If you like sashimi, then you’ll love Albacore Tuna Bowl (びんちょう鮪の漬け丼). Have you ever enjoyed albacore tuna in sashimi or sushi dishes? It is so delicious, despite the misconception about its quality since albacore is used in canned tuna. I love that albacore sashimi has a mild flavor and tender texture. It’s also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, more so than other tuna species.
Also, did you know that Pacific albacore tuna (びんちょうマグロ) that is troll-caught or pole-caught is environmentally sustainable?
Albacore Tuna Bowl is very easy to prepare! For this dish, I use MSC Certified sashimi-grade albacore tuna that’s vacuum-sealed. Simply defrost in the refrigerator for about 5–6 hours and it’s ready to enjoy.
I season this rice bowl dish with soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sesame oil—the signature Japanese condiments. The meal is simple yet it makes a quick special treat for the family at the end of a long day. Please enjoy!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- sashimi-grade albacore tuna
- soy sauce, mirin, sake, and toasted sesame oil — for the sauce to marinate the tuna
- Japanese short-grain rice — cooked in advance; see how with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe
- shredded nori seaweed (kizami nori)
- toasted white sesame seeds
- green onion/scallion
- shiso leaves (perilla/ooba)
- ginger
- wasabi — optional
How to Make Albacore Tuna Bowl
- Cook the steamed rice in advance.
- Make the sauce for the tuna marinade. Bring the sauce ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan and cool.
- Prepare the toppings. Cut the scallion and shiso leaves and grate the ginger.
- Slice the albacore tuna with a sharp knife. Coat in the sauce and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Assemble the bowls. Add a scoop of steamed rice to a donburi bowl and sprinkle with nori seaweed and sesame seeds. Layer the marinated albacore on top. Garnish with scallions, shiso leaves, ginger, and wasabi.
Substitutions and Variations
It’s so easy to customize this tuna bowl as you like!
- Add fresh veggies like avocado and cucumbers cut into cubes or slices. See my Poke Bowl recipe for more ideas.
- Sprinkle on furikake (Japanese rice seasoning) instead of shredded nori seaweed.
- Customize your condiments and toppings. Drizzle on spicy mayo made with sriracha and mayonnaise. Instead of shiso, scatter on some chopped cilantro.
- Serve on seasoned sushi rice instead of hot steamed rice. See my tutorial How to Make Sushi Rice to learn how to season it with rice vinegar, sea salt, and sugar.
- Substitute other sushi-grade fish like salmon, yellowtail, and ahi.
- Switch up the seasonings in the marinating sauce. For a bit of heat, toss in some red pepper flakes. Instead of Japanese soy sauce, use tamari. Instead of rice wine vinegar, try a little lemon juice or lime juice with a touch of sweetener like sugar or honey, to taste.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Garlic Soy Marinated Albacore
- Poke Bowl
- Ahi Tuna Poke
- Salmon Sashimi Bowl
- Miso-Marinated Hamachi Bowl
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Albacore Tuna Bowl
Ingredients
- 9 oz sashimi-grade albacore tuna
- 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (typically 1⅔ cups (250 g) per donburi serving)
- 4 Tbsp shredded nori seaweed (kizami nori)
- 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 green onion/scallion
- 3 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba)
- ½ inch ginger (½ inch, 1.3 cm)
- ½ tsp wasabi (optional)
Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 1 Tbsp sake
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Before You Start: Gather all the ingredients. For the steamed rice, please note that 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked rice, enough for 2 donburi servings (3⅓ cups, 500 g). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
- To make the sauce, combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and transfer the sauce into a small bowl, set on ice over a larger bowl.
- Slice the albacore tuna into about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick slices and marinate in the sauce for 10 minutes.
- Cut the scallion into fine slices. Roll up the shiso leaves together and slice thinly.
To Serve
- Put steamed rice in bowls and let cool a little. Sprinkle the shredded nori and sesame seeds. Place the marinated albacore tuna on top.
- Grate the ginger. Garnish the sashimi with scallion, shiso leaves, ginger, and wasabi on top.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for a day.
Nutrition
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