Spicy Tuna Sushi Bowls
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This Spicy Tuna Sushi Bowl has all the flavors of your favorite sushi roll! With sweet and savory tuna, rice, avocado, cucumber, and spicy mayo, this is a complete meal in a single bowl. And because it’s made with canned tuna, this recipe is also pantry-friendly and easy on the budget!
Easy Tuna Sushi Bowl Recipe
Table of Contents
I have decided my new mission in life is to convert sushi haters into sushi lovers. I think for many folks, sushi conjures up terrifying images of cold, raw fish and unfamiliar flavor combinations. My mom is one of those folks. A confessed sushi avoider, I’m not even sure if she’s had sushi in her life. Well, that is, I’m not sure if she’d had sushi until she tried this Spicy Tuna Sushi Bowl recipe.
Mom was over at the house one day acting as my babysitter and extremely patient photography assistant, holding poster boards to bounce light and scooching chopsticks a fraction of an inch to the left.
At the time, I didn’t tell her I was making sushi bowls, so to her, this just looked like a delicious, fresh salad. While we were cleaning up, she snatched some of the tuna from the pan and remarked at how good it was. That’s when I saw my opportunity. I gave her the whole bowl to try–spicy mayo, pink pickled ginger, and all.
And, surprise, surprise, she liked it! I didn’t want to say I told you so to my mother, but I did inform her that if she liked these bowls, she’d probably also like sushi. Here’s why we think you’ll love them too:
- Easy to make– This is one of our favorite weeknight meals, because it comes together quickly. The tuna and spicy mayo can be whipped up in the time it takes to cook the rice.
- Made with pantry staples– Most sushi isn’t exactly pantry friendly, but this one is. This is a great recipe to use up canned tuna, along with other pantry staples like soy sauce and white rice.
- Versatile– You can use your favorite veggies or adapt this for picky eaters. It’s also fabulous for using up whatever leftover veggies you have on hand. Try it with Hibachi Veggies, Korean Pickles or with this Spicy Asian Zucchini.
- Light and filling– Refreshing and full of flavor, these bowls will fill you up without weighing you down.
Key Ingredients
- Rice– I use medium grain rice because it’s what I most often have on hand, but for traditional sushi rice, use short grain. If you want to make the sticky, slightly tangy rice sushi is known for, follow the instructions for this Salmon Sushi Bowl.
- Canned tuna– Albacore or yellowfin tuna both work. I recommend choosing a variety that’s packed in olive oil with no additives for the best flavor.
- Soy sauce– I recommend using low sodium soy sauce, or, if you need a gluten free version, choose tamari.
- Rice vinegar– The secret to that sneaky good sauce! We use unseasoned rice vinegar.
- Honey– Just a little bit brings all the flavors together–savory, tangy, and sweet.
- Ginger and Garlic– I like to buy ginger paste because it cuts prep time and lasts awhile in the fridge!
- Cucumber and Avocado– These our our favorite sushi veggies, but there are a lot more options listed below!
- Spicy Mayo– A simple blend of mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lime juice that brings the dish together. You can also buy spicy mayo in the grocery store.
- Garnishes– Add extra flavor and textures with pickled ginger, chopped green onions, and toasted sesame seeds. Many grocery stores now carry sushi ginger, but you can also find it online or at a local Asian grocery store.
How to Make Spicy Tuna Bowls
Step 1: Cook the rice. Add the rice, water, and pinch of salt to a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower heat and simmer for 9-11 minutes, or until all of the water is soaked up. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 2: Make the sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger in a measuring cup.
Step 3: Make the tuna. Toss the sauce with the tuna, then add it to a skillet over medium high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Step 4: Make the spicy mayo. Whisk together mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lime juice in a small bowl.
Step 5: Assemble the bowls. Place a big scoop of rice at the bottom of each bowl. Top with tuna, cucumber, avocado, and pickled ginger. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Drizzle with spicy mayo.
Variations
- Substitute canned tuna for fresh, sushi grade tuna. You can serve it with the eel sauce in these Salmon Sushi Bowls.
- Use different veggies. Other great topping options include shredded carrots, edamame, and mini bell peppers.
- Sub rice for riced cauliflower for a low carb option.
- Add jalapeno slices for an extra spicy bowl.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
The rice, tuna mixture, and spicy mayo can all be made in advance. This is great for meal prepping! Store in air tight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
The end result is a quick weeknight meal that’s perfect for these hot summer days. With a recipe this good, you may even be able to convince the haters in your own life to hop on board the sushi train!
More Asian Inspired Favorites
- Asian Chicken Marinade
- Honey Soy Salmon
- Panera Asian Chicken Salad
- Hibachi Steak
- Hibachi Fried Rice
- Chinese Donuts
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Tuna Sushi Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups medium grain rice
For the tuna:
- 3 5 oz. cans Tuna packed in olive oil (drained)
- 3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 large cucumber (sliced)
- 2 avocados (pitted and sliced)
- 2 green onions (green parts sliced thin)
- Pickled ginger (for serving)
- Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon sriracha (more or less, to taste)
- squeeze of lime juice
Instructions
- Add the rice to a sauce pan along with 3 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 9-11 minutes, or until the water is all soaked up and rice is tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger. Toss it with the tuna. Add the tuna to a skillet and cook over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lime juice, to taste.
- To make the bowls, divide the rice evenly between four bowls. Top with the tuna, cucumber slices, and avocado. Sprinkle with green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle with spicy mayo and serve with pickled ginger, if desired.
Notes
- For a gluten free alternative, use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce.
- Feel free to experiment with different veggies. Edamame, bell peppers, and leftover roasted veggies can all be great.
- The sauce, rice, and tuna can all be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. This is great for quick lunches and meal prep! Serve the bowls warm or cold.
My boyfriend and I are switching are diet over to poultry and seafood and this will definitely be a staple for us! Very easy weeknight dinner loaded with flavor. My boyfriend says I deserved a nominee for how good it was!
This is what I make when I want to save money on takeout! The flavors are so good and I love the dressing on top. I rarely have actual ginger on hand so I sub with about a teaspoon of ground ginger. Make this recipe!
This is so. dang. good!!! My store didn’t have pickled ginger and my avocado went bad, so I didn’t have those but I can imagine it would make it even better… But even without I was pleasantly surprised it was still amazing and packed full of flavor, I’ll be putting this on our meal rotation!
What a great idea! Can you use tuna in water? I am tweaking thus to be weight watchers friendly so I will sub the mayo for light mayo or yogurt but wasn’t sure the tuna in oil could be subbed.
I think tuna in water would still work fine!
Where is the nutritional information for the dish? I’m going to make this today but like to know what it is per serving :).
Nutrition has been updated. 🙂
My wife and I love this recipe! We love to do it after we have gotten sashimi takeout and always get a bunch of extra rice that we don’t eat. The rice is perfect for this, as is the 12 pack of tuna from Costco. It’s a pandemic favorite!
Yay! I’m so glad you love the Spicy Tuna Bowls! Thanks for sharing.
Can you use brown rice?
Absolutely!
Absolutely amazing recipe! Everyone loved it! Definitely making it again.
So glad you liked the Tuna Sushi Bowls! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know!
How long will this last in fridge?
The tuna, rice, and sauce will all keep in the fridge for several days. I recommend waiting to add the veggies until you’re ready to eat, or, if you’re packing a lunch, add them in the morning.
Is the nutrition information per serving? Or for the entire recipe? I am excited to make this dish.
Hi Johnna! It is per serving, but I think you’ll find it serves more than 2…It’s probably more like 3-4 servings.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. As a broke college student this is a perfect way to dress up canned tuna. Made this to my boyfriend (who hates canned tuna) and he loved it as well.
Yay! So glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know.
It was good. Tasted pretty close to sushi. The pickled ginger really helped to kick it up a notch! I only used one can of tuna and found this helped to mask a bit of the fishy canned flavour. I would make this recipe again.
I’m glad you liked it! I love the way pickled ginger compliments a sushi roll so I had to include it in these bowls!
Thanks Courtney for posting. I have been looking for great ways to dress up tuna, but still healthy. This is perfect for my taste buds! I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand, but put together most of the items and it was delicious. Can’t wait to try it exactly like your recipe! 🙂
Awesome Kelly! I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for coming back to let me know.
This looks absolutely delicious, Courtney! I will be making this one for sure! Thanks for sharing 🙂