Spicy Tuna Rice Bowl
If you love sushi but not the $$$ price tag, this tuna rice bowl is about to be your new fave. We’re talking creamy, savory, spicy tuna and whole grains + crisp, vinegary cucumbers and all the toppings in a bowl situation you’ll crave again and again. Easy. High protein. Budget-friendly. And best of all? It’s ready in 10-ish minutes.
Erica’s Thoughts
Embarrassingly easy dinners featuring Costco shortcuts episode FIVE: deconstructed ‘sushi’ tuna rice bowls!
The shortcuts in question: microwaveable packets of quinoa and brown rice, wild-caught tuna, Kewpie mayo, cucumbers and avocado.
- protein? ✔
- healthy fats? ✔
- nutrient-dense veggies? ✔
- fast, delicious and satisfying? ✔✔✔
This simple meal is similar to the salmon rice bowl that went viral a few years ago but with tuna and a few of my favorite bowl toppings. I make this all the time for quick lunches but we have also eaten it for dinner twice in the past several weeks. A common question is if my kids eat my recipes and the answer is a definite YES. Ain’t nobody got time to make multiple meals but I generally do present the meal in a slightly different way than the assembled bowl that I enjoy.
Here’s what I do for our family dinner time (my girls are ages 3 and 5):
- Serve everything family style so my kids have the autonomy to choose what they want to put on their plates.
- Deconstruct the bowl components. Serve the tuna + rice mixture, vinegar-y cucumbers, edamame tossed with a little toasted sesame oil and salt, avocado and seaweed snacks separately.
- Add a couple of foolproof kid-friendly options on the side as well- nectarine slices and the little naan breads that we used in episode three’s Mediterranean salmon bowls.
My girls loved everything about this meal! Lia has shocked me lately, she used to refuse tuna but now she loves it. Kids are weird lol.
This is ‘technically’ dinner five out of five in my series. 😭 But y’all should let me know if you want more dinners in this series!
Spicy tuna rice bowl lesssss goooooo. 👇🏼
What You’ll Need to Make This Tuna Rice Bowl
Tuna: Wild Planet tuna is my go-to for quality and flavor, and I keep it stocked for quick meals like this. I use two 5oz cans but you can use a large 12oz can of tuna as well.
Grains: For a boost of whole grains and fiber, I like the brown rice and quinoa packets (you know the ones – Costco, Trader Joe’s, Target, etc.) You can also sub leftover rice, white rice, jasmine rice, sushi rice, quinoa, or whatever grain you’ve got.
Kewpie mayo: Kewpie mayo is a Japanese mayo made with only egg yolks (not whole eggs), giving it a richer, creamier texture and a slightly sweet, umami-forward flavor. Find it in the international aisle of the grocery store or Costco! You can use regular mayonnaise if that’s what you have.
Soy sauce: I always go for the low-sodium version. You can also use coconut aminos or tamari.
Sriracha sauce: Sriracha is a hot sauce commonly found in the international foods aisle of most grocery stores. If you can’t find sriracha, gochujang would be a great substitute.
Furikake seasoning: Furikake is a savory Japanese sprinkle made of seaweed, sesame seeds, salt and sugar and it is the MVP of Asian-inspired rice bowls. You can find it in the Asian foods aisle of most grocery stores and I know Trader Joe’s carries a version as well.
Toppings: Avocado, cucumbers, green onions, seaweed snacks, edamame, crispy fried onions and sesame seeds. I’m not saying you need ALL of these things… but…do it.
How to Make a Bomb Spicy Tuna Bowl:
Warm the rice packet in the microwave according to the package directions. You want it steamy and soft so it mixes easily with the tuna.
In a mixing bowl, combine the drained tuna, warm rice, Kewpie mayo, soy sauce, sriracha, and furikake. Mix it all up until it’s creamy, savory, and slightly spicy. Taste and adjust—add another spoonful of mayo if you like it creamier, more sriracha for heat, or a pinch of salt or furikake if it needs a flavor boost.
While that’s happening, prep your toppings. Slice up the avocado and spritz it with lime juice to keep it from browning. Thinly slice the cucumbers and toss them with a few tablespoons of seasoned rice vinegar and a pinch of salt and sugar. Stir thawed edamame with a glug of toasted sesame oil and pinch of salt.
Now build your bowl. Scoop the spicy tuna mixture into your bowl and layer on your toppings: cucumbers, avocado, green onions, crispy onions, and a sprinkle of furikake or sesame seeds to finish. I love scooping bites into a seaweed snack for a deconstructed spicy tuna roll situation.
Variation Ideas for your Tuna Rice Bowl
- Add more sriracha for an extra spicy kick.
- Load up on other toppings such as shredded carrots, kimchi, purple or green cabbage, red onions, bell peppers, etc.
- Use any grains you like or skip the grain altogether for a low-carb version.
- To make it vegetarian, sub slightly mashed chickpeas for the tuna.
- Use any leftover cooked white fish, salmon or canned salmon.
FAQs
Kewpie mayo makes the tuna richer and slightly more ‘Asian-inspired’, but regular mayo totally works as well.
Totally up to you! I use 2-3 teaspoons sriracha, which gives it a mild to medium heat. You can dial it up or down as you like.
Store the tuna rice mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I usually store the toppings separately and add them when I’m ready to eat, but if I’m prepping this for my husband, I assemble the entire bowl in a container for him to take to work.
Leftover cooked salmon or canned salmon would give a very similar vibe. I’ve never made this with shredded chicken but I think that could be a great option if you’re not a seafood person.
I’ve seen chickpeas used as a vegetarian alternative to tuna. Slightly smashing some chickpeas with the rice and condiments could be a very tasty vegetarian version.
Ten minutes of prep and a fun way to enjoy tuna, I hope you love this delicious meal as much as I do!
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
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Spicy Tuna Rice Bowl
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: N/A
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
- Category: Bowls
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Quick, craveable, and customizable, this tuna rice bowl is my go-to choice when I need a delicious lunch or dinner in a hurry. Scoop it with seaweed snacks, top it with crunchies, and savor every spicy, creamy, salty bite!
Ingredients
- 2 5oz cans tuna, drained
- 1 8.5oz packet brown rice and quinoa OR 1 3/4 cups cooked grain of choice
- 3 tablespoons Kewpie mayo
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2–3 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon furikake seasoning* (see note)
- for serving: avocado, cucumbers* (see note), green onions, seaweed snacks, edamame, crispy fried onions, furikake seasoning or sesame seeds
Instructions
Tuna rice: Warm brown rice packet in the microwave per package instructions. In a large bowl, combine tuna, rice packet, 3 tablespoons kewpie mayo, 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, 2-3 teaspoons sriracha and 1 teaspoon furikake. Mix well to combine. Taste and season with an extra dollop of mayo if you like it creamier, sriracha if you like it spicier and furikake or pinch of salt for overall flavor.
Toppings: Chop green onions, slice avocado and spritz it with a little lime juice, toss thinly sliced cukes with rice vinegar, salt and sugar, stir thawed edamame with a glug of toasted sesame oil, etc. Choose your journey here.
Assemble: Top several spoonfuls of tuna rice mixture with cucumbers, avocado, green onions, crispy onions and another sprinkle of furikake or sesame seeds. I like to scoop everything up into seaweed snacks and eat it like deconstructed sushi, DELISH.
Notes
Furikake seasoning: You can find furikake in the international foods aisle of most grocery stores. But if you do not have it, use one teaspoon of sesame seeds plus pinches of salt and sugar.
Cucumbers: I always toss my sliced cucumbers in several tablespoons of seasoned rice vinegar and pinches of salt and sugar. It gives them a quick ‘pickled’ vibe and lots more flavor.
Refer to above blog post for ingredient information and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (1/3 recipe)
- Calories: 418
- Sugar: 2.1 g
- Sodium: 657.8 mg
- Fat: 21.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.8 g
- Fiber: 5.3 g
- Protein: 26.5 g
- Cholesterol: 45.5 mg
So easy, delicious, and customizable! Thank you!! I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand, but used what I had for a cheap meal. I’ll definitely make again!
Yesss love how customizable this one is! Thanks Margaret!
I made this tonight – chef’s kiss! Will be on my weekly rotation. So easy, so flavorful and protein packed.
Thank you Lindsay, glad you loved it!
Okay this was really a BOMB. I made this for quick a workday lunch and omg it was so convenient and tasted SO GOOD, the flavors texture is perfect for a summer mid-day. I loved the combination of mayo, soy sauce and sriracha, will definitely use this again maybe with other choices of meat that I like!
this was such a quick and easy meal to make and had great flavor! my husband and i loved it. Will be making this recipe again for sure
Woohoo! Thanks Ali! Glad you loved it 🙂