This Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice Bowl is unbelievably quick to make, so often the most delicious things are actually the most simple and require no cooking! This spicy tuna was made famous by Nobu and, since I (sadly!) don’t have the bank balance to go on a regular basis, I set about making my own version at home. I like to serve this up at home for a quick dinner or lunch, or when you have friends coming over - it delivers so much flavour so easily!
The sashimi-grade tuna is cut into delicious, meltingly soft, cubes that are tossed in a spicy-salty soy and sriracha marinade, then placed on top of the most gorgeous golden crispy rice, served alongside whatever toppings you fancy! Like my Spicy Salmon Bowls, this Spicy Tuna bowl is super flexible… I like to go for avocado, cucumber, edamame, crispy onions and sesame seeds, but you could totally make this recipe your own and add crushed cashews or peanuts, sliced peppers, grated carrots, shredded cabbage, a spoonful of kimchi or even a drizzle of Peanut Rãyu.
Jump to:
- Why you will this Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice Bowl:
- Ingredients:
- Substitutions and Variations:
- Here’s how to make this easy Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice Bowl:
- Cooking Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage Instructions
- More recipes to try if you like spicy tuna
- Made this recipe and loved it?
- Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice Bowl
Why you will this Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice Bowl:
- It is so quick and simple - you can have it on the table in under 20 minutes!
- It is packed full of flavour and texture thanks to the incredible combination of salty soy sauce, spicy sriracha, nutty sesame seeds and crispy rice and onions!
- It is so versatile - I serve it with sashimi tuna in this recipe, but you can switch it up by serving with salmon instead. You can also add whatever veggies you fancy to use up what you have in your fridge.
Ingredients:
See recipe card for the exact recipe with a full list of ingredients and measurements
Sashimi grade tuna - for the Spicy tuna use shaming grade tuna as this has the most delicious buttery texture that should just melt in your mouth. It will be expensive, but it is worth it as a treat.
Sriracha sauce - I often add sriracha to mayo for a bit of a spicy kick. You can adjust the heat to suit you.
Sesame oil - I love the nutty flavour of sesame oil. You don’t need much as a little goes a long way.
Light soy sauce - this is full of salty, umami flavour which makes for the most delicious sauce. I use the light version here which is more flavoursome, while the dark version is a little thicker and sweeter.
Kewpie mayonnaise - this is an egg-yolk rich Japanese mayonnaise which is full of umami flavour. It adds a lovely creaminess to the marinade.
Sticky rice - I love the texture and slightly sweeter flavour of sticky rice. It crisps up really well in the pan too, and gives you delicious clumps of crispiness.
Vegetable oil - you want a flavourless oil which can withstand high temperatures to help get the rice nice and crispy.
Substitutions and Variations:
Sashimi grade tuna - you could swap for sashimi grade salmon or use cooked prawns. This would also be good with tinned tuna - albeit not the same. You may just need a little more mayo with tinned tuna to bring it all together.
Soy sauce - you could swap for tamari, just bear in mind it tends to be thicker and have a stronger flavour.
Rice - I use sticky rice in this recipe as it gives the best texture. You could regular white rice or even brown rice if you want a nutty flavour.
Kewpie mayonnaise - you could swap for a good-quality regular mayonnaise if that is what you already have.
Avocado - you could go for a more tropical vibe and swap the diced avocado for mango.
Citrus juice - you could add a squeeze of lemon or lime for a little zestiness.
Sesame seeds - I have used a mixture of black and white sesame seeds in this Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice, but you could just use white if that is all you have. I find the black ones have a slightly stronger taste which is perfect if you like sesame! A sprinkling of toasted cashew or peanuts are also a delicious way to add crunch.
Chives - you could swap for roughly chopped coriander, if you prefer.
Nori - I love serving this with sheets of nori (seaweed) for scooping - or crumbling them over the top for extra flavour and texture.
Here’s how to make this easy Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice Bowl:
This is a step by step guide to help you bring the recipe together but for the full recipe with mesruements, scroll down to the bottom of the page to the recipe card.
ONE: Dice the tuna into small bite-sized chunks and place in a shallow dish.
TWO: In a small bowl, mix together the sriracha sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise. Pour over the tuna and turn to coat. Set aside.
THREE: Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan set over a medium-high heat. Add the rice and leave for a few minutes until crispy and golden underneath.
FOUR: Flip over and, using a wooden spoon, break into pieces. Continue to fry until as crispy as you like. I like it to be very crispy on one side, then soft on the other. Tip into bowls, top with tuna and everything else!
Cooking Tips
Sashimi grade tuna: make sure you are using sashimi-grade tuna which is suitable to serve raw. You can find it in lots of good local fishmongers or even online. Since we aren’t cooking it, don’t be tempted to swap it for regular tuna. Also, use a very sharp knife to cut it into chunks - make sure it is cold before doing so.
Kewpie mayonnaise - I definitely recommend trying to find Kewpie mayonnaise. It has a richer, umami flavour and creamier texture as it is made with egg yolks (not whole eggs).
Crispy rice: for the crispiest rice, I find using rice that's a day old gives the best results. This is because once it sits for a day, it dries out a bit which means you can get it crispier in the pan. It will still work with cooked rice from the same day but it's a great way to use up leftover rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you haven’t heard of poke before, you are in for such a treat! It is a classic Hawaiian dish that has become hugely popular in the UK in recent years. It is basically a customisable salad featuring raw fish (you do get meat, vegetarian and vegan options) marinated in sweet, salty and umami flavours, served over rice and/or salad, with various toppings.
Make sure you use sashimi grade tuna (sometimes called ‘sushi grade tuna’) for this recipe as that is the only type that is safe to be eaten uncooked. If you head to your local fishmonger, they should be able to help - although you can buy it online from places like The Fish Society. It should look and smell fresh and be chilled in the fridge as soon as possible after purchasing. Don’t be frightened about eating raw fish, as long as it is correctly sourced, it has the most beautifully soft and buttery melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Honestly, anything goes. Diced mango and pineapple are great for tropical vibes, but you could also add thinly sliced radishes, grated carrot, sliced peppers, shredded cabbage, kimchi, toasted cashew or peanuts - anything you fancy!
Storage Instructions
Spicy Tuna really is best eaten fresh, ideally on the day you buy the raw sashimi-grade tuna. If you do have any left over, you can place in an airtight tupperware and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. The crispy rice also is best fresh as otherwise it takes on moisturise and loses its crunch but you can keep in a tupperware for 2 days.
You can cook the rice 3 days in advance, but only crisp it up when ready to eat as it's best hot and fresh. The vegetables can be sliced a few hours ahead (if you do much earlier, they risk drying out). The tuna can be chopped up and tossed with the sauces/dressing 2 hours ahead of time but make sure you recover it and place back in the fridge. Remove when ready to eat.
No, the idea is that the tuna is raw in this recipe so freezing it doesn't make much sense. It's also important to use fresh, sashimi-grade tuna for this recipe and freezing it messes with this.
More recipes to try if you like spicy tuna
I also love making my Spicy Salmon Bowls which is another one of my go-tos when I want a quick and easy supper that packs a punch in the flavour department or my Salmon Crudo and Ahi Tuna Salad are both so light and refreshing - and looks seriously impressive. Or try Crispy Rice Paper Rolls with Spicy Tuna.
I also have some delicious fish cakes to try too, like my sesame-crusted Thai Fish Cakes (delicious with a Kewpie mayo and sriracha dip) and my Asian-inspired Gochujang Korean Baked Salmon Fish Cakes. For something different, try my Creamy Tuna Pasta.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
PrintSpicy Tuna with Crispy Rice Bowl
This is delicious cubes of spicy tuna, in a spicy-salty soy and sriracha marinade, placed on top of gorgeous golden crispy rice, served alongside whatever toppings you fancy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Category: Seafood & Fish
- Method: Pan-frying
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients
For the spicy tuna
- 250g sashimi grade tuna
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 4 tsp kewpie mayo
Crispy rice
- 260g cooked sticky rice
- Vegetable oil
To serve
- 1 Avocado, chopped
- 4 Baby cucumbers, sliced
- 100g edamame beans, tossed with 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Chopped spring onions
- Finely sliced chives
- 1 tbsp black and white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp Crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Chop the tuna into small diced/bitesized cubes.
- Mix all the ingredients for the tuna sauce together and then pour this over the tuna and stir to combine.
- For the crispy rice; heat a tablespoon oil in a pan and once hot, add the rice. Leave it for a few minutes until golden and crispy on the bottom. Flip it over and break it up a bit with a wooden spoon. You can make it as crispy as you like but I like it really crispy on one side and still soft open the other. Once you’re happy, tip it into the bowls. Top with the spicy tuna.
- I like it served with avocado, cucumber and edamame beans. Sprinkle over spring onions, chives , sesame seeds and crunchy onions.
- Very delicious as it is or you can serve with sheets of seaweed for scooping.
Notes
Scroll up for a helpful step by step guide with images for help making this recipe.
To store: Spicy Tuna really is best eaten fresh, ideally on the day you buy the raw sashimi-grade tuna. If you do have any left over, you can place in an airtight tupperware and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. The crispy rice also is best fresh as otherwise it takes on moisturise and loses its crunch but you can keep in a tupperware for 2 days.
To freeze: No, the idea is that the tuna is raw in this recipe so freezing it doesn't make much sense. It's also important to use fresh, sashimi-grade tuna for this recipe and freezing it messes with this.
Make ahead: You can cook the rice 3 days in advance, but only crisp it up when ready to eat as it's best hot and fresh. The vegetables can be sliced a few hours ahead (if you do much earlier, they risk drying out). The tuna can be chopped up and tossed with the sauces/dressing 2 hours ahead of time but make sure you recover it and place back in the fridge. Remove when ready to eat.
Rice: This is a great way of using up left over rice, or you can cook the rice but let it cool down before you try frying it for the ultimate crispiness. Any rice should work but my favourite is sticky rice and it will be best if it's a day old as it dries out a bit. Less moisture means crispier rice!
Sashimi grade tuna: Don't attempt this recipe without sashimi grade tuna please! They have a different preparation to ensure no germs/parasites so that it's safe to eat totally raw.
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