Close-up of spicy tuna rolls topped with creamy orange sauce and chopped green onions, arranged neatly on a white rectangular plate.

Recipe Highlights

Spicy Tuna Rolls are a popular American-style sushi made with sashimi-grade tuna tossed in a spicy sesame sriracha sauce, wrapped in seasoned sushi rice and nori. This recipe keeps things simple so you can focus on technique and flavor. It’s perfect for beginners and incredibly satisfying once you get the hang of rolling.

  • Beginner-friendly sushi. Only one main filling makes rolling much easier.
  • Restaurant-style flavor at home. Spicy, creamy, and perfectly balanced.
  • Fun and rewarding to make. A great introduction to homemade sushi.

If you love sushi, try my California Roll, Dragon Roll Recipe, and Inari Sushi recipes next!

A rectangular white plate holds a row of spicy tuna rolls, each topped with a dollop of creamy orange sauce and sprinkled with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. The background is a dark, blurred surface.

What are Spicy Tuna Rolls?

Spicy tuna rolls are a sushi staple at Japanese restaurants in the US, alongside California rolls and dragon rolls.

Unlike traditional Futomaki Sushi or Hosomaki Sushi, spicy tuna rolls are “inside out” sushi rolls with the rice on the outside. The chopped raw tuna filling seasoned with sriracha hot sauce makes this fiery Western-style roll a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients for Spicy Tuna Rolls

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

How to Make Spicy Tuna Rolls

  1. Prepare the spicy tuna fillings. Cut sashimi-grade tuna into small pieces. Toss gently with sriracha sauce, sesame oil, and green onions.
  1. Set up for rolling. Place a sheet of nori on a bamboo mat covered with plastic film. Spread an even layer of sushi rice on top with wet fingers, leaving a small border at the edge. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
A glass bowl filled with diced raw tuna, green onions, and a reddish marinade—just like the filling for spicy tuna rolls—rests on a wooden surface with a metal spoon inside.
A bamboo sushi rolling mat with a sheet of nori covered in a layer of white sushi rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds, ready to craft delicious spicy tuna rolls.
  1. Flip over and fill. The rice side should be facing down against the plastic wrap. Place some spicy tuna mixture in a line across the nori.
  1. Roll and shape. Roll firmly, and tuck and pull the mat to keep the roll tight. Gently squeeze the roll through the bamboo mat to set the shape.
A sheet of nori seaweed on a bamboo sushi mat, topped with a row of diced red tuna, ready to be rolled into spicy tuna rolls or fashioned into a delicious hand roll.
Close-up of hands rolling a bamboo sushi mat on a wooden surface, demonstrating the process of making spicy tuna rolls.
  1. Slice and serve. Slice with a sharp knife into bite-sized pieces. Gently squeeze the roll through the bamboo mat to set the shape. Add a dollop of spicy mayonnaise to each piece and garnish with green onions. Serve immediately.
Close-up of a rectangular white plate featuring spicy tuna rolls topped with chopped green onions and spicy mayo, filled with fish and rice. Chopsticks and a small dish are in the background.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Nami’s Recipe Tips

These simple tips will help you make this Spicy Tuna Rolls recipe every time.

  • Use good sushi rice. Properly seasoned rice makes all the difference in texture and taste. Learn my step-by-step techniques for cooking the rice and seasoning it in How to Make Sushi Rice.
Sushi oke (Hangiri) containing sushi rice made with cooked Japanese short-grain rice, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
  • Choose sushi-grade tuna. Quality fish is essential since it’s served raw.
  • Don’t over-season the tuna. Too much sauce can overpower the fish and make the roll soggy. Also, skip the soy sauce if you’re going to dip your rolls at the table.
  • Roll gently but firmly. Tuck in and pull the sushi mat as you roll to keep everything tight.
  • Use tezu for your hands. Lightly moisten your fingers with vinegared water so rice doesn’t stick.
  • Squeeze to finish. Gently pressing the roll through the mat helps it hold its shape.
  • Review my How to Roll Sushi guide in the recipe card to learn the technique step by step.
Close-up of spicy tuna rolls topped with a dollop of spicy mayo and garnished with chopped green onions, beautifully arranged on a white rectangular plate.

Variations and Customizations

Looking to change things up? Try these easy and tasty ideas!

  • Adjust the heat. Use more or less spicy sauce to suit your heat tolerance.
  • Skip rolling. Serve it as a spicy tuna rice bowl instead.
  • Try hand rolls. Use the filling in Temaki Sushi and let everyone roll their own!
  • Swap the nori with thin cucumber slices. Wrap the spicy tuna filling and rice in cucumber slices for Cucumber Wrapped Sushi.
A light green plate containing three types of Temaki Sushi (Hand Roll Sushi) - salmon and tuna, salmon and ikura, and tuna and cucumber.
Cucumber Wrapped Sushi | JustOneCookbook.com

What to Serve with Spicy Tuna Rolls

This recipe is great year-round, and you can adjust your sides depending on the occasion.

Japanese miso soup bowls containing tofu and wakame miso soup.
Small Japanese bowls containing Japanese cucumber salad called Sunomono.
Temari sushi on a plate.
Pickled Sushi Ginger is presented in a white ceramic bowl.

Storage Tips

To store: Spicy Tuna Rolls are best enjoyed fresh. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. I don’t recommend reheating, as raw fish and sushi rice do not reheat well.

FAQs

What is spicy tuna made of?

Spicy tuna is typically made with sashimi-grade raw fish mixed with sriracha and sesame oil, plus green onions and sesame seeds.

Are spicy tuna rolls raw?

Yes, spicy tuna rolls are made with raw sashimi-grade tuna. It’s important to buy high-quality tuna from a trusted fish market or Japanese grocery store that labels it safe for raw consumption.

Can I make spicy tuna rolls ahead of time?

Spicy tuna rolls are best eaten right after they’re made. Sushi rice dries out and firms up over time, and raw tuna can lose its fresh texture. You can prepare the components ahead, but assemble and roll just before serving.

Why are my spicy tuna rolls falling apart?

Spicy tuna rolls will fall apart if they’re not rolled tightly or if overfilled. Roll them gently but firmly with a bamboo mat. Finish by lightly squeezing the roll through the mat to hold its shape.

I’d love to hear how yours turned out! 💛 Please leave a star rating and comment below to share your experience. Your feedback not only supports Just One Cookbook but also helps other home cooks discover recipes they can trust.

A rectangular white plate holds a row of spicy tuna rolls, each topped with a dollop of creamy orange sauce and sprinkled with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. The background is a dark, blurred surface.
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4.78 from 71 votes

Spicy Tuna Roll

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Make these fiery Spicy Tuna Rolls at home with sashimi-grade tuna tossed in sesame sriracha sauce. Top them with homemade spicy mayo for that extra oomph!
Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 sushi rolls

Ingredients 
 

Instructions

Before You Start

  • Gather all the ingredients. For this recipe, you‘ll need 1½ cups sushi rice (cooked and seasoned). We'll make 2 rolls, each roll requires ¾ cup (110 g) of the prepared sushi rice. 
    A top-down view of sushi ingredients on a wooden surface: a block of raw tuna, sushi rice, nori sheets, green onions, sesame seeds, sauces in small bowls, and mayonnaise—perfect for making a spicy tuna roll.

To Prepare the Ingredients

  • Cut 4 oz sashimi-grade tuna into ¼-inch (0.5-cm) cubes. Alternatively, you could mince the tuna instead.
    Two side-by-side images show hands slicing raw tuna on a wooden cutting board; the left image shows strips being cut for a spicy tuna roll, while the right image shows the tuna being diced into small cubes.
  • Combine the tuna, 3 tsp sriracha sauce, ½ tsp toasted sesame oil, and most of the sliced 2 green onions/scallions in a medium bowl. (Set aside some sliced scallions for garnish).
    Two side-by-side images show a glass bowl with diced raw fish, sauce, chopped green pepper like those in a spicy tuna roll on the left, and the same ingredients mixed together with a spoon in the bowl on the right.

To Roll the Sushi

  • Set out a bamboo sushi mat with the slats running sideways and place a sheet of plastic wrap on top. Cut 1 sheet nori (dried laver seaweed) in half crosswise and place a half sheet, shiny side down, on the plastic film. Wet your fingers in the tezu* and spread ¾ cup (110 g) sushi rice evenly onto the nori with your hands. Sprinkle the rice with 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds.
    Nami's Tip: Make the vinegared water for dipping your fingers (tezu) by combining 1 cup water and 1 Tbsp rice vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside. Wetting your fingers prevents the rice from sticking as you roll the sushi.
    Two side-by-side images show sushi being prepared: on the left, hands spread rice for a spicy tuna roll on a seaweed sheet; on the right, rice covers the seaweed and is sprinkled with sesame seeds, both resting on bamboo mats.
  • Flip over the nori sheet so the rice side is face down on the plastic wrap. Line up the nori with the bottom edge of the sushi mat. Place each portion of the tuna mixture in a thin row along the bottom edge of the nori.
    Two side-by-side images: on the left, a sheet of nori seaweed on a bamboo sushi mat; on the right, the nori is topped with a row of spicy tuna roll filling, ready for sushi rolling.
  • Keeping the filling in place with the fingers of both hands, lift the bottom edge of the sushi mat with your thumbs. Then, quickly roll the nori tightly over the tuna filling to cover completely. Tuck in the bottom edge of the nori and the mat, and pull the opposite end of the mat to maintain gentle pressure.
    Next, lift away the bottom edge of the mat (and plastic). Continue to roll the sushi forward into a tight cylinder, all the while maintaining gentle pressure on the mat. After you finish, place the mat on top and gently squeeze the roll to set the shape. Repeat to make the second roll.
    Nami's Tip: If you sushi roll falls apart easily, you may need to squeeze it tighter while you roll.
    Two images side by side: On the left, hands add spicy tuna roll filling to seaweed and rice on a bamboo mat; on the right, hands carefully roll the mat to shape the sushi.

To Serve

  • Use a very sharp knife to cut the roll in half crosswise, then cut each half into 3 pieces. Clean the knife with a damp cloth every few cuts. To keep the rice from sticking to your hands, you can dip your fingers in tezu or cover the roll with plastic wrap and slice through it. Put a dollop of Homemade Spicy Mayo on top of each sushi piece and top with the remaining green onion.
    A hand slices a spicy tuna roll on a wooden board, while beside it, a bowl of creamy orange sauce with a wooden spoon sits on a small cutting board near a lime and bottle.

To Store

  • It‘s best to enjoy sushi rolls the same day you make them. Rice gets hard and dry in the refrigerator. If you really want to keep sushi rolls in the fridge, my recommendation is to cover them with plastic and a thick kitchen towel, so the rice will stay cool and safe, but not become too cold.

Notes

  • ¾ cup uncooked Japanese short-grain rice (1 rice cooker cup, 150 g, 5.3 oz), yields roughly 2¼ cups (330 g) of cooked rice. 

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 191mg, Potassium: 240mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 1433IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 95mg, Iron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 29, 2013, updated with a video tutorial on February 23, 2017, and republished with more helpful information on January 25, 2026.