Keto Sushi? Try This Keto Spicy Tuna Roll

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Tired of pining away for the umami flavors of sushi? Sure, you can eat sashimi, but it’s just not the same as sushi and rice. It’s tempting to go out to eat, but you can stay in and make these keto sushi rolls like a pro in just minutes.

Made with healthy ingredients, you’ll enjoy the taste without breaking keto. This great keto sushi recipe is just what you need to feel satiated and full while still maintaining ketosis.

With only six ingredients and no more than 10 minutes of prep, you’ll be back to enjoying your favorite Japanese dish in no time. You can have these with sashimi and veggies as a main course or serve them as an appetizer.

So what ingredients are used in this sushi roll to make it keto-friendly? The low-carb rice substitute used in this keto recipe is none other than cauliflower rice. If you’re a sushi lover, you’ll want this quick, delicious dish in your low-carb recipe file.

Keto Sushi Roll Ingredients

This keto-friendly recipe uses simple yet healthy ingredients that will make you feel good and tantalize your taste buds. Here’s what you need to know about this keto sushi roll.

Cauliflower Rice

A one-cup serving of cauliflower rice contains about 25 total calories, including 2.5 grams of net carbs, 2.5 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, and no significant amount of fat[*]. These macronutrients are the perfect way to fill up without getting kicked out of ketosis.

Cauliflower makes great sushi rice because it works with so many flavors. The difference between cauliflower rice and regular rice is more evident when the cauliflower rice must stand alone.

Some keto recipes use cream cheese to bind the rice, but this one uses mayo since cheese is about the last thing you want to taste in your sushi.

Health Benefits of Nori

Another ingredient used in this recipe (and other traditional sushi dishes) is nori, a popular keto-friendly snack. Nori is an edible seaweed used in different Japanese recipes that can be eaten fresh or dried in the form of thin sheets.

It’s low in calories and cholesterol, and a good source of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B12, vitamin C, iron, calcium, zinc, folate, and other micronutrients[*].

With this spicy tuna keto sushi roll, there’s no longer a reason to deprive yourself of your favorite Japanese cuisine. Grab these ingredients and throw them together in under 10 minutes to create your favorite sushi roll.

What Is “Sushi-Grade” Fish?

If this is your first time making sushi at home, you may not be familiar with the term “sushi-grade” and what it means. When a fish is marked as sushi-grade, it generally means it’s of the highest quality and freshness the store has to offer.

While the designation is commonly used by stores, there aren’t any official standards for using the label. The only regulation is in regard to parasitic fish, like salmon. Possibly parasitic fish should be frozen to kill any parasites before you eat it raw.

You should know that just about any wild fish can have parasites. The fact they are so common is why precautions are taken to make sure no parasites have survived processing.

Flash-frozen, right on the boat, is the best choice since flash-freezing preserves both the freshness and texture of the fish. Because the fish didn’t travel before being frozen, it’s the absolute freshest you can get.

The next best is commercially-frozen fish. Commercial freezing kills parasites by holding the fish at -35°F or below for a minimum of 15 hours. A home freezer ranges between 0°F to 10°F, so yours may not be cold enough to get the job done. Even at -4°F, it could take up to seven days to kill any parasites.

Despite a sushi-grade label, you’ll still want to ask your store about their freezing methods and what their fish-handling practices are. Inspect the fish carefully. Fresh fish of good quality should only smell like the sea. The flesh shouldn’t be flaky or soft — it should have a firm texture and vibrant color that hasn’t been treated with any artificial coloring or additives.

It’s important to choose your store carefully as well. You want either a quality fish market or a grocer with a very high turnover in their fish case. It might seem like much ado about nothing, but it’s important to get the best quality you can when it comes to eating raw fish.

Choose Condiments Wisely

A tasty dip like wasabi, spicy mayo, or soy sauce can make all the difference for your sushi experience, but it can knock you out of ketosis if you don’t choose carefully. In your low-carb keto journey, you’ll find yourself substituting many things, but you don’t have to give up on taste.

If your chosen condiment is soy sauce, you can use coconut aminos instead. This sauce weighs in at just 1 gram of carbs. Coconut aminos, made from the sap of the coconut tree, have the umami of soy sauce without the soy. You may be surprised to learn the sap doesn’t taste like coconut. The flavor is very close to that of soy sauce, but a little sweeter and less salty. Adding a little salt won’t hurt anyway since you have a greater need for sodium on the keto diet.

Wasabi sauce has just 1 gram of carbs (depending on the brand), but the soybean oil and high fructose corn syrup content of many brands renders it a no-no on keto. To remedy this, you can whip up your own ketogenic wasabi sauce by whisking the following ingredients together in a small saucepan over low heat until thickened:

• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 1-2 teaspoons wasabi paste
• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
• Pinch of xanthan gum

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