Tuna Sushi Bake For One
Tuna sushi bake for one is the perfect single serve meal! This mini sushi bake with creamy spicy tuna is quick, easy, and so delicious!
What is Tuna Sushi Bake?
Sushi bake is a fun fusion dish that is like crossover between Japanese sushi and a Midwestern casserole.
It basically consists of seafood with spicy mayo, in this case tuna, layered over rice and baked to golden perfection.
It’s like a sushi roll in a warm and creamy casserole form. Not traditional or authentic by any means but so delicious nonetheless.
Typically, sushi bakes are made in large casserole trays that are meant to be shared at potlucks or dinners with family and friends.
However, the recipe I’m sharing here is a tuna sushi bake for one.
This single serving is perfect for when you’re craving sushi bake but don’t want to make a whole big thing of it.
It’s made with canned tuna for a quick and easy meal that is affordable and convenient yet so satisfying.
RELATED: HOW TO MAKE SALMON SUSHI BAKE
Tuna Sushi Bake Ingredients
Before we begin making a tuna sushi bake for one, you’ll need to gather the following ingredients:
- Tuna: Canned tuna makes this a super cheap, quick, and convenient meal. My favorite is the Dongwon Korean canned tuna (you can find this at H Mart).
- Mayo: Kewpie or Japanese mayo makes the tuna so creamy. You can find it at some grocery stores in the Asian food aisle or at your local Asian grocery store.
- Sriracha: Sriracha gives it a spicy and garlicky kick. Adjust the amount depending on your spice tolerance.
- Cream Cheese: Adds even more creaminess and makes tuna sushi bake so irresistible.
- Rice: White, short-grain sushi rice is best for this recipe. You can use plain rice or season with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar to make it even more like sushi rice.
- Furikake: Furikake is a Japanese rice seasoning comes in many different flavors. It’s generally made of seaweed, sesame seeds, salt, and various seasonings.
- Eel Sauce: Adds a sweet, savory, and umami flavor. It’s really easy to make at home using this eel sauce recipe. May also be called unagi or sushi sauce in stores.
- Green Onion: A topping that adds the perfect amount of mild onion flavor and freshness.
RELATED: HOW TO MAKE AN EASY EEL SAUCE
How to Make Tuna Sushi Bake For One
This tuna sushi bake for one is super simple to make in just 10 minutes using pantry staples.
It’s an easy and cheap meal that tastes indulgent.
Let’s walk through this mini tuna sushi bake recipe together step-by-step so you can recreate it perfectly at home!
Of course as always, there is a recipe card at the end that you can print out, pin to Pinterest, or save for later.
RELATED: HOW TO MAKE A SINGLE-SERVE SUSHI BAKE (SALMON)
Step 1: Prepare the Tuna
Firstly, open a can of tuna and drain the liquid or oil.
I recommend about 4 oz of drained tuna per serving.
Canned tuna is fully cooked which makes this a super quick meal.
Next, make the spicy tuna mixture for the single serve sushi bake.
In a bowl, mix together the canned tuna, Japanese mayo, sriracha, and cream cheese.
Step 2: Assemble & Layer the Ingredients
For this mini tuna sushi bake, use a small oven-safe baking dish.
The one I am using here is from Daiso which is a Japanese Dollar store. There are items there that cost more than a dollar, but they are pretty cheap nonetheless.
Another baking dish I have that is the perfect size for a single serve sushi bake is this 7×5″ oven dish from Ikea. A little pricier than Daiso but still pretty affordable.
In the small baking dish, layer rice, furikake, and the spicy tuna mixture.
Then add a drizzle of Japanese mayo, sriracha, and eel sauce.
Lastly, top with more furikake.
Step 3: Bake Tuna Sushi Bake
Since this tuna sushi bake for one is a small individual serving, you can place this into an air fryer instead of an oven.
An air fryer is essentially a small convection oven. I love using it because it heats up so quickly.
I am using an Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer.
You can also use a little toaster oven.
Although less energy efficient, you can use a regular oven as well just like you would for a regular size sushi bake.
Bake or air fry for 5 minutes until the top is golden and toasty.
This helps all the ingredients become warm, creamy, and melt together beautifully.
Step 4: Add Toppings & Serve
Finally, finish off the tuna sushi bake for one with a sprinkle of sliced green onions.
Serve with roasted seaweed, cucumbers, avocado, spicy mayo, and eel sauce.
RELATED: HOW TO MAKE SPICY CRAB SUSHI BAKE CUPCAKES
How to Eat Sushi Bake
The best way to eat tuna sushi bake in my opinion is to make an open-style hand roll like a sushi taco!
Take a sheet of roasted seaweed snacks, place the tuna sushi bake on top, and finish it off with cucumber and avocado.
If you like it saucy, drizzle more eel sauce, Japanese mayo, and sriracha on top.
Then fold it in half like a taco and enjoy!
Another fun way to eat it is to use cucumber slices like a chip and scoop the sushi bake on to it.
You can also take a piece of roasted seaweed, place it on top of the sushi bake and scoop it up with chopsticks.
No matter how you eat it, this tuna sushi bake is going to be delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different seafood?
Absolutely! This recipe works great with other tinned fish such as salmon.
If you prefer fresh seafood, check out my recipe for this salmon single serve sushi bake.
Can I use regular mayo instead of Japanese mayo?
Yes, if you cannot find Kewpie or Japanese mayo, you can use regular mayo as a substitute.
Japanese mayo is made with a sweeter vinegar and only egg yolks so the flavor will be slightly different.
However, both will add a nice creaminess to the tuna.
Should I use canned tuna in oil or tuna in water?
Honestly this is up to your personal preference!
Tuna in oil will be more moist and have a richer taste.
Tuna in water is lighter and a healthier option.
What can I use instead of sriracha?
If you cannot find sriracha due to the shortage, you can replace it with other chili sauces such as CHIN-SU hot sauce, gochujang, or sambal to name a few options.
However, note that these will all offer a different distinct flavor and will not be a 1:1 substitute.
Adjust the amount to your liking.
If you don’t want to make the sushi bake spicy, simply leave out the sriracha.
What can I use instead of sushi rice?
While short-grain sushi rice is the best for this recipe to mimic sushi, you can substitute with any kind of white rice.
Some other options are long-grain white rice, jasmine rice, and basmati rice.
More Sushi Bake Recipes You Might Like
After you try this tuna sushi bake for one, here are some more delicious sushi bake recipes that you will love!
Save This Tuna Sushi Bake Recipe
Sushi bake is one of my most popular recipes and this mini sushi bake with tuna is the perfect size for one.
I hope you try this easy single serve meal when you need a quick but delicious lunch or dinner and share this recipe with your family and friends.
Please leave a rating and comment below if you try it because I would love to know what you think!
Did you make this recipe? I would love to see! Tag me on IG @feedmi_ or TikTok @feedmi
Tuna Sushi Bake For One
Ingredients
- 4 oz canned tuna, drained
- 1 ½ tbs Japanese mayo
- ½ tbs sriracha
- 1 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup white rice, cooked
- furikake
- drizzle Japanese mayo
- drizzle sriracha
- drizzle eel sauce
- 1 green onion, sliced
Serve with:
- roasted seaweed
- avocado, sliced
- cucumber, sliced
- eel sauce
- spicy mayo
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together tuna, Japanese mayo, sriracha, and cream cheese.
- In a small baking dish, layer rice, furikake, the tuna mixture, a drizzle of Japanese mayo, sriracha, and eel sauce.
- Bake or air fry at 400°F for 5 minutes until toasty.
- Top with green onions, serve with seaweed, avocado, cucumbers, eel sauce, spicy mayo, and enjoy!
