Crispy Rice Sushi Bites feature creamy spicy salmon (or tuna). Crispy, crunchy and so flavorful! Cook the crispy rice in the air fryer or on the stove. Then, top it with all your favorite toppings. The perfect appetizer for any occasion!
Let me introduce you to the magical little appetizer that has found its way into my heart.
✨ Crispy Rice Sushi ✨ 🍣 🍣 🍣
I just can’t get enough of the crunchy rice. Paired with some spicy sriracha salmon, creamy avocado and fresh cucumber. Every bite is like a flavor explosion! Tangy, spicy, crispy, crunchy. Basically perfection!
Crispy rice is an original dish from the Japanese restaurant Nobu. But, it has become TikTok famous recently. And for good reason.
I’m obsessed. And I can’t wait to share the recipe with you today.
The best part? You can make them in your air fryer! So much easier and healthier, than frying them on the stove!
Ingredients Needed
- Sushi Rice – Or any short grained rice. Long grain rice will not work (more info below).
- Smoked Salmon – The traditional version of this appetizer is made with spicy tuna, but I wasn’t able to find sushi-grade tuna in the store. So, I swapped in some smoked salmon and it was delicious! I have some other suggestions for swaps below (keep reading).
- Spicy Sriracha Sauce – You can make it as spicy as you’d like by adjusting the amount of sriracha. Half of the sauce gets mixed with the salmon, and half is reserved for drizzling over the top at the end. Easy peasy!
- Toppings – I like to top mine with cucumber, avocado, furikake, and serrano peppers, but you can use anything you like! Keep scrolling to check out the extensive list of topping ideas.
How to Make It
Make the Crispy Sushi Rice (Night Before Preferred)
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
- Cook rice with water and salt for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes. (Or cook rice in a rice cooker.)
- Season rice with rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil.
- Press cooked rice into an 8×8 pan or baking dish.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight (preferred).
- After the rice has chilled, cut it into rectangles.
- Tip: Wet your knife in between slices to prevent sticking. You can also use a cookie cutter to make rounds or squares.
Make the Spicy Salmon
- In a mixing cup, whisk together the mayo, sriracha, vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside half of the spicy sauce for drizzling at the end. Combine the other half with the salmon (or tuna) and stir gently to combine.
To Pan Fry
- Add oil to a large frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the rice pieces in the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Set aside on a baking rack.
To Air Fry
- Preheat air fryer to 390-degrees. Spray the basket with cooking spray and place the rice pieces in the basket. Cook for 8 minutes, then flip and cook 6-8 minutes longer until crispy.
To Assemble
- Add cucumbers and avocado on top of the crispy rice cakes. Then arrange the salmon mixture (or tuna) on top. Drizzle with remaining spicy mayo and garnish with jalapenos (or serrano), furikake (or sesame seeds), and green onion.
Substitutions
If you’re unable to find or sensitive to any of the ingredients listed, here are some helpful swaps:
- Sushi Rice – Use any short grain rice, sticky rice or calrose rice. Long grain rice will not work as it won’t hold together when frying.
- Mayonnaise – Use greek yogurt, sour cream, or traditional kewpie mayonnaise.
- Soy Sauce – Use tamari or coconut aminos.
- Sriracha – Use chili crisp, sweet chili sauce, or a bit of wasabi.
- Rice Vinegar – Standard white wine vinegar will work. You can also use lime juice or lemon juice.
- Make it Vegan or Vegetarian – Similar to my vegetarian sushi rolls, try swapping in tomatoes for the tuna (or salmon), or use tofu.
Can I Use Spicy Tuna Instead?
Absolutely! Who wouldn’t want spicy tuna crispy rice?! Be sure to look for sushi grade ahi tuna and use it the same day you buy it. When using raw tuna, you’ll want to chop it, then combine it with the spicy mayo mixture. You can also use cooked shrimp or crab.
Toppings
Try some of these toppings on top of your crispy rice bites:
- Cucumber
- Avocado
- Jalapeno or Serrano Pepper
- Radishes
- Tobiko (Fish Roe)
- Cilantro
- Furikake
- Sesame Seeds
- Green Onions or Chives
- Edamame (or Mashed Edamame)
- Pickled Red Onions
- MORE → 15+ sauces for sushi!
Wine Pairings
- Dry Riesling
- Grüner Veltliner
- Sparkling Wine
- Sake
- MORE → 8 wines that pair with sushi perfectly!
What to Serve with Them
Crispy rice sushi is best served as an appetizer before the meal and is perfect for getting your dinner guests excited for what’s to come. Follow it up with a vibrant menu:
- Blistered Shishito Peppers
- Kani Salad
- Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
- Sous Vide Salmon
- Thai Lettuce Wraps
- Udon Soup
- Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
Plus, be sure to check out these 30+ BEST Asian Side Dishes.
More Sushi-Inspired Recipes To Try
- Shrimp Sushi Bowls
- Poke Bowls
- Tuna Rice Bowl
- Salmon Sushi Bowls
- Vegetarian Sushi
- PLUS → 7+ Essential Types of Sushi to Try Out
Crispy Rice Sushi Bites
Ingredients
Rice:
- 2 cups sushi rice (or calrose rice)
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sugar (superfine preferred)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For Frying:
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Spicy Salmon:
- 8 ounces smoked salmon (thinly sliced or finely chopped (or 1/2 pound ahi tuna sushi grade finely chopped))
Creamy Sriracha Sauce:
- ¼ cup reduced fat mayonnaise
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
For Topping:
- 2-3 mini cucumbers (thinly sliced)
- 1-2 whole avocados (quartered, pit removed, then thin sliced (or mashed))
- Jalapeno or serrano pepper (sliced (optional))
- Furikake (or toasted sesame seeds (optional))
- Green onion (sliced)
Instructions
Make the Rice: (Night Before Preferred)
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
- Add water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Add salt and rice, then cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil.
- Pour this over the rice and stir to combine.
- Line an 8×8 pan with plastic wrap and use a rice paddle or the back of a spoon to press the rice into the pan. Focus on the corners in particular. The rice should be about ¾” thick. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight.
- After the rice has chilled, cut it into squares or rectangles.
Make the Spicy Salmon:
- In a mixing cup, whisk together the mayo, sriracha, vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside half this mixture for drizzling at the end. Combine the other half with the salmon (or tuna) and stir gently to combine.
To Pan Fry:
- Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the rice pieces in the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes per side. Beware that the pieces will splatter a bit from the moisture of the rice. You may need to work in batches, and you may need to add a bit more oil as they cook. Once golden and crispy, set aside on a baking rack.
To Air Fry:
- Preheat air fryer to 390-degrees. Spray the basket with cooking spray and place the rice pieces in the basket. Cook for 8 minutes, then flip and cook 6-8 minutes longer until golden and crispy.
To Assemble:
- Add cucumbers and avocado on top of the crispy rice pieces. Then arrange salmon (or tuna) on top. Drizzle with remaining spicy mayo and garnish with jalapenos (or serrano), furikake (or sesame seeds), and green onion.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
Check out the web story.
This post was originally published in 2022. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. The sushi bites recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
This recipe is absolutely delicious and definitely one of my new favorite dishes! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe, I will definitely be making it again and again. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Camila!