I visited Nobu in Malibu a few months back, and I had the opportunity to try their crispy rice dish, which after my first bite I was blown away at how delicious it was. It was crispy, full of flavor and just the most delightful thing I’ve ever had. After finishing my $11 piece of crispy rice I told myself that I would remake it.

I put it off for a few months only because I thought that it was going to bed hard, but to my surprise it was actually so much easier than I thought it would be. This recipe is a simple three step process and comes together in about 45 minutes, start to finish.

Once you give this recipe a try, snap a photo and tag me over on Instagram! I love seeing your re-creations! Please consider leaving a comment + rating below, it helps with my business so much.

Ingredients in crispy rice

This recipe involves making two recipes, the spicy tuna and the crispy rice. We will make them separately then combine them together.

sushi rice or short grain rice. I was able to find some at my local Ralphs, but I think you can find it at Walmart or most grocery stores. The brand that I used is Nishiki and it was just a few dollars, it’s important that you use a short or medium grain rice versus a long grain rice so that way the crispy rice will hold it’s shape and not fall apart.

spicy mayo– you can make your own by combining mayo and sriracha, or you can use a pre-made version. For this recipe I used spicy mayo from Better Body Foods.

mashed avocado– ripe avocado seasoned with salt and pepper

smoked tuna– you can also use a sushi grade raw tuna, but to make things really easy I used the smoked tuna from Trader Joes.

fresh jalapenos and cilantro for topping

How to make crispy rice cakes

To my surprise, this recipe was so much easier to make than I thought it would be. There’s a two step process, and a little down time while you wait for the rice to harden in the fridge/freezer. But from start to finish, you’ll be eating these delicious crispy rice cakes in a little over an hour.

Start by making your sushi rice according to package. I first rinsed mine, then cooked the rice in water until it was absorbed. I let it cool slightly before adding in my avocado oil and sugar.

Prepare an 8×8 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper. Then, once the rice has cooled, add it to a large mixing bowl and add in the avocado oil and cane sugar. Mix with a spoon or fork until ingredients are well incorporated.

Next add the sushi mixture to the prepared 8×8 pan and using a separate piece of parchment paper press down until the rice is evenly distributed and in a even layer. Place the rice in the freezer for 20 minutes to cool down and harden.

Remove the rice from the freezer and remove from the pan. Using a knife, cut the rice into squares. In the meantime, head avocado oil over medium to low heat. Once hot, add in the rice and let cook on both side until golden brown, about 2-4 minutes each side.

Add the crispy rice to a plate and using a paper towel wipe off any access oil. In the meantime, prepare your toppings.

Mash a ripe avocado and season with salt and pepper. Then, finely chopped the smoked tuna and add to a small mixing bowl. Add in the spicy mayo and season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.

Now it’s time to assemble. First, add the mashed avocado to the rice and layer it with the smoked tuna mixture. Top it off with a fresh jalapeño slice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. That’s it, enjoy warm!

Other appetizer recipes to try:

• cauliflower wings
• air fried french fries
• the best hummus recipe
• air fried sweet potatoes