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I LOVE cauliflower rice sushi… so I made them into one of my fave kinds – spicy tuna rolls! What I don’t love is the fact that many sushi restaurants use ingredients with nasty fillers, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Often times you can even find gluten lurking in naturally gluten-free ingredients. No, thanks! Fortunately, this paleo sushi recipe is gluten-free… and just as delicious as regular sushi.
When I first started eating a paleo diet, I thought I was done eating my coveted spicy tuna rolls. Of course, I’m not one to give up on my favorite foods, so this cauliflower sushi recipe was born. It meets all our sushi needs – no rice needed!
Sushi with cauliflower rice tastes just like regular sushi, only with much fewer carbs! I can’t wait to show you how to make cauliflower sushi without rice. The method is actually almost identical to making regular spicy tuna rolls, except these are grain-free.
What Are Spicy Tuna Rolls?
Spicy tuna rolls are typically made from tuna, rice, and vegetables wrapped in a sheet of nori.
With this paleo sushi recipe, we’ll skip the rice and use cauliflower rice instead. You might be thinking that rice is gluten-free and you’d be correct. However, making sushi with cauliflower rice keeps it both low carb and paleo friendly.
How To Make Sushi Rolls At Home
Don’t be intimidated by making paleo sushi rolls at home. It’s super simple!
The first step is to make the cauliflower rice. Preheat the oven and begin pulse pieces of cauliflower in your food processor until it looks like rice.
TIP: Cut up the pieces of cauliflower before putting them in the food processor, so it chops up easily and fast.
Spread the cauliflower rice on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil. Sprinkle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes. I usually try to stir it a couple of times, so it doesn’t burn.
Next, mince the tuna into small pieces and combine with mayonnaise, sriracha, and salt.
Thinly slice the cucumber into long thin strips. Slice up the avocado.
Now you’re ready to start assembling the cauliflower sushi. Lay a piece of nori out and cover with cauliflower rice, leaving a 1-inch gap furthest from you.
PRO TIP: I used a sushi roll mat because I like working with it. You could also use a towel if you don’t have a sushi mat on hand.
Lay down the nori, then spread a bit of rice over it and leave a 1 inch gap at the end farthest from you. Then, layer your toppings on the end closest to you like the picture below.
Finally, wet the end without rice with a bit of water and just use the mat or towel to roll it up.
TIP: The water step is important! It helps the nori sheet stick to itself when you roll it.
Now, you’re ready to slice into 6 or 8 pieces and dig in!
That wasn’t so hard, was it? Once you make cauliflower sushi a few times, you’ll be like an old pro… promise!
Is Cauliflower Sushi Healthy?
Yes, this recipe for cauliflower sushi is healthy. When you go to a restaurant and order sushi, you need to be careful because many of them have fillers, preservatives, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. This is why I prefer to make cauliflower rice sushi at home.
When I make homemade sushi with cauliflower rice, I know that there isn’t any gluten and the ingredients are paleo.
Do I Need To Use Fresh Or Frozen Tuna To Make Cauliflower Rice Sushi?
It’s important to use sushi grade tuna when making homemade cauliflower rice sushi. It should be frozen when you buy it and only thaw it once you’re just about to use it.
You might be thinking that sushi grade tuna shouldn’t be frozen. It’s supposed to be fresh right? Yes, but freezing the fish destroys parasites that may be in the meat. You want it to be frozen.
I want you to enjoy every bite of this paleo sushi recipe, not end up sick over it!
Sushi With Cauliflower Rice Variations
There’s all kind of variations you could do for this paleo sushi recipe. Here are some ideas:
- smoked salmon + cucumber + avocado
- buffalo chicken + celery + carrots
- shrimp + cucumber + asparagus
- fresh salmon + avocado
How Do You Store Spicy Tuna Rolls
Spicy tuna rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Like most sushi recipes, paleo sushi tastes best fresh or at least within 24 hours, but from a safety standpoint it’s fine for a few days.
More Paleo Main Dish Ideas
If you can’t get enough of this cauliflower sushi recipe, you should also try these other ideas:
- Easy Paleo Honey Sesame Chicken
- Spicy Paleo Kung Pao Chicken
- Paleo Shrimp Tom Kha Gai
Paleo Cauliflower Rice Sushi Rolls Recipe (Spicy Tuna Rolls):
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RECIPE CARD
Paleo Cauliflower Rice Sushi Rolls Recipe (Spicy Tuna Rolls)
Cauliflower rice sushi (that's sushi with cauliflower rice) is the low carb paleo sushi recipe you have been looking for! These easy spicy tuna rolls are the BEST paleo sushi alternative.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword Paleo Cauliflower Rice Sushi Rolls Recipe, Spicy Tuna Rolls
Calories 410 kcal
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Author Maya Krampf from WickedSpatula.com
Servings 2 servings
★ Review Print
Ingredients
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Cauliflower rice
- 1 head Cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- Sea salt (to taste)
Sushi filling
- 4 ounces Tuna (sashimi grade)
- 2 tablespoons Avocado mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha
- Sea salt (to taste)
- 1 small Cucumber
- 1/2 medium Avocado
- 2 sheets Nori
- Pickled ginger
- Wasabi
- Coconut aminos
Click to convert between US & metric measurements:
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
More TIPS about this paleo recipe in the post above!
Directions for the cauliflower "rice"
Preheat oven to 425°
Chop cauliflower into pieces small enough to fit into your food processor. Pulse for 2 seconds at a time until the cauliflower resembles rice.
Spread onto a aluminum foil lined baking sheet and spray with olive oil. You can also toss with the olive oil then spread it out evenly.
Toast in oven for 30 minutes, stirring about twice for even cooking.
Directions for the sushi
Mince the tuna and mix with mayonnaise, sriracha, and salt, to taste.
Thinly slice cucumber into long strips.
Slice avocado into slices.
Place a piece of nori onto your mat or towel and cover with the "rice" leaving a 1 inch gap at the end farthest from you.
Layer your toppings onto the end closest to you.
Using the mat or towel start to roll the sushi away from you.
Once rolled slice into 6 or 8 pieces and serve with coconut aminos, pickled ginger, and wasabi.
Recipe Notes
Serving Size:1/2 recipe (6 to 8 pieces)
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.
Calories 410
Fat 27g
Protein 20g
Total Carbs 27g
Net Carbs 15g
Fiber 12g
Sugar 9g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols (though the latter are rarely seen on this site), because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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