Make Sushi At Home: Simple Homemade Spicy Tuna Rolls

Ever made homemade spicy tuna rolls? Once you see how easy this is, you’ll be whipping them up regularly! Some links in this post are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

We are huge sushi lovers in my house. I’ll never forget the day I was running like a crazy person with the wee ones and had to eat on the go.

We were stopping at a Greek restaurant to pick up food for teacher dinners at school, and I offered to stop at a fast food restaurant in the same strip mall. They saw the sushi market and begged to pick up rolls from there instead.

As they’ve gotten older, they continue to want sushi all the time. I can’t afford to buy it as often as they want, but now that I started making homemade spicy tuna rolls, they’re thrilled.

Homemade spicy tuna rolls? You bet!

These rolls taste amazing and are simple to make. In fact, I can get them on the table in under 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.

The secret? I use canned tuna. I don’t have to visit the fish monger to buy absolutely fresh each time I want sushi, and canned tuna costs a ton less, too.

These homemade spicy tuna rolls don’t require special tools or equipment either. BK (before kids) I used to have a sushi rolling mat and all the other accouterments.

Now? You don’t even need a rice cooker. Use a thick kitchen towel to roll them, and you’re set.

I don’t have the space in my kitchen for any more gadgets, so this is a win all around. And the wee ones? They stopped begging to go to the “fancy sushi store” every week. Score!

Don’t let the thought of making sushi scare you. It’s actually easier than you would think, and with a little practice, you’ll be a sushi rolling champ in no time!

I included some tips to make life easier, so go ahead – give it a try.

What kind of tuna should I use for these spicy tuna rolls?

While traditionally you use sushi grade tuna, you can create delicious spicy tuna rolls with canned tuna. The key is to use quality tuna.

Solid white albacore tuna is a critical ingredient. It has a firm texture and fresh taste that make these homemade spicy tuna rolls fantastic. You can see the difference as soon as you open the can.

Other canned tuna simply does not work well. That said, you can use this recipe for tuna from your grocer or fishmonger.

If you use fresh fish, tell them you plan to make sushi with it. They will ensure you have appropriate fresh fish.

(And yes, follow all safety precautions and be aware of the risks of eating raw fish. This is another reason I make spicy tuna rolls at home with canned tuna.)

What kind of rice should I use for sushi?

Honestly? Use sushi rice.

Sushi rice is a short grain, unpolished rice. This is different from what you may use regularly, although I have successfully made this with basmati rice when I forgot to get more sushi rice.

Short grain rice sticks together best, which is what makes the perfect sticky rice for sushi. And do not buy or use an instant rice!

Why do you need to rinse rice?

Rice – especially sushi rice – comes coated in talc to keep it from sticking before you cook it. No one wants a clump of rice in the bag.

You need this gone for it to properly stick, so rinse your rice before you cook it. There are two ways that work, so choose your favorite.

First, if you put your rice into a fine mesh strainer, you can run water through it until the water runs clear. When I do this, I typically use one hand to hold the strainer and the other to swish the rice around.

Alternatively, you can place your rice into a bowl and add water. Again, use your hand to move the rice around, then drain the water.

With the second method, you generally have to do this multiple times to get the water clear. For me, it averages maybe four or five rinses.

Why do I add vinegar to sushi rice?

Seasoned vinegar is what really makes sushi rice. While I share how to make your own seasoned vinegar, you can purchase seasoned vinegar for sushi if you prefer.

The seasoned vinegar gives it the traditional sushi rice flavor, but there’s an additional purpose. The vinegar also ensures that the rice grains remain individual grains instead of becoming a clumpy mess.

If you make your own seasoned vinegar, let it cool some before you add it to your rice. In fact, you can make your seasoned vinegar up to a month in advance and store it in your fridge.

How to Make Homemade Spicy Tuna Rolls

Make your sushi rice.

Rinse your rice until water runs clear as directed above. Let the rice fully drain, ideally for a half hour. Yo can do this step in advance, if you prefer.

Cook the rice and water in a rice cooker.

If you don’t have one, add rice and water to a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

While the rice cooks, bring rice vinegar and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Once the sugar dissolves, remove it from heat and let cool.

Once the rice finishes cooking, let it sit for 10 minutes still covered. After that, pour the vinegar mixture into the rice.

Use a rice paddle or wooden spoon, an make a cutting motion to mix the vinegar into the rice. Stir until the rice absorbs the vinegar.

While traditional wisdom says to let your rice cool to room temperature before you use it in the sushi, I prefer to keep it warm (but not hot). I leave it in my rice cooker without the “warm” setting, and I find that it helps spread more easily.

Alternatively, you can let it cool to room temperature in a bowl or the original pot if you cooked it on the stove. You can leave it on your counter covered by a damp kitchen towel for three to four hours with no issues.

Do not refrigerate it, or it will dry out and become crunchy.

Prepare the filling.

Drain your tuna well to eliminate as much moisture as possible. Add the mayonnaise, chili powder, minced garlic (really mince it – pulverized almost), fresh ginger, and chili oil.

Carefully stir all the ingredients for your spicy tuna rolls filling until the ingredients are evenly dispersed.

Fold a heavy kitchen towel in half if you do not own a sushi mat. Both methods work.

Place a sheet of nori, rough side up, on the towel. Spread the sushi rice in an even layer with your rice paddle or clean fingers, leaving a half inch clear at the top.

Add thinly sliced cucumber about a third of the way up the nori.

Add a quarter of the tuna mixture over the cucumber and ensure it’s an even layer.

Dip your finger in water and lightly run it along the empty top of the nori. This allows it to seal once you have your homemade spicy tuna rolls all rolled up.

Using the towel to guide you and provide pressure, roll from the bottom, tucking the nori firmly with each turn to ensure it’s tight.

Place roll seam side up. Slice the roll in half with a very sharp chef’s knife, then cut each half into three pieces to make a total of six pieces. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make four rolls.

Tips to Making Sushi Rolls More Easily

Keep your fingers wet. That sticky rice sure is sticky. Note that I always keep a small bowl of water right there. That isn’t only to seal the rolls.

Dip your fingers in it before spreading your rice onto the nori. This prevents the rice from sticking to you and makes it easier to spread the rice into an even layer. As your fingers start to get sticky, dip again.

Keep your rice warm. I leave mine in my rice cooker with the lid closed. Warm rice spreads more easily on the nori, which means your nori is less likely to rip. Warm rice magically helps my rolls seal and stay sealed more easily.

Use a serrated knife to slice rolls. Slicing rolls can be the hardest part of making the rolls. You either need a super sharp knife or… a serrated knife. Don’t push down, but use a sawing motion instead. Let the knife do the work!

Keep your knife blade wet. The rice is sticky. That can cause issues. To prevent the knife from sticking, wet your knife before every other cut. Rinse off the sticky residue as needed.

Cut from the middle. If you cut your rolls in half first, then slice each half into 3 sections, it’s easier to end up with even size rolls. This trick works for everything from these homemade spicy tuna rolls to cinnamon rolls.

If your roll falls apart, don’t panic. Sometimes, you do everything right, but the roll still doesn’t stick together. If your roll opens up, you haven’t wasted your effort. Simply create a double roll of nori.

Roll the original one back up. Then place it on top of a second sheet of nori. Tightly roll the nori around the first roll and seal. Problem solved!

Have you ever made homemade spicy tuna rolls?

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