Paleo hack: Spicy tuna sushi roll with cauliflower ‘rice’

These spicy tuna rolls are made with faux rice. Can you tell what it is?

It’s cauliflower rice, but you would hardly know it, because this “rice” is so similar to sticky rice in texture. What an amazing way to get your veggies in for the day. These spicy tuna rolls are so good that you may even forget they’re not made with rice.

It’s helpful when making sushi rolls to have a bamboo mat (or roller). I found a number of different types at a local Asian market, and they’re fairly inexpensive too. It’s recommended that the mat be wrapped in plastic wrap. I added a little bit of tape on the back of mine to keep the plastic wrap tight.

To start, to a food processor, add cauliflower florets, and mix on the grind option. Mix until the cauliflower is in a granulated form. Heat a large skillet on medium heat, and add the coconut oil. Then add the cauliflower, sesame oil and a little bit of honey and salt. Let the cauliflower cook until tender (about 5 minutes). Remove it from the skillet, and let it cool.

While the cauliflower is cooling, cut the sushi-grade ahi tuna into small cubes. Try to handle the meat as little as possible so that it stays cool.

To a medium-size bowl, add the tuna. In a separate, small bowl, whisk together the spicy sauce ingredients.

As an option, Sriracha sauce can also be added to the sauce. Add the spicy sauce to the tuna.

Stir, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in the fridge.

Next, cut the avocado in about 1/2-inch-thick slices, and set them aside for just a moment.

On top of the sushi mat, add a sheet of nori (seaweed). Spread the cauliflower-rice on top of the nori, leaving about 1 inch of free space at the top edge (the edge farthest from you).

Press the cauliflower-rice onto the nori, and shape it into a square.

On the side of nori that’s closest to you, starting about 1-1/2 inches inside the cauliflower-rice square, add a row of tuna from the left to the right side.

Add a row of avocado right next to the tuna, toward the middle of the cauliflower-rice.

Gently lift up the side of the bamboo mat that is closest to you, and wrap it around the tuna and avocado in the shape of a roll. Carefully tighten the roll by squeezing the bamboo roller slightly. Next, gently lift up the bamboo roller from the top of the sushi roll and, using the middle of the bamboo roller, repeat the rolling process.

After the second roll, the sushi should be rolled up completely or very close to the top edge of the nori.

Using a clean, sharp knife, cut the sushi roll in half widthwise.

Try not to “saw” back and forth when cutting the roll. Just make 1 cut from top to bottom.

Then cut each half of the sushi roll in half, and set each piece upright, with the prettiest side facing up.

As an option, mix a small amount of mayonnaise with Sriracha sauce, and add a dab of the mixture to the top of each piece of sushi. (Omit mayo or make homemade to keep the recipe paleo.)

Garnish with black sesame seeds.

Serve right away with ginger, wasabi and/or coconut aminos (paleo version of soy sauce) for dipping.

Paleo spicy tuna avocado sushi roll recipe

Paleo spicy tuna sushi rolls made with cauliflower rice and avocado make a wonderful light meal, snack or appetizer. Note: To keep this recipe paleo, leave the mayonnaise-Sriracha sauce garnish off, or make homemade mayonnaise and omit Sriracha sauce.

Serves 2

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the cauliflower rice

1 small head cauliflower, florets only
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 drops sesame oil
3 light drizzles honey

For the spicy sauce

13 drops fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon honey
3 dashes kosher salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 drops sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon peeled and finely diced ginger
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (optional)

For the tuna roll

Wild-caught, sushi-grade ahi tuna filet (.3 pound)
Spicy sauce
2 sheets nori (seaweed)
Cauliflower rice
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced (1/2-inch-thick slices)
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds, for garnish
1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixed with 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

For the cauliflower rice

To a food processor, add the cauliflower florets, and mix on the grind option.
Mix until the cauliflower is in a granulated form.
Heat a large skillet on medium heat, and add the coconut oil. Then add the cauliflower, sesame oil and a little bit of honey and salt. Let the cauliflower cook until tender (about 5 minutes). Remove from the skillet, and let cool.

For the spicy sauce

Whisk together all the ingredients.

For the tuna roll

While the cauliflower is cooling, cut the sushi-grade ahi tuna into small cubes. Try to handle the meat as little as possible so that it stays cool.
To a medium-size bowl, add the tuna and the spicy sauce. Stir, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in the fridge.
On top of the bamboo sushi mat that is covered in plastic, add a sheet of nori.
Spread the cauliflower-rice on top of the nori, leaving about 1 inch of free space by the top edge (the edge farthest from you).
Press the cauliflower-rice onto the nori, and shape it into a square.
On the side of nori that’s closest to you, starting about 1-1/2 inches inside the cauliflower-rice square, add a row of tuna from the left to the right side.
Add a row of avocado right next to the tuna, toward the middle of the cauliflower-rice.
Gently lift up the side of the bamboo mat that is closest to you, and wrap it around the tuna and avocado in the shape of a roll. Carefully tighten the roll by squeezing the bamboo roller slightly.
Gently lift up the bamboo roller from the top of the sushi roll and, using the middle of the bamboo roller, repeat the rolling process.
After the second roll, the sushi should be rolled up completely or very close to the top edge of the nori.
Using a clean, sharp knife, cut the sushi roll in half widthwise. Try not to “saw” back and forth when cutting the roll. Just make 1 cut from top to bottom.
Then cut each half of the sushi roll in half, and set each piece upright, with the prettiest side facing up.
As an option, mix a small amount of mayonnaise with Sriracha sauce, and add a dab of the mixture to the top of each piece of sushi. Garnish with black sesame seeds.
Serve right away with ginger, wasabi and/or coconut aminos (paleo version of soy sauce) for dipping.