Turn up the heat in your fresh sashimi with my quick and easy Spicy Tuna recipe. It‘s a versatile dish that you can tuck into sushi rolls, pile on a rice bowl, or serve with crackers. Make it in just 15 minutes with 5 simple ingredients!
What’s your favorite sushi roll? I’ve asked this question to JOC readers in the past, and a lot of you answered Spicy Tuna Rolls so I’ve made the recipe and the tutorial video. Today I’m back with the same Spicy Tuna (スパイシーツナ) recipe, but will share other easy ways to enjoy this quick and pretty amazing recipe!
3 Easy Ways to Enjoy Spicy Tuna
1. Spicy Tuna Over Rice
Among the three options here, Spicy Tuna Rice Bowl is my favorite because it is absolutely fuss-free. Not only it’s a lot less work than making Spicy Tuna Rolls, I think sashimi goes well with rice better than crackers. Maybe I’m biased, but the combination of melt-in-your-mouth tuna with tender steamed rice makes for a joyful bowl of heaven.
I also like to drizzle a bit of Spicy Mayo on top of the Spicy Tuna to give it some creamy, mild spicy kick. Apparently, when a sushi item is adorned or dressed with spicy mayo, it is given some incredible super names like ‘Volcano’ or ‘Dynamite’. When you order a Spicy Tuna Volcano or Dynamite Roll at a sushi restaurant in the States, you can definitely expect some spicy mayo in it.
2. Spicy Tuna Rolls
You’d probably be surprised that we don’t have Spicy Tuna Rolls in Japan, but it is one of the most popular sushi rolls in the United States. The filling is easy to make and easier to roll. If you’re a beginner to sushi roll making, you can confidently tackle with this one.
I have the recipe on the blog and the tutorial video on my YouTube channel for you to get a headstart.
3. Spicy Tuna with Crackers
If you like to serve easy finger food at your next party, this one is your pick! Switch up your Cheese and Crackers tradition for a fancy version with this Spicy Tuna with Crackers for a big wow factor. Your guests will be impressed. Keep the sashimi chilled until you’re ready to serve. The cold Spicy Tuna will give some refreshment while it brings some appetite for your main course.
Since tuna is the most important ingredient here, look for well-handled sashimi-grade fish. Pole-caught tuna is ideal as it’s the safest and the most environmentally friendly. You can tell the freshness of the fish by its color too.
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Spicy Tuna
Video
Ingredients
- 4 oz sashimi-grade tuna
- 2 green onions/scallions
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1½ Tbsp sriracha sauce (for the tuna; reduce for less spicy; plus 1 tsp more for the optional spicy mayo)
- 1 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise (optional, to make spicy mayo; you can make homemade Japanese mayo)
- 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cut and separate the green and white parts of 2 green onions/scallions. Slice them finely and keep in separate piles. Set aside the green part for garnish and the white part to mix with the tuna.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1½ Tbsp sriracha sauce and ½ tsp toasted sesame oil. Mix well together.
- Cut 4 oz sashimi-grade tuna into ½-inch (1.3 cm) slices, and then cut the slices into cubes.
- Add the tuna to the bowl with the sauce mixture and toss to coat. Add the white part of the green onions and mix.
To Make the Spicy Mayo (optional)
- Combine 1 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and 1 tsp sriracha sauce. Mix well.
To Serve
- Transfer the spicy tuna to a serving bowl and garnish with 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds and the chopped green part of the green onions. Drizzle with spicy mayo (optional) and enjoy!
- You can also serve it on steamed Japanese rice Poke Bowl-style, tucked inside Spicy Tuna Rolls, or with crackers. Drizzle the optional spicy mayo on top.
To Store
- It‘s best to enjoy raw tuna on the same day. You can keep the ingredients in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Can I use salmon? As tuna are quite expensive from where I am
Hi Jerry! Sure, you can use salmon!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe! Happy Cooking!
Do you have any suggestions for finding Sushi Grade tuna? Other websites indicate “sushi” grade tuna is just marketing.
Hi Meghan! I get my sashimi from a local Japanese grocery store Nijiya. You can either purchase from Japanese markets (if there is one near you) or order from Catalina Offshore. I’ve tried their products and they have good products and services. https://store.catalinaop.com/
Thank you for the website!
Thank you Meghan!
What a great dish! And so versatile! Love the idea of using this for canapés — really fun. Thanks!
Ooh looks yummy! I will definitely try this as a poke bowl.
When you say sashimi grade tuna, can you just buy any fresh tuna and it will be okay, or is there anything specific to look out for?
Hi Emy! No, you can’t use any fresh tuna. Once tuna is caught in the ocean, it’s quickly gone through specific freezing to maintain freshness. Have you seen tuna sold in fish market? They are all super frozen as the boat goes very far from the shore and it takes days to go back to sell the fish etc. Anyway, you really need to buy “sashimi/sushi grade” if you want to eat it raw. VERY different process. 🙂 I would recommend to shop at Japanese grocery store or anyone who knows how to handle sashimi/sushi grade fish. If you have any doubt, don’t buy it… believe in your instinct. 🙂
Dear Nami. If you are in a hurry and you want an easy recipe to whip up, the spicy tuna donburi is a great choice. In our household, short grain cooked rice is a stable and is always prepared daily in the morning. Preparing the spicy tuna is very easy, so putting everything together is no big deal. Another favorite in my household is unagi kabayaki over rice. I have also make “spicy tuna” using other fish like sea bream, salmon, halibut, hamachi amberjack, and albacore loin. All dishes were excellent and my family enjoyed them. There is nothing better on a hot summer day than a bowl of spicy tuna an Japanese iced tea!
Hi Steve! Thank you for your kind comment. You eat so well and I’d love to dine with you! 🙂
Hello Nami, I bought frozen tuna sashimi for this recipe, may I know how to properly thaw this?
Hi Gale! Did you get any instruction on how to defrost/thaw when you purchase the frozen sashimi?
Here’s one: https://www.luxegourmets.com/thawing-superfrozen
Simple, foolproof and ever so tasty as long as one is able to access sashimi-grade tuna 🙂 ! Here in the country it is difficult but shall add some to my ever-growing shopping list when friends come from the ‘Big Smoke’ ! On rice for me methinks . . .but no mayonnaise: that is one ingredient never seen in this house :0 !!
Thank you Eha! Mayo is not necessary for this recipe, but Americans LOVE spicy mayo for some reason and almost all sushi rolls have it drizzle on sushi…. 😀 Thank you for your kind comment!
I highly recommend making your own chili sauce instead of buying sriracha- Andrea Nguyen has a great recipe in her Pho cookbook and it’s so delicious.
Can you show the recipe please?
http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2009/07/homemade-thai-style-sriracha-chile-sauce-recipe-tuong-ot-sriracha.html
Thank you for sharing with us, Bethia! I don’t get to use it as much since we don’t use it in Japanese cooking, but I like to use it when I eat pho. 🙂
Simple and so elegant too.