Crispy rice with spicy tuna (Nobu copycat)

Recipe video above. A shameless copycat of a signature Nobu restaurant appetiser - crispy rice cakes with tuna or salmon in a creamy spicy dressing. Easy to make at a fraction of the cost - they charge $30 for a minuscule serving! Serve as a canapé, starter for dinner or as a main with an Asian side salad or smashed cucumbers.The original uses raw tuna but I've also created a canned tuna version - think, sushi roll filling.

Prep time: PT30M

Cook time: PT20M

Rating

4.92 stars (12 reviews)

Keywords

crispy rice cakes, crispy rice finger food, nobu recipe, tuna canape

Ingredients

1 batch crispy rice cakes ((15 pieces))
ONE topping of choice (below) - Nobu sashimi tuna or canned tuna
1 avocado (, cut into small thin slices (or make avocado sauce))
15 jalapeño slices (, thin, optional garnish)
1/2 tsp black sesame seeds (, for garnish)
225g / 7oz sashimi grade tuna (, or salmon (Note 1))
1 tbsp sriracha (, adjust spiciness to taste (Note 2))
4 tsp kewpie mayonnaise ((Note 3))
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp cooking salt
2 tbsp finely chopped green onion
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1/2 tsp black sesame seeds (, divided)
360g/12oz canned tuna in oil (, drained (Note 4))
3 tbsp sriracha ((Note 2))
4 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise ((Note 3))
1 tbsp lemon juice ((sub rice vinegar))
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
2 tsp white sesame seeds (, optional)
1 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds (, divided)

Cuisine

Asian
Modern Asian

Steps

Start the rice the day before or first thing in the morning - it needs minimum 4 hours to chill.
Make the toppings first, then refrigerate while you cook the crispy rice cakes.
Cook the crispy rice cakes and sprinkle with salt per the recipe.
Assemble - Place rice cakes on a serving platter. Pile on toppings - I use teaspoons to make football shapes then slide on. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds, top with jalapeño. Eat!
Nobu spicy tuna topping:
- Freeze to firm - Place tuna in the freezer for 30 minutes to partially freeze - it's much easier to finely chop when slightly firm.
- Cut into 0.5cm / 1/2" cubes - the smaller the better! Place into a bowl and let it de-chill for 20 minutes (not as nice ice-cold).
- Mix - Add everything into the tuna and mix until combined.
Creamy canned tuna (sushi-roll filling style):
- Place tuna in a bowl and use a fork to mash it up really finely. Add everything else and mix well.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 119 kcal
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Trans Fat: 0.001 g
Cholesterol: 6 mg
Sodium: 161 mg
Sugar: 0.4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 3 g

Reviews

CK on 2026-03-11 (5 stars):
Made it as instructed and it was delicious. Struggled with first batch of rice cakes - turns out higher heat is better to keep them intact. BUT the messy rice pancake produced first up ended up being tastier (more Maillard reaction I guess!) Squeezed a bit of lemon juice over the tuna mix and felt it benefited from the fresh hit. Will make again once I've recovered from those rice cakes!!
Miya K. on 2026-02-08 (5 stars):
Wooooowww. This was an absolute HIT at our house. I made is exactly as is, and it was amazing - to both the eyes and the tastebuds! I love the crunch of the crispy rice cakes! Adults preferred the raw tuna version, and kids liked the canned tuna. This one is a keeper, and will impress anyone lucky enough to partake! A+
Angela on 2025-05-04 (4 stars):
Made with sashimi grade salmon and loved the salmon mixed!! So yummy! We made the rice cakes exactly to the recipe and cooked for 4mins per side but came out so crispy it was almost rock hard! Ended up serving with puffed rice paper instead to make sure nobody chipped a tooth!
Elly on 2025-02-06 (5 stars):
Made the topping with canned tuna. It was a winner! Especially for my teen who's never keen on canned tuna due to the fishy aftertaste. I've made it a few times upon her request. She said she'll never get tired of it ;) Awesome, Nagi.
hannah on 2025-01-29 (5 stars):
these are unbelievable. it seems complex but it’s definitely not. one of my fav recipes ever
Belle on 2024-05-23 (5 stars):
For those of you wondering if you can pre-make these, I made these the night before for morning tea. Just a note I didn't serve the rice cakes with the tuna on top, but left it on the side for people to have as much or as little as they wanted. I popped the rice cakes in a sandwich press before serving which worked, but I could’ve left them for longer so they were hot or gone in the oven to crisp back up. Mine were a hit so I believe whichever way you take would work. They certainly weren’t AS good as they were the night before, but they were still yum. I just had a couple a few hours after morning tea and there were soft, so the sandwich press worked a treat. Also, I didn’t fry them I sprayed them with olive oil and stuck them in the oven for an hour at 180*C (opening it once and respraying when they looked a bit dry). I didn’t use sushi rice either. Considering all these factors I was pleasantly surprised it worked well
Bec W on 2023-12-17 (5 stars):
Amazingly simple, yet such a crowd pleaser! I made the tuna mix ahead and stored in the fridge for a few hours before guests arrived. I wasn’t organised enough to make the crispy rice, so served on puffed rice paper, cooked in oil like Poppodoms. Massive hit and so delicious!
Jo Mo on 2023-11-23 (5 stars):
This is off the charts fantastic! My hubby caught a bunch of albacore this year, so I have tried some new recipes and this is the clear winner. The crispy rice craker (not a rice-cake, not a cracker... a craker) is such a great platform for the spicy tuna. Will definitely make again! Thanks for another winner. Hugs to you and Dozer too. xoxo
brian on 2023-11-03 (5 stars):
So yummy. Thank you for sharing this.
Cheryl C on 2023-07-04 (5 stars):
What a memorable evening making this incredible dish! It was a fun project to work on together, and the finished product was gorgeous and delicious. Thank you for this recipe. Nagi, you’ve done it again!