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What Great Grandma Ate / Recipes / Seafood / Easy Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice Recipe (Nobu Copycat)

Easy Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice Recipe (Nobu Copycat)

Last Updated on May 27, 2024 by Meghan

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Easy and delicious spicy tuna crispy rice inspired by Nobu’s famous dish. It’s a lot easier to make than it looks and much more affordable making it home!

spicy tuna crispy rice bite topped with jalapeno and sesame seeds

What Makes This Recipe Great

This Nobu-Inspired Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice features sticky rice packed, flattened, and chilled, before getting pan-fried until ultra crispy. It’s then topped with spicy tuna seasoned with a spicy mayo sauce, avocado slices, and jalapeños. This sushi restaurant favorite is made in the comfort of your own home for a fraction of the price! 

While there is time involved in the chilling and cooking process, it’s actually quite an easy recipe to make. Not to mention, it’s so much fun! Garnish with optional toppings like avocado, sesame seeds, jalapeño slices, scallions, and/or red pepper flakes for additional spice. Serve as an appetizer, side dish, or full meal!

Watch a Short Video of This Recipe

Ingredient Notes

recipe ingredients in small bowls and labeled

Crispy Rice

  • cooked sushi rice: Make sure to use sushi rice and pack the rice tightly into the pan so it holds together when you take it out and slice it.
  • rice vinegar
  • granulated sugar
  • avocado oil: Or any neutral flavored oil, for frying.

Spicy Tuna

  • Sashimi-grade or sushi-grade tuna: Make sure to buy “sushi grade tuna” or “sashimi grade tuna” that’s safe to eat raw. They are the freshest and highest quality fish that’s treated with extra care. Salmon is a great alternative if you prefer, but make sure it’s sushi grade as well.
  • mayonnaise: I recommend Japanese mayo like Kewpie mayonnaise.
  • sriracha
  • soy sauce: Or tamari sauce, for gluten-free.
  • sesame oil
  • rice vinegar
  • green onions

Garnish

  • avocado
  • jalapeño peppers
  • sesame seeds: Black and/or white.

Step-by-Step Instructions

numbered step by step photos showing how to make this recipe
  1. If the rice isn’t fresh, heat in the microwave until hot. Add rice vinegar and sugar and stir together.
  2. Line an 8×8 dish/square pan with a plastic wrap and press the seasoned rice tightly to pack evenly into the pan.
  3. Cover with the cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. To cut down on time, you can freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  4. While the rice is chilling, prepare the spicy tuna by combining all ingredients (tuna, kewpie mayo, soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and green onion) in a large bowl and mixing together. Taste to adjust seasoning. Cover, and set aside in the fridge while you fry the rice.
  5. Carefully remove the rice from the pan, then slice it into mini rectangles with a sharp knife. I made 24 rectangles – 6 strips, each cut into 4 pieces.
  6. Heat avocado oil in a thin layer in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the rice squares in a single layer without overcrowding the pan.  Pan fry for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy, then flip gently and repeat.
  7. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel. Pan fry the rest of the rice squares.
  8. Assemble: Add sliced avocado on top of the crispy rice cakes. Top with about 2 teaspoons of the spicy tuna mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then add a jalapeño slice on top. Enjoy!
a photo of spicy tuna crispy rice bites

Expert Tips

  • Make sure to buy “sushi grade” or “sashimi grade” tuna that’s safe to eat raw. They are the freshest and highest quality fish that’s treated with extra care. You can also use salmon if you prefer, but make sure it’s sushi grade as well.
  • Make sure to use sushi rice and pack the rice tightly into the pan so it holds together when you take it out and slice it.

Serving Tips

Serve these bites as an appetizer or full meal. You can always add additional spicy mayo dipping sauce or eat them as is.

Storage Tips

This is best enjoyed fresh. If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days.

a hand holding crispy rice topped with spicy tuna, jalapeno, and sesame seeds

More Delicious Recipes

Tuna Onigiri Recipe

Simple and Easy Tuna Patties

Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks with Dipping Sauce

The Best Salmon Sushi Bake

If you make this recipe, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!

spicy tuna crispy rice bite topped with jalapeno and sesame seeds

Easy Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice Recipe (Nobu Copycat)

Easy and delicious spicy tuna crispy rice inspired by Nobu's famous dish. It's a lot easier to make than it looks and much more affordable making it home!
Print Pin
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Japanese
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 31 minutes minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 60kcal

Video

Ingredients

Crispy Rice

  • 3 cups cooked sushi rice about 1½ cup dry
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • Avocado oil or any neutral flavored oil, for frying

Spicy Tuna

  • 8 oz sushi or sashimi grade tuna finely diced
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise I recommend Japanese mayo like Kewpie
  • 1 tbsp sriracha more or less, to taste
  • 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari sauce, for gluten free
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp green onions thinly sliced

Other Toppings

  • 1 avocado thinly sliced
  • 1-2 jalapeño peppers thinly sliced
  • Sesame seeds black and/or white

Instructions

  • If the rice isn't fresh, heat in the microwave until hot. Add rice vinegar and sugar and stir together.
  • Line an 8×8 dish with a plastic cling wrap and press the seasoned rice tightly to pack evenly into the pan.
  • Cover with the cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. To cut down on time, you can freeze for 30 minutes-1 hour.
  • While the rice is chilling, prepare the spicy tuna by combining all ingredients in a bowl and mixing together. Taste to adjust seasoning. Cover, and set aside in the fridge while you fry the rice.
  • Carefully remove the rice from the pan, then slice into mini rectangles with a sharp knife. I made 24 rectangles – 6 strips, each cut into 4 pieces.
  • Heat avocado oil in a thin layer in a pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the rice squares in a single layer without overcrowding the pan. Pan fry for about 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy, then flip gently and repeat.
  • Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel. Pan fry the rest of the rice squares.
  • Assemble: Add sliced avocado on top of the crispy rice. Top with about 2 teaspoons of spicy tuna. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then add a jalapeño slice on top. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Easy Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice Recipe (Nobu Copycat)
Amount Per Serving (1 crispy rice – makes 24)
Calories 60 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 0.5g3%
Trans Fat 0.002g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 4mg1%
Sodium 69mg3%
Potassium 72mg2%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 0.5g1%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 231IU5%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 3mg0%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Expert Tips

    • Make sure to buy “sushi grade” or “sashimi grade” tuna that’s safe to eat raw. They are the freshest and highest quality fish that’s treated with extra care. You can also use salmon if you prefer, but make sure it’s sushi grade as well.
    • Make sure to use sushi rice and pack the rice tightly into the pan so it holds together when you take it out and slice it.

Serving Tips

Serve these bites as an appetizer or full meal. You can always add additional spicy mayo dipping sauce or eat them as is.

Storage Tips

It’s best enjoyed fresh. If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days.

What Great Grandma Ate / Jean Choi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Regarding other affiliate links and affiliate relationships: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Thank you for your support and understanding.

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By Meghan | May 27, 2024

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Hi, I’m Jean!

headshot of Jean Choi - blogger of What Great Grandma Ate

I’m a food lover and recipe developer living in Southern California. I love to share simple and approachable gluten-free recipes that are healthy but never sacrifice on flavor. I hope I can help you feel confident in the kitchen and inspire you to try out some new-to-you dishes!

More About Jean

Recipe Key

  • 3030 Min or Less
  • AIPAIP
  • EFEgg Free
  • LCLow Carb
  • NFNut Free
  • PPaleo
  • VVegan
  • W3Whole 30

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