Tuna Roll Recipe

Rinse and cook rice

Place 1.5 cups short-grain sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs nearly clear (about 4–6 minutes). Drain for 10 minutes. Combine rinsed rice and 1.8 cups water in a rice cooker or a heavy saucepan. If using a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Season the rice

While the rice cooks, combine 3 tbs rice vinegar, 1.5 tbs sugar, and 1 tsp fine sea salt in a small bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer cooked rice to a large shallow bowl (a wooden hangiri is traditional). Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with a rice paddle or spatula using cutting and fanning motions to cool the rice quickly and give it a glossy texture. Fan or blow air over rice as you fold for 5 minutes. Rice should be slightly warm, not hot. Cover with a damp towel until ready to assemble.

Prepare the tuna by patting 8 oz sushi-grade tuna dry with paper towels and finely dicing it into small even pieces. Place diced tuna in a bowl and add 2 tbs mayonnaise, 0.5 tbs soy sauce, 0.25 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp sriracha (if using), and 1 tbs thinly sliced scallions. Gently mix until evenly combined and chill briefly while you assemble the rolls (5–10 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning: add a touch more mayo for creaminess or a few drops more soy for saltiness.

Set up your work area: place a plastic-wrapped bamboo rolling mat on the counter. Keep the small bowl of water + vinegar nearby to wet your fingers (prevents rice sticking). Place a sheet of nori shiny-side down on the mat with the short edge closest to you.

Moisten your fingers and pick up roughly 3/4 cup of seasoned sushi rice. Gently spread the rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) strip of nori at the top edge free of rice. Press the rice firmly but gently so it adheres (do not compress too much).

Across the center of the rice (closest to you), lay a thin line of the tuna mixture (about 3–4 tbs), a small handful of julienned cucumber (about 2 tbs), and 2–3 thin slices of avocado. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds over the filling if desired.

Lift the edge of the mat nearest you and begin to roll away from you, using your fingers to keep the filling in place with gentle pressure. Roll until the rice and filling form a tight cylinder, then pull back the mat and continue rolling to seal the open nori edge (use the exposed 1-inch nori strip to seal). Give a final gentle squeeze with the mat to shape the roll evenly.

Using a very sharp, wet knife, trim the two ends of the roll and then cut the roll into 6–8 even pieces. Wipe the knife clean and wet between cuts for clean slices.

Arrange the tuna roll pieces on a serving plate. Garnish with pickled ginger and a small mound of wasabi if desired. Serve with soy sauce for dipping. Optionally sprinkle a little extra sesame seed on top of the cut rolls.

Leftovers: store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours; rice will firm and nori may soften.