This Korean spicy tuna kimbap recipe has a bright and spicy mayo sauce with canned tuna and crunchy vegetables. It takes less than 30 minutes - perfect for a quick lunch or a busy weeknight!
If you like kimbap, check out my other Korean kimbap recipes, including Cheese kimbap and Folded kimbap (Viral trend).
Spicy tuna kimbap is one the easiest kimbaps you can make at home. It's super quick and doesn't require any fancy ingredients.
All you have to do is steam some rice, chop some veggies, and bust out a good ol' can of tuna. And if you're anything like me, you don't even bother plating it; I eat it straight off the cutting board.
The flavors in tuna kimbap are simple, bright, and fresh. For my spicy tuna kimbap recipe, I like mixing things up by adding sriracha to the tuna, giving the kimbap a spicy and fiery kick.
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🧂 Ingredients
My spicy tuna kimbap recipe uses ingredients common in western supermarkets, so it's more accessible to people who don't live near a Korean grocery store.
- Nori (seaweed sheet) - seaweed paper used for wrapping the kimbap
- Sushi rice (short grain rice) - sushi rice has a stickier texture than regular rice which makes wrapping easier
- Canned tuna - preferably a canned tuna that is packed in olive oil. It has more flavor and will not be as dry.
- Sriracha - the secret ingredient which gives my spicy tuna kimbap recipe its fiery kick
- Mayonnaise - any western mayo like Hellman's will provide the perfect creaminess
- Cucumber - adds freshness and makes it feel healthier
- Carrot - adds color and a terrific crunch
- Burdock root (optional) - salty and has a crunchy texture. Available at most Korean grocery stores.
- Yellow pickled radish (optional) - a common ingredient in kimbap- adds a wonderful brightness that helps balance the other flavors. Available at most Asian grocery stores.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Prepare seasoned rice
Add rice to a large mixing bowl. Fill it with cold tap water and gently massage the rice to remove excess surface starch. Pour out the water, and repeat this process three times or until the water runs clear.
Now to cook the rice, we can do it in a rice cooker or over the stovetop.
Rice cooker method: Combine water and rice in the rice cooker and cook on the white rice setting. Allow the rice to cool for 15 minutes before making spicy tuna kimbap.
Stove top method: Combine water and rice in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil it for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
If the rice is too dry, add a little bit of water at a time and cook until it softens. Finally, add salt and toasted sesame oil to the hot rice and gently mix until combined.
Step 2. Prepare spicy tuna filling
Mix tuna, sriracha, salt, and mayo in a small bowl and set aside.
💭 Tip
If you have fresh lemons, you can squeeze in a teaspoon of lemon juice to brighten the flavor of the sauce, but it's not necessary.
Step 3. Blanch carrots
Boil 1 liter of water with 1 tablespoon of salt in a small pot. Add carrots and cook for 45 seconds. Drain carrots and set aside.
📋 Note
Ensure you don't cook the carrots too long, just enough to soften them slightly and bring out their natural sweetness.
Step 4. Roll kimbap
Finally, you're ready to roll the spicy tuna kimbap. Rolling is usually the trickiest part for most people. Look at the pictures below to see how it's done.
Place a sheet of nori on a bamboo mat. Evenly spread ¾ cup of cooked rice over the top of it, leaving about 1 inch uncovered on the top side.
Place 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of tuna, carrots, and cucumber in the center of the rice. If you have burdock root and yellow pickled radish, you can add that too.
Use both hands to roll the mat (and the nori and rice) over the toppings until you reach the other side. You want to squeeze gently to get a tight roll. Once I have a roll shape, I like to pull the bottom of the mat while squeezing the roll to tighten it further.
Slowly remove the mat after creating a roll and set it aside.
Drizzle a little bit of toasted sesame oil and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the rolls. Wet a sharp knife with oil or water to prevent it from sticking to the kimbap, then cut the spicy tuna kimbap into bite-sized pieces.
Repeat for the remaining kimbap.
💭 Top Tips
- Drain the tuna thoroughly! If it's not drained properly, the tuna filling will be too wet and leak into the rice.
- If you've never made sushi rice before, use a 1-1 ratio of rice and water to start. After it's done cooking, test a couple of grains of rice. If it's too dry, add 2 tablespoons of hot water, mix, and try again in 5 minutes. Repeat until you have the perfect rice.
- Allow the rice to come to room temperature before assembling the kimbap. If the rice is too hot, it'll shrink the nori sheet.
👨🏻🍳 Variations
- Non-spicy - if you don't like spicy food, you can replace the sriracha with equal parts mayonnaise
- Cheese - Add a slice of American cheese to add an extra layer of creaminess. Add it to the rice before adding any of the other filling ingredients. Pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to melt the cheese, and then proceed with the spicy tuna kimbap recipe as usual.
- Classic tuna salad - add ¼ cup of chopped celery and 1 tablespoon of relish (or chopped pickles) to give the spicy tuna filling a more traditional flavor.
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Spicy tuna kimbap can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. However, kimbap tends to dry out in the fridge, so it's best to consume it immediately.
Reheating: Don't bother reheating this spicy tuna kimbap; eat it straight from the refrigerator.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Solid or chunk light tuna is the best tuna for kimbap. It has a strong tuna flavor and is the cheapest variety of tuna. If possible, try to find tuna packed in olive oil as it has a better flavor and will be moister.
If your kimbap is turning out soggy, ensure you dry all the vegetable ingredients properly. Also, make sure to drain as much water from the tuna as possible.
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📋 Recipe
Spicy tuna kimbap
Equipment
- 1 bamboo rolling mat
Ingredients
Rice
- 2 cups uncooked sushi rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Spicy tuna
- 2 (170g) canned tuna (drained)
- 5 tablespoon Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie preferred)
- 2 ½ tablespoon sriracha
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Blanched carrots
- 1 small carrot (julienned)
- ½ tablespoon coarse kosher salt
Kimbap
- 4 nori sheets
- ½ cucumber (deseeded and julienned)
- burdock root (optional)
- yellow pickled radish (optional)
- toasted sesame oil
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare rice: Add rice to a large mixing bowl. Fill it with cold tap water and gently massage the rice to remove excess surface starch. Pour out the water, and repeat this process three times or until the water runs clear.Rice cooker method: Combine water and rice in the rice cooker and cook on the white rice setting. Allow the rice to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.Stove top method: Combine water and rice in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil it for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.If the rice is too dry, add a little bit of water at a time and cook until it softens. Finally, add salt and toasted sesame oil to the hot rice and gently mix until combined.
- Prepare tuna salad: Mix tuna, sriracha, salt, and mayo in a small bowl.
- Blanch carrots: Boil 1 liter of water with salt in a small pot. Add carrots and cook for 45 seconds. Drain carrots and set aside.
- Roll kimbap:1. Place a sheet of nori on a bamboo mat. Evenly spread ¾ cup of cooked rice over the top of it, leaving about 1 inch uncovered on the top side. 2. Place 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of tuna, carrots, and cucumber in the center of the rice. If you have burdock root and yellow pickled radish, you can add that too.3. Use both hands to roll the mat (and the nori and rice) over the toppings until you reach the other side. You want to squeeze gently to get a tight roll. Slowly remove the mat after creating a roll and set it aside. See the blog post for pictures.4. Drizzle a little bit of toasted sesame oil and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the roll. Wet a sharp knife with water or oil, then cut the roll into bite-size pieces. 5. Repeat for the remaining kimbaps.
Notes
- Drain the tuna thoroughly! If it's not drained properly, the tuna filling will be too wet and leak into the rice.
- If you've never made sushi rice before, use a 1-1 ratio of rice and water to start. After it's done cooking, test a couple of grains of rice. If it's too dry, add 2 tablespoons of hot water, mix, and try again in 5 minutes. Repeat until you have the perfect rice.
- Allow the rice to come to room temperature before assembling the kimbap. If the rice is too hot, it'll shrink the nori sheet.
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