meet.
    • Once the roll is complete, move the roll to the cutting board and cut each roll into 8 pieces.
    • Serve with optional soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi paste.

    Equipment

    Bamboo Sushi Mat
    Plastic Wrap
    Sushi Rice
    Sriracha Sauce

    Notes

    • Great sushi rolls start with the right sushi rice. The best rice for sushi rolls is high-quality short grain Japanese rice. When cooked properly, it will stay fluffy even after it’s tightly rolled.
    • *Tezu water for dipping hands: Mix together 1/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons rice vinegar.
    • It’s best to eat spicy tuna rolls the same day, as the raw fish won’t taste as fresh the next day.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
    Author: Izzy
    Course: Dinner, Lunch, Snack
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Keyword: Spicy Tuna Roll, Tuna Avocado Roll, Tuna Roll
    Tried this recipe?Follow or tag us on Pinterest @izzycooking
    The Spicy Tuna Roll is a classic Japanese sushi roll – smooth, creamy, and fiery spicy. Nori seaweed sheet is filled with seasoned sushi rice, avocado, and sashimi-grade tuna that’s tossed in sriracha spicy mayo. This hand roll recipe takes about 15 minutes from start to finish once the sushi rice is ready.  I’ll share with you the secrets to make the best tuna sushi with a step-by-step guide! #SpicyTunaRoll #TunaSushi

    Filed Under: Appetizer, Dinner, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: avocado, nori seaweed sheet, sesame seeds, spicy mayo, sushi rice, sushi vinegar, tuna

    About Izzy

    I'm Izzy, a food lover and photographer. Here you’ll find a collection of simple recipes that are perfect for busy people. My blog aims to help you make and enjoy delicious and healthy food at home.

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    Hi, this is Izzy! On my blog, you will find easy and delicious recipes for the everyday home cook, with easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step photos.

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