Last reviewed on 2026-09-25 by the Tartare.org editors.

Spicy Tuna Tartare on Crispy Rice

⏱ Prep: 40 min + 2 h chilling 🍽 Makes: 16 pieces 📊 Difficulty: Medium
Spicy tuna and avocado tartare on golden crispy rice cakes

Crispy rice is seasoned sushi rice pressed into a slab, chilled until firm, cut into bars and fried until the outside shatters while the inside stays soft and warm. Topped with cold, creamy spicy tuna and a slice of avocado, it is one of the most copied appetisers in modern sushi bars — and it is very manageable at home if you plan the rice a few hours (or a day) ahead. The contrast is the whole point: hot and crunchy underneath, cold and silky on top.

The topping comes from the original. The tuna here is our original Tuna & Avocado Tartare with a spicy mayo dressing borrowed from our spicy tuna tartare. If you would rather skip the frying, make the original and serve it with rice crackers.
Raw fish is not safe for everyone. Pregnant people, infants and young children, older adults, and anyone immunocompromised should avoid raw fish — for them, top the crispy rice with the avocado-only version below or with cooked, flaked salmon. Use whole-muscle tuna sold for raw use, keep it below 4°C/40°F until you top the rice, and eat it the same day. This is editorial guidance and does not replace your local food-safety rules. See our disclaimer and the complete food safety guide.

Instructions

  1. Cook the rice. Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs almost clear, drain well, then cook with the measured water in a rice cooker or covered pan (bring to a boil, then lowest heat for 15 minutes, then rest off the heat, covered, for 10 minutes).
  2. Season it. Warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Tip the hot rice into a wide bowl and cut the seasoning through with a spatula, fanning it as you go.
  3. Press it. Line an 8-inch (20cm) square pan with cling film. Press the warm rice in firmly and evenly, about 3/4 inch (2cm) thick, using a second sheet of film and the flat base of a glass or measuring cup. Compact it hard: loose rice falls apart in the oil.
  4. Chill it. Let it cool briefly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Cold, firm rice fries up crisper and holds its shape.
  5. Cut it. Lift the slab out, and with a wet knife cut into 16 bars of about 2 x 1 inch (5 x 2.5cm). Keep them chilled until frying.
  6. Make the spicy tuna. Firm the tuna in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, trim off bloodline and sinew, and cut into small 1/8- to 1/4-inch (3–5mm) dice. Whisk the mayonnaise, sriracha, soy, sesame oil and lime juice, then fold into the tuna with the scallion. Cover and keep in the coldest part of the fridge.
  7. Prepare the avocado. Slice the avocado thinly or dice it small, and squeeze over a little lime.
  8. Fry the rice. Heat about 1/4 inch (6mm) of oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 180°C/350°F). Fry the bars in batches, without crowding, for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack or paper towel and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
  9. Top and serve. Let the rice cool for a minute or two so it doesn't warm the fish, then top each bar with a slice or spoonful of avocado, a heaped spoonful of cold spicy tuna, a jalapeño slice and a few sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information (per piece, estimated)

Calories 135
Protein 5g
Fat 6g
Carbs 16g

Estimates only; the oil absorbed during frying varies widely with temperature and technique.

Avocado tartare crispy rice (and other toppings)

"Avocado tartare crispy rice" can mean two things, and both work on the same rice:

  • Tuna and avocado tartare on crispy rice. Instead of the spicy mayo, dress the diced tuna with the soy, sesame, rice vinegar and ginger dressing from the original tuna and avocado tartare, fold in small-diced avocado, and pile it on. It is fresher and lighter than the spicy version.
  • Avocado-only (vegan). Skip the fish entirely: dice two avocados, dress them with soy, lime, sesame oil, a little sriracha and scallion, and top the rice. Use a vegan mayo if you want the creamy texture. This is also the version to offer anyone who should avoid raw fish — see our avocado tartare.
  • Mango and soy reduction. Top with the tartare from our tuna mango tartare and a drizzle of its soy reduction.
  • Salmon or yellowtail. Swap in salmon or hamachi sold for raw use; see the best fish for tartare.

Air fryer or oven instead of frying. Brush the chilled bars all over with oil and cook at 200°C/400°F, turning once, until golden — roughly 12 to 18 minutes in an air fryer or 20 to 25 minutes on a hot oiled tray in the oven. They come out crisp but less shatteringly so than pan-fried.

Troubleshooting

  • Rice falls apart in the oil. It wasn't pressed hard enough or chilled long enough, or you used long-grain rice. Use short-grain sushi rice, compact it firmly and chill for at least 2 hours.
  • Greasy, pale rice. The oil was not hot enough, or the pan was crowded. Heat the oil until it shimmers and fry in small batches.
  • Oil spits violently. Surface moisture. Pat the bars dry before they go in, and lower them away from you.
  • Tuna turns warm and dull. The rice was topped straight out of the oil. Rest it a minute or two first, and keep the tuna in the fridge until the moment you top.

Make-ahead & storage

The rice slab is the make-ahead part. Cool the cooked rice quickly (spread out, not left in the warm pot), press it, and get it into the fridge within about an hour; cooked rice left warm for long periods can grow Bacillus cereus. Keep it covered in the fridge and fry within 24 hours. The tuna can be diced up to about two hours ahead and kept cold; dress it and cut the avocado shortly before serving. Fried rice bars are best within 15 minutes, and topped pieces should be eaten straight away — don't keep leftovers with raw tuna on them. More in our safe raw food preparation guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make spicy tuna on crispy rice?

Cook and season sushi rice, press it 3/4 inch (2cm) thick into a lined pan, chill for at least 2 hours, cut into bars and shallow-fry until golden on both sides. Top each bar with avocado and cold spicy tuna made from diced raw tuna, mayonnaise, sriracha, soy and sesame oil, and serve immediately.

What is avocado tartare crispy rice?

It is crispy fried sushi rice topped with an avocado tartare, either tuna and avocado tartare or a vegan avocado-only version dressed with soy, lime, sesame and chilli. Both use the same pressed and fried rice base.

Why does my crispy rice fall apart?

Usually the rice was not pressed firmly enough or not chilled long enough, or it was the wrong type. Use Japanese short-grain rice, compact it hard, and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, before cutting and frying.

Can I make crispy rice ahead of time?

You can cook, press and refrigerate the rice up to a day ahead. Fry it shortly before serving, and top it with the cold tuna only at the last moment. Don't keep topped leftovers.

Can I make it without deep-frying?

Yes. Shallow-frying in a quarter inch of oil is enough, or brush the bars with oil and cook them in an air fryer or hot oven at 200°C/400°F, turning once, until golden. The texture is slightly less crisp.

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