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Tuna Nigiri Recipe

Tuna Nigiri is made with sashimi-grade tuna and vinegared sushi rice – so much easier to make than maki sushi rolls! We’ll show you some simple techniques and tips so that you can make this delicious tuna sushi at home. Plus you’ll find how to cut raw tuna and customize this recipe by using cooked tuna, other seafood, or alternatives like vegetables.
Prep Time15 minutes
1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: Tuna Nigiri
Servings: 16 pieces
Author: Izzy

Ingredients

For Sushi Rice

  • 1 cup sushi rice uncooked, it’s best to use Japanese short-grain sushi rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoons sushi vinegar or mixing 1 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt

For Tuna Nigiri

  • 8 oz sashimi-grade tuna
  • 2 teaspoon wasabi optional

Optional for Serving:

Instructions

  • Make 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).
  • Prepare the Tuna: Cut against the grain, about 30 to 45 degree angle. Cut your tuna into thin slices. I recommend cutting it to 3-inch long, 1-inch wide, and 1/4-inch thick.
  • Shape the Rice: Take about 3 tablespoons of rice in your right hand. Squeeze it together until it rolls into a firm “log” sized oval shape. Try to make the bottom flat with the rounded top. (Don’t squeeze too tight, and it should still contain a little bit of air in the rice.)
  • Assemble the Nigiri: Place the tuna slice on the root of your fingers. Then take a pea-sized portion of wasabi, and spread in the middle of the fish.
  • Place the rolled sushi rice onto the tuna, and bend your fingers to cover both the fish and rice together. Press down the rice using the index finger from the other hand.
  • Turn the fish and rice and let the tuna slice sit on top of the rice. Serve tuna nigiri with optional wasabi, soy sauce, along with pickled ginger.

Notes

  • To prevent the rice from sticking, it’s best to wet your hands with tezu water before handling the rice. To make tezu water, simply mix together 1/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons rice vinegar.
  • It’s best to eat tuna nigiri the same day, as the raw fish won’t taste as fresh the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 64kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg