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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.

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

US Customary - Metric

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 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

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

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
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