Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls (Temaki Sushi in 20 Minutes)

Two hand-rolled sushi cones with spicy tuna, avocado slices, rice, and microgreens, wrapped in nori and topped with black sesame seeds, on a white plate.

Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls (Temaki Sushi in 20 Minutes)

Spicy tuna hand rolls made in 20 minutes with sushi rice, sushi-grade tuna, and spicy mayo. No sushi mat, no rolling skills, and naturally gluten-free.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword homemade sushi hand rolls, spicy tuna hand rolls, spicy tuna roll, temaki

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings hand rolls

Calories 268kcal

Author Julia

Equipment

Rice cooker or medium saucepan with a lid
Wooden spoon or rice paddle
Sharp knife
Small bowl

Ingredients

For the Rice

1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sushi rice (uncooked) Short- or medium grain rice works as well

For the Tuna

½ pound sushi-grade fresh tuna
2 tablespoons mayonnaise Japanese mayo preferred
1 ½ tablespoons chili sauce like Sriracha
1 teaspoon soy sauce use tamari for gluten free
½ teaspoon sesame oil toasted
3 sheets nori (edible dried seaweed) cut in half
water to coat your hands

Optional Fillings

cucumber sliced into matchsticks
avocado sliced thin
microgreens
black sesame seeds

Optional Garnishes

wasabi
pink pickled ginger

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Season the rice

Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Set aside.
Cook your rice according to the instructions on the package. Once done but still hot, transfer to a large bowl and "cut in" the vinegar mixture, pouring it over the rice while using a wooden spoon or spatula to slice through the rice rather than stirring it. Adjust to taste with more vinegar, salt, or sugar while the rice is still hot. It shouldn't be heavily seasoned, just enough to taste the vinegar, salt, and sugar. Set aside to cool to about body temperature, 98°F (37°C), while you prepare the tuna.

Make the spicy tuna

Cut the tuna into tiny cubes or pieces and place in a medium bowl. Mix in the mayonnaise, chili sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Adjust to taste: more chili sauce if you like it spicier, more soy if you want it savory, more sesame oil for richness.

Assemble

Place a half sheet of nori on a flat surface, shiny side down. Wet your hands with water and grab a handful of rice, pressing it flat onto the left half of the nori sheet and leaving the right corner empty.
If using, lay your fillings diagonally across the rice, then spoon some of the tuna on top.
Fold the bottom left corner of the nori up and over the filling, then roll the nori into a cone. Use a few grains of rice or a little water along the edge to seal it together.
Serve immediately, while the nori is still crisp. Enjoy!

Notes

Ask for sushi-grade or sashimi-grade tuna. Neither term is regulated, so what you're really doing is asking your fishmonger one question: is this tuna meant to be eaten raw? Buy tuna from a source you trust and confirm it's intended to be eaten raw. Use it the same day when possible.
Buy your fish the same day. Ask your fishmonger directly whether the tuna is safe to eat raw. Previously frozen sushi-grade tuna is a great option and often the safer one. Keep it refrigerated at or below 32 to 38°F (0 to 3°C), until the moment you use it.
A note on food safety: Raw fish always carries some risk of foodborne illness. Buy from a source you trust, tell them you're serving it raw, keep it cold, and use it the same day. Pregnant women, young children, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system should skip raw fish. For more, see the FDA's Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely and FoodSafety.gov on fish and shellfish.
No tuna? Sushi-grade salmon, hamachi, or scallops all work in place of tuna.
Cut the rice, don't stir it: Slicing through hot rice with the edge of a spatula keeps the grains intact. Stirring turns sushi rice into paste.
Don't chill the seasoned rice: Room temperature rice stays soft and pliable. Refrigerated rice turns hard and won't press well.
Keep a water bowl handy: Wet your palms before every roll so the rice releases cleanly from your hands. Using water on your hands before picking up the rice helps it not stick.
If you’re having trouble getting a nice cone shape, just roll the tuna into a cylinder. It will taste just as good!
Roll to order: Nori (dried edible seaweed) softens within minutes of touching rice, so assemble one roll at a time and eat as you go.
Make it gluten-free: Substitute tamari or coconut aminos for the soy sauce and use a chili sauce labeled gluten-free.
Rice yield: 1 ½ cups of uncooked sushi rice makes more than enough for 6 hand rolls. I like the extra because it means a second round for anyone still hungry, and leftover seasoned rice makes a great base for a rice bowl the next day. To make just enough for 6 rolls, use ⅔ cup uncooked rice and cut the vinegar mixture in half.
Storage: Hand rolls do not store, so roll only what you plan to eat. The spicy tuna mix keeps refrigerated for up to 24 hours in an airtight container, and seasoned rice keeps at room temperature for a few hours or refrigerated for 2 days (let it come back to room temperature before using, since cold rice turns hard).

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

Hand rolls are assembled to order, but you can prep almost everything ahead of time. If you are packing this to eat later, make sure all your ingredients are separated, and the nori sheets are kept away from moisture. Assemble them right before eating to keep the nori paper crispy.

Sushi rice: Season it up to 4 hours ahead and keep it at room temperature, covered with a damp towel. Refrigerating sushi rice turns it hard and dry.
Spicy tuna: Mix it up to 4 hours ahead, cover, and keep refrigerated. Raw fish is best the day you buy it.
Nori: Keep sheets sealed in the package with the desiccant until the moment you roll. Once nori absorbs humidity, it goes chewy.
Leftovers: Don't store assembled hand rolls. If you have extra tuna and rice, turn them into a rice bowl the next day.

Supplies

various mixing bowls
wooden spoon or spatula
cutting board
knife
measuring cups and spoons

Nutrition