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Tuna Sushi Bowl

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Tuna Sushi Bowl | Learn how to make a delicious and healthy spicy Tuna Sushi Bowl at home with simple ingredients like brown rice, canned tuna, fresh cucumbers, and a spicy mayo sauce. This spicy tuna rice bowl recipe is quick to put together and super easy to customize.

A bowl with rice, tuna, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo sauce, sesame seeds and flakes of nori.
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A tuna sushi bowl is a delightful dish consisting of canned tuna, perfectly cooked brown rice, and fresh toppings like cucumber and avocado, served in a bowl for a convenient and flavorful sushi takeout at home experience.

Think tuna roll but in a bowl. A delicious, healthy, deconstructed tuna roll without the extra time or rolling.

I go for brown rice in this recipe because I like it better than white rice most of the time - it's got a good chew, a nice nutty flavor, and its nutrition profile fits into my diet a bit better.  I'm still a 100% basmati girl when it comes to a side for my curry though, it just feels right.

This tuna roll bowl is super easy to make if you meal prep the brown rice and sriracha mayo, and keep cucumbers chopped in the fridge. Do this at the beginning of your week and you'll be able to throw this easy lunch together in 5 minutes!

A bowl with rice, tuna, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo sauce, sesame seeds and flakes of nori.

What is the difference between a sushi bowl and a poke bowl?

A Sushi bowl originates in Japan and typically consists of seasoned sushi rice topped with fish and vegetables, usually in the same combination as the sushi roll that inspired it. Sushi bowls are usually topped with nori strips, sesame seeds, and pickled ginger and served with soy sauce and wasabi.

A Poke bowl originates in Hawaii and typically consists of rice topped with raw marinated or seasoned fish like tuna or salmon. The toppings include fresh vegetables and sauces but the fish is the star of the dish.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

A bowl with rice, tuna, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo sauce, sesame seeds and flakes of nori.
  • brown rice: I use brown rice because I like the taste and texture in this bowl. You can cook on the stove top or use the microwaveable bags and then let it cool before using it in this recipe. 
  • seasoning for the rice: I season the brown rice like sushi rice with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. You could also use seasoned rice vinegar instead.
  • tuna: I use regular canned chunk light tuna for this sushi bowl recipe. Use your favorite prepared tuna.
  • toppings: For toppings I like fresh cubed cucumber and avocado, like a spicy tuna roll.
  • garnish: I sprinkled both white and black sesame seeds on top. For the nori, I open a snack pack of toasted nori sheets and use kitchen scissors to cut them into little strips which makes them easy to eat.
  • sauce: to make a spicy tuna bowl, you'll make a spicy Sriracha Sauce with mayo, sriracha sauce, and some sesame oil.

Substitutions

  • rice: Instead of brown rice you could use sushi rice, short grain rice, a long grain rice, or even cauliflower rice.
  • tuna: try baked salmon, or a vegetarian alternative like chickpeas - try adding nori to my Chickpea Salad recipe.

Instructions

Prep Tips

Once everything is prepped this bowl only takes a few minutes to make.

A bowl of rice is stirred with a teal spatula.

Season the rice with a mixture of rice vinegar, salt, and sugar.

A bowl of reddish pink sauce.

Make the sauce by mixing mayo, Sriracha hot sauce, and sesame oil.

Spooning rice into a bowl.

Add the seasoned rice to a bowl.

Adding tuna to a bowl of rice.

Add the drained tuna.

Adding avocado to a bowl of tuna, rice, and cucumber.

Add the cucumber and avocado.

Spooning sauce over a bowl with rice, tuna, cucumber, and avocado.

Drizzle the sauce on top.

A package of nori snack sheets.

I use these sushi snacks.

Cutting nori snack sheets with scissors.

Cut the sushi snack sheets with kitchen scissors.

Garnish the bowl with sesame seeds and serve.

A bowl with rice, tuna, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo sauce, sesame seeds and flakes of nori.

Tips for making Sushi Bowls

  • rice: make sure the rice is cooked nicely - it's the base of the dish. Follow my Instant Pot Brown Rice recipe, make your rice on the stove top or use frozen or microwavable packages of rice.
  • seasoning: seasoning the rice will really make this taste like a sushi bowl instead of a rice bowl.
  • toppings: vary the toppings if you like. Include julienned carrots, thinly sliced bell pepper or any other of your favorite vegetables or salad greens.
  • vegetarian: Make this vegetarian by omitting the tuna and using chickpeas - something like my Chickpea Salad Sandwich Filling recipe would work great.

What to serve with Tuna Sushi Bowls

For dinner, serve these Tuna Sushi Bowls with dumplings or gyoza, or something crispy like my Cheeseburger Spring Rolls or Fried Oyster Mushrooms.

If you're feeling more like noodles try pairing this with my Spicy Garlic Noodles or Easy Sesame Noodles.

For more vegetables try my Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts or Spicy Cucumber Salad.

Storage

Store the individual components for this recipe in the fridge for 4-5 days.

I don't recommend freezing this recipe and it is served cold so there is no need to heat it.

A bowl with rice, tuna, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo sauce, sesame seeds and flakes of nori.

FAQs

Are there any vegetarian alternatives for a tuna sushi bowl?

For a vegetarian alternative in a tuna sushi bowl you can make a tuna like spread with chickpeas.

Can I substitute the sushi rice with a different type of grain?

Instead of sushi rice in this recipe, you can use brown rice, white rice, or cauliflower rice.

Recipe

A bowl with rice, tuna, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo sauce, sesame seeds and flakes of nori.

Tuna Sushi Bowl

Jacqueline Piper
5 from 1 vote
This spicy tuna rice bowl recipe is quick to put together and super easy to customize.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients
 
 

For the Rice

  • 1 cup brown rice (prepared and cooled)
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
  • ⅛ teaspoon sugar
  • pinch kosher salt

For the Bowl

  • 120 grams tuna (from a 170 g can, drained)
  • ½ large cucumber (peeled and diced)
  • 1 avocado (sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (white + black)
  • 5 grams nori snack sheets (cut into strips)

For the Sriracha Mayo Sauce

Instructions
 

Season the Rice

  • Mix together the vinegar, salt, and sugar. Add to the rice and mix to combine.

Make the Sauce

  • Mix all of the sauce ingredients together.

Build the Bowl

  • Add the rice to a bowl. Add the tuna, cucumber, and avocado.
  • Drizzle the sauce on top.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds.
  • Use kitchen scissors to cut the nori sheets into strips and scatter them on top of the bowl.

Video

Notes

Try baked salmon instead of canned tuna.
For a vegetarian version, use chickpeas.
Vary the amounts of each ingredient to your preference.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 17gFat: 30gFiber: 9gSugar: 2g

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used.

Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
Keyword 20 minute meals, bowl
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A bowl with rice, tuna, cucumber, avocado, spicy mayo sauce, sesame seeds and flakes of nori.

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Hi I'm Jacqueline

I've been blogging for 10 years as I learn how to cook from scratch. I share my recipes to help you create easy, delicious, and (mostly) healthy food. I love fresh ingredients, spicy noodles, anything on toast, and reading a new cookbook with a glass of wine at my cabin. I'm so glad you've joined me.

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