This spicy tuna roll recipe is a simple and easy way to make sushi from home at a fraction of the price you spend at a sushi restaurant. Only requiring 6 ingredients, this step by step recipe on how to make your favorite sushi rolls from home will have you feeling like your own personal sushi chef in no time.
Homemade spicy tuna rolls are the best during the summer months when fresh, raw tuna is in season. Making your own sushi from home can be a really fun way to have an at home date night and can also be a great way to impress you guests for a dinner party.
This was inspired by my Homemade Philadelphia Roll on this site, that is served with salmon, cucumber and cream cheese. It also pairs well with this Seared Tuna with an Asian Marinade.
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Ingredients
Make sure you find sashimi-grade tuna for this recipe. It is important to always get your raw fish from a credible source so you are getting a good quality, fresh fish and can safely avoid food born illness.
It is also important to find sushi rice. This rice is typically a little stickier to help it form to the sushi. Seaweed paper, avocado, spicy mayonnaise and sesame seeds are also needed to assemble the sushi rolls.
- fresh tuna
- avocado
- spicy mayo
- sushi rice
- nori sheet (seaweed paper)
- white or black sesame seeds
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Cook your white rice depending on the directions in the manual of your rice cooker or by cooking it on the stove. While the rice is cooking, slice the tuna and avocado. Once rice is done, add rice vinegar and sugar and mix. Lay a sheet of sushi nori on the sushi mat. Spread the rice evenly on the rough side of sushi nori sheet. Do not add too much rice, you want enough rice to just cover the sheet of nori.
- Step 2: Add 2 or 3 slices of tuna on top of the rice near one end of the sheet. You want to leave a little bit of open space at the end. Add 2 or 3 slices of avocado, about ½ tablespoon of spicy mayo, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
- Step 3: Make sure your unrolled sushi is on the edge of the mat closest to you. Fold the end of the sheet closest to the fillings over the fillings. Slightly tuck under using the sushi mat. Continue to roll the sheet using the sushi mat until a tight roll is formed.
- Step 4: Slice roll using a filet knife into about 1 inch slices. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle spicy mayo if desired. Serve with a side of spicy mayo or soy sauce.
Hint: make sure you use a very sharp knife when cutting the hand rolls. Try not to apply much pressure, just let the sharpness of the knife cut through the sushi roll.
Substitutions
- Spicy Salmon - if you replace the tuna with fresh salmon, you will have a spicy salmon roll
- Vegetarian - replace the tuna with cucumber for a veggie option
Variations
- Crunchy - add some tempura flakes on top for a crunchy spicy tuna roll
- Tuna Sushi - for plain tuna homemade sushi rolls, take a handful of sushi rice and form it into a ball. Add a slice of sashimi grade tuna on top
- Spicy Tuna Roll Bowl - deconstruct your spicy tuna roll and make in spicy tuna bowl or tuna poke bowl. Make sure you add some green onions on top for extra flavor
See this Tuna Poke recipe on my website!
Equipment
There are some must haves to make this recipe. Luckily, you can find most of them very cheap! For this recipe, you can choose to use a rice cooker if you want but this is not required. I do highly suggest one though, it makes life a lot easier.
You will also need a bamboo mat to help you roll the sushi. Some people like to use plastic wrap to help them roll their sushi and this is an option also. You are also going to need a cutting board and sharp knife.
How to Store Spicy Tuna Roll Recipe
Unfortunately, there are not many good ways to store sushi long term. Sushi grade tuna only lasts about 1-2 days tops. I personally don't like to risk it after that. If you make the sushi rolls, you can save them in an airtight container for one extra day as long as you bought or got the fish fresh.
These ingredients do not stand up well to freezing. If you freeze your tuna, it is no longer sushi grade.
Top Tip
To add extra flavor to the sushi rice, mix a little sugar and rice vinegar in after cooking. It adds a sweet tang that pairs so well with the flavors and textures throughout the roll.
FAQ
While a bamboo mat helps create tight, uniform rolls, you can also roll by hand or use a clean kitchen towel as a substitute with some practice.
Yes, sushi rice can be made a few hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature.
Yes, sushi-grade salmon or yellowtail can be excellent alternatives, offering different flavors and textures that complement the spicy mayo and avocado.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with spicy tuna roll:
📖 Recipe
Easy Spicy Tuna Roll Sushi Recipe with Avocado
Equipment
- 1 Sushi Mat
- 1 Rice Cooker
- 1 Filet Knife
Ingredients
- ½ lb sushi grade tuna
- 2 cups sushi rice
- 1 avocado
- 2 tablespoon spicy mayo
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 4 sheets sushi nori
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Cook your rice depending on the directions in the manual of your rice cooker or by cooking it on the stove.
- While the rice is cooking, slice the tuna and avocado. Once rice is done, add rice vinegar and sugar and mix.
- Lay a sheet of sushi nori on the sushi mat.
- Spread the rice evenly on sushi nori sheet. Do not add too much rice, you want enough rice to just cover the sushi nori.
- Add 2 or 3 slices of tuna on top of the rice near one end of the sheet. You want to leave a little bit of open space at the end.
- Add 2 or 3 slices of avocado, about ½ tablespoon of spicy mayo, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
- Fold the end of the sheet closest to the fillings over the fillings. Slightly tuck under using the sushi mat.
- Continue to roll the sheet using the sushi mat until a tight roll is formed.
- Slice roll using a filet knife into about 1 inch slices. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle spicy mayo if desired.
- Serve with a side of spicy mayo or soy sauce.
Notes
- Depending on the age of the fish, you can save refrigerated for up to 1 day.
- these ingredients do not stand up well to freezing.
Nutrition
If you have any questions about how to make this spicy tuna roll recipe or need other quick and easy dinner recipe suggestions, leave a comment below!
Katerina says
We love sushi here too and love making it at home but it never looks the same as from the shops - but yours totally does! Well well done, Alicia, and thanks for sharing your recipe!
thebutteredgnocchi says
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind words!!