Crispy Rice Tuna Salad (Printable)

Golden crispy rice cakes topped with tuna, avocado, cucumber, radish and sesame for a bright, crunchy lunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice

01 - 2 cups cooked sushi rice, chilled (leftover recommended)
02 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
03 - 1 tsp sugar
04 - ½ tsp salt

→ Tuna Salad

05 - 1 can (5 oz) tuna in water or oil, drained
06 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
07 - 1 tsp sriracha, optional
08 - 1 tsp soy sauce
09 - 1 green onion, finely chopped
10 - ½ avocado, diced
11 - 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
12 - 1 tsp sesame seeds

→ Toppings & Garnish

13 - ½ cucumber, diced
14 - 4 radishes, thinly sliced
15 - 1 tbsp pickled ginger, chopped, optional
16 - 1 tbsp black or white sesame seeds
17 - Microgreens or cilantro, for garnish

→ For Frying

18 - 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or sunflower)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine warm cooked rice with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Spread the seasoned rice onto a tray and let it cool completely, or chill uncovered for extra dryness to achieve crispier results.
02 - Moisten your hands and shape the chilled rice into 12 small rectangles or rounds, using about 2 tablespoons each. Gently flatten each piece into ½-inch thick patties.
03 - Heat neutral oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the rice pieces for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool slightly.
04 - Combine drained tuna, mayonnaise, sriracha, soy sauce, chopped green onion, diced avocado, and toasted sesame oil in a mixing bowl. Mix gently and fold in sesame seeds.
05 - Arrange the crispy rice pieces on a serving platter. Top each piece with a generous spoonful of the tuna salad mixture.
06 - Finish with diced cucumber, sliced radishes, chopped pickled ginger, additional sesame seeds, and microgreens or cilantro. Serve immediately while the rice remains crispy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The textural contrast of crispy rice and creamy tuna salad will make you wonder why you ever ate tuna on regular bread.
  • It looks like something from a trendy restaurant but comes together with pantry staples in about half an hour.
  • You can customize the toppings based on whatever is wilting in your vegetable drawer and it still tastes incredible.
02 -
  • If the rice is too wet when it goes into the pan it will spit oil at you and steam instead of frying, so patience during the drying step saves you from burns and disappointment.
  • The crispy rice loses its crunch within about twenty minutes, which means this is a dish to assemble right before eating rather than ahead of time.
  • Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and turns your rice greasy instead of shatteringly crisp, so fry in two batches if needed.
03 -
  • Run your hands under water before shaping each rice patty and the rice will stick to itself instead of to your fingers.
  • Let the fried rice cool for three to five minutes before topping so the residual heat does not melt the tuna salad into a warm puddle.

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