One of the most popular sushi rolls in Western sushi restaurants, the spicy tuna roll packs a flavorful kick. What most people don’t realize is how easy they are to make! I use cooked tuna when making these rolls at home which makes them less intimidating for those hesitant to eat raw fish.
Table of Contents
What are Spicy Tuna Rolls?
Spicy tuna rolls consist of tuna (either raw or cooked) mixed with Japanese mayo and sriracha sauce, rolled in a nori (seaweed) sheet and sushi rice. While this can be prepared as a maki style roll (where the filling and rice are on the inside of the nori sheet), I personally prefer to prepare it as an uramaki style roll (where the filling is on the inside of the nori sheet and the rice is on the outside).
Despite being one of the more popular options in Western sushi restaurants, it’s not commonly eaten in Japan and was actually invented in the Western United States in the 1980’s.
How to Control the Thickness of Your Roll
You can control how thick your sushi rolls are by how much of the nori sheet you use. I prefer to use 3/4 of the nori sheet when preparing spicy tuna rolls as I think this provides the right balance of having enough filling while keeping the roll at a manageable size to eat with chopsticks.
However, you can make your rolls thicker by using the entire nori sheet or thinner by using half of the nori sheet.
How to Make Spicy Tuna Rolls
As I mentioned before, I almost always use cooked tuna when preparing spicy tuna rolls as my kids can be a bit picky when it comes to eating raw fish. However, you could easily substitute the canned tuna with a sushi grade raw tuna if you prefer. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to prepare spicy tuna rolls.
Cook Sushi Rice
1. Rinse 1 1/3 cups of sushi rice by placing it in a colander and running water through it until the water is clear.
2. After the rice is rinsed, add it to a sauce pan with 1 1/2 cups of water. Check your sushi rice package to see the exact amount of water to be added as it can vary from depending on the brand you use.
3. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the rice simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
4. Remove the rice and place it into a bowl or dish and let cool. I would line the dish with parchment paper prior to adding the rice to avoid sticking.
5. Mix 1/4 cup of sushi vinegar into your rice. Stir until it has absorbed into the rice. Once cooled and fully absorbed, your rice is ready to roll!
Prepare the Spicy Tuna Filling
1. Drain the four cans of tuna well and add to a small mixing bowl.
2. Add the Japanese mayonnaise and sriracha sauce and gently mix together until combined.
Assemble the Spicy Tuna Rolls
1. Cover your bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. This will help keep the rice from sticking to it.
2. Cut the top 1/4 from the nori sheet. This helps to keep each piece of the roll more bite-sized and easier to eat with chopsticks.
3. Next, place the nori sheet onto the plastic wrap with the shiny side facing down. Then press around 3/4 cup of rice onto the nori sheet in an even layer. Tip: Combine a bowl of water and a splash of rice vinegar and use to wet your hands prior to handling the sushi rice. This will prevent the rice from sticking to your hands.
4. Evenly sprinkle black sesame seeds on your sushi rice.
5. Gently flip the nori sheet over so the rice is facing down. You will add the filling directly to the nori sheet with the rice on the outside.
6. Spoon about 1/4 of the spicy tuna mixture onto the nori sheet and spread evenly across the middle of the sheet.
7. Use the bamboo sushi mat to fold your roll until it’s completely enclosed. Once the rice is making contact with the nori sheet, pull back the sushi mat so it doesn’t get caught in the roll. Still using the sushi mat as your guide, finish rolling until the roll is completely wrapped. Then wrap the sushi mat around the roll and gently press, tightening the roll together. Keep in mind that rolling sushi is an art that may take some practice so don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t look perfect your first time. It will get easier the more you do it.
8. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 8 pieces. I do this by first cutting the roll in half. Then I cut each half in half followed by cutting each fourth in half. Tip: Be sure to clean and wet the edge of your knife before cutting each roll.
9. I usually serve with soy sauce and wasabi. Sushi rolls are typically served with pickled ginger as well.
Spicy Tuna Roll Recipe
Spicy Tuna Roll Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Bamboo Sushi Mat
- 1 Pot for cooking sushi rice
- 1 Sharp knife and cutting board
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 1 1/3 cups Sushi rice dried, will cook to 4 cups
- 1/4 cup Sushi vinegar
Sushi Roll
- 4 Nori sheets
- 4 5 oz. Cans of cooked tuna
- 1/2 Cup Japanese mayonaise (Kewpie recommended)
- 1/4 Cup Sriracha sauce
- Black sesame seeds
Instructions
Cook Sushi Rice
- Rinse 1 1/3 cups of sushi rice by placing it in a colander and running water through it until the water is clear.
- After the rice is rinsed, add it to a sauce pan with 1 1/2 cups of water. Be sure to check the package for the exact amount of water needed as it can vary depending on the brand of rice.
- Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the rice simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
- Remove the rice and place into a bowl or dish and let cool. I would line the dish with parchment paper prior to adding the rice to avoid sticking.
- Mix 1/4 cup of sushi vinegar into your rice. Stir until it has absorbed into the rice. Once cooled and fully absorbed, your rice is ready to roll!
Prepare the Spicy Tuna Filling
- Drain the four cans of tuna well and add to a small mixing bowl.
- Add the Japanese mayonnaise and sriracha sauce and gently mix together until combined.
Assemble the Spicy Tuna Rolls
- Cover your bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. This will help keep the rice from sticking to it.
- Cut the top 1/4 from the nori sheet. This helps to keep each piece of the roll more bite-sized and easier to eat with chopsticks.
- Next, place the nori sheet onto the plastic wrap with the shiny side facing down. Then press around 3/4 cup of rice onto the nori sheet in an even layer. Tip: Combine a bowl of water and a splash of rice vinegar and use to wet your hands prior to handling the sushi rice. This will prevent the rice from sticking to your hands.
- Evenly sprinkle sesame seeds on your sushi rice.
- Gently flip the nori sheet over so the rice is facing down. You will add the filling directly to the nori sheet with the rice on the outside.
- Spoon about 1/4 of the spicy tuna mixture onto the nori sheet and spread evenly across the middle of the sheet.
- Use the bamboo sushi mat to fold your roll until it's completely enclosed. Once the rice is making contact with the nori sheet, pull back the sushi mat so it doesn't get caught in the sushi. Still using the sushi mat as your guide, finish rolling until the roll is completely wrapped. Then wrap the sushi mat around the roll and gently press, tightening the roll together.Keep in mind that rolling sushi is an art that may take some practice so don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t look perfect your first time. It will get easier the more you do it.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 8 pieces. I do this by first cutting the roll in half. Then cutting each half in half. Then cutting each fourth in half. Tip: Be sure to clean and wet the edge of your knife before cutting each roll.
- I usually serve with soy sauce and wasabi. Sushi rolls are traditionally served with pickled ginger as well.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Are spicy tuna rolls gluten-free?
Yes. All the ingredients found in spicy tuna rolls are naturally gluten-free. However, I would always confirm when ordering from a sushi restaurant.
Are spicy tuna rolls a traditional Japanese sushi?
No, spicy tuna rolls were invented in the West Coast of the United States in the 1980’s and are not commonly eaten in Japan.
Do spicy tuna rolls contain raw fish?
Spicy tuna rolls can be made with raw or cooked tuna. When ordering from a sushi restaurant, the spicy tuna rolls will most often contain raw tuna. When I make them at home, I prefer to use cooked tuna.
Final Thoughts on Spicy Tuna Rolls
A staple in Western sushi restaurants, spicy tuna rolls are a spicy treat that’s easy to prepare at home and can be made with cooked or raw tuna. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does. Happy cooking!
For more fun recipes, check out the below articles:
Cucumber Roll (Kappa Maki) Recipe
Crunchy Salmon Skin Roll Recipe
Also, subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more great videos!