Soft and spicy tuna on a bed of crispy and tender rice. This recipe for spicy tuna crispy rice is an easy to make dish that is perfect as a light snack, appetizer for parties, or even great to serve at afternoon or morning tea.
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Get ready to treat your taste buds to an amazing journey with spicy tuna crispy rice. This dish takes simple ingredients and transforms them into something absolutely delicious.
Imagine crispy rice cakes, golden and satisfyingly crunchy. Now, picture them topped with a mix of spicy tuna that's both fiery and refreshing.
Don't be fooled by its gourmet appearance – this dish is a breeze to make. It's perfect as an appetizer that will wow your guests at gatherings, or as a special snack just for you.
The contrast of textures, from the crispy rice to the creamy tuna, creates an explosion of flavor in every bite.
You'll be amazed at how something so simple can be so incredibly delicious.
You can customize the spiciness of these rice cakes to suit your tastes, so make them as hot as you’d like.
Ideal as an appetizer that leaves a lasting impression, or as a delicious and simple addition to any gathering, spicy tuna crispy rice offers a range of different of tastes and a contrast of textures that makes it both delightful and delicious.
The creamy richness of the tuna, along with the kick of heat, harmonizes with the satisfying crunch of the rice cakes.
Spicy tuna rice cakes are also great to enjoy as a light weeknight dinner.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This spicy tuna crispy rice recipe is budget friendly.
- You can use canned tuna for this recipe, but can also use fresh tuna. The choice is yours.
- Crispy rice spicy tuna is easy to make and ready in no time.
- Perfect to serve as an appetizer for parties, tail gaiting, or pot lucks, bento boxes, snacks, or lunch boxes.
- This recipe is gluten free.
Cost To Make
Estimated cost = $5.10, or $0.12 a piece
Ingredients
Please note that below is a guide for some of the ingredients we used in the recipe. The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.
- Sushi Rice: For this recipe it is best to use a short grain rice such as sushi rice. This is because it is stickier when cooked than other rice types like long grain rice (e.g. basmati).
- Water
- Sushi Vinegar
- Caster Sugar: Super fine sugar
- Salt
- Oil For Frying
- Canned Tuna: You can use tuna in oil, brine, or water. Make sure you drain your tuna before using.
- Japanese Mayonnaise: Or a mayonnaise of your choice.
- Sriracha Sauce: If you want your spicy tuna to be even hotter, add more Sriracha sauce.
- Salt and Pepper
Garnishes (optional)
- Chopped green onions (spring onions)
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Extra Japanese mayonnaise and Sriracha saucepan
- Avocado slices
Instructions
For the Rice
Step One: Rinse the rice under cold water until the water becomes clear. Drain well.
Step Two: Place rice and 1 ½ cups water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and bring it to a simmer. Gently stir the rice. Cover the rice and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and then allow to rest for 15 minutes covered.
Step Three: Transfer the cooked rice to a glass bowl. Break up the rice using a wooden spoon and gently mix through the vinegar, sugar, and salt.
Step Four: Line a 22 x 13cm (8.66 inches x 5.12 inches) baking dish with parchment paper.
Step Five: Place sushi rice evenly in prepared baking dish, pressing down to compress the rice, and place in fridge, covered, for 1 to 2 hours or until firm.
Step Six: Once the rice is firm, remove the rice from the baking dish and cut into small squares or rectangles.
Step Seven: Heat oil in a medium sized frying pan. Once hot, fry each rice square until lightly golden brown on one side, then turn and cook the other side until lightly golden brown. Allow the rice to rest on a cooling rack once cooked. Set aside.
For the Tuna
Step One: In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the tuna, mayonnaise, Sriracha, and salt and pepper. Cover and place in fridge for 30 minutes (optional).
Putting It All Together
Step One: Place a spoonful of tuna mixture on top of a piece of fried rice. Repeat until all ingredients are used up.
Step Two: Garnish with toppings of your choice if desired.
Substitutions / Variations
Instead of using tuna, you might like to use salmon to make spicy salmon crispy rice.
Serving Suggestions
- Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top and drizzle some Japanese mayonnaise.
- With wasabi and pickled ginger.
- Chopped scallions (green onions or spring onions)
- Grate a hint of citrus zest such as lime, lemon, or orange, over the sushi.
- Shredded nori on top.
- Thinly sliced radishes.
Storage
These spicy tuna crispy rice can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.
If you want to make these crispy rice with tuna in advance, cook the rice and mix the tuna the night before.
On the day you want to serve these bites, fry the rice and assemble. This will ensure that your rice is crispy when you serve it.
FAQ
Crispy rice and spicy tuna sushi originated in modern fusion cuisine, blending Japanese and Californian culinary styles.
If your rice is falling apart you may not have pressed it together enough during preparation. Alternatively, if you are using a rice that isn’t sticky (like basmati), the rice won’t stick together as well.
Spicy tuna sushi is made of raw tuna mixed with spicy mayo, often accompanied by ingredients like avocado, cucumber, and sesame seeds.
If you’re after other Asian style rice dishes, you might like to try teriyaki chicken rice bowl, spicy salmon sushi bake, Korean tuna rice bowl, seafood sushi bake, and purple Korean rice.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below! We'd love to hear how it turned out.
Recipe
Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 1 cup (210 grams, 7.41 ounces) sushi rice
- 1 ½ cups (375 ml/grams, 13.23 ounces) water
- 2 tablespoons sushi vinegar
- 2 teaspoons caster sugar super fine sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Oil for frying
For the Tuna
- 335 grams (11.82 ounces) canned tuna drained
- 80 grams (2.82 ounces) Japanese mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish (optional)
- Chopped green onions spring onions
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Extra Japanese mayonnaise and Sriracha saucepan
- Avocado slices
Instructions
For the Rice
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water becomes clear. Drain well.
- Place rice and 1 ½ cups water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and bring it to a simmer. Gently stir the rice. Cover the rice and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and then allow to rest for 15 minutes covered.
- Transfer the cooked rice to a glass bowl. Break up the rice using a wooden spoon and gently mix through the vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Line a 22 x 13cm (8.66 inches x 5.12 inches) baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place sushi rice evenly in prepared baking dish, pressing down to compress the rice, and place in fridge, covered, for 1 to 2 hours or until firm.
- Once the rice is firm, remove the rice from the baking dish and cut into small squares or rectangles.
- Heat oil in a medium sized frying pan. Once hot, fry each rice square until lightly golden brown on one side, then turn and cook the other side until lightly golden brown. Allow the rice to rest on a cooling rack once cooked. Set aside.
For the Tuna
- In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the tuna, mayonnaise, Sriracha, and salt and pepper.
- Cover and place in fridge for 30 minutes (optional).
Putting It All Together
- Place a spoonful of tuna mixture on top of a piece of fried rice. Repeat until all ingredients are used up.
- Garnish with toppings of your choice if desired.
Harriet says
I was looking for easy finger foods for a party I'm hosting. I'm glad I stumbled across this. They turned out perfectly.
Camile says
This spicy tuna crispy rice was an absolute treat! The crispy rice and spicy tuna combined for a perfect bite-sized snack.