Tuna Mayo Rice Bowl

By Eric Kim

Published June 22, 2022

Tuna Mayo Rice Bowl
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(6,384)
Comments
Read comments

This homey dish takes comforting canned tuna to richer, silkier heights. Mayonnaise helps to hold the tuna together and toasted sesame oil lends incomparable nuttiness. You can adjust the seasonings to your taste: Use as much or as little soy sauce as you’d like for a savory accent. You can lean into the nuttiness of this rice bowl by sowing the top with toasted sesame seeds, or amp up the savoriness with furikake or scallions. A staple of home cooking in Hawaii and South Korea (where it is sometimes called deopbap), this simple meal is a workday workhorse.

Featured in: Learn to Cook (and Love It) in 10 Easy Dishes

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:1 serving
  • 1(5-ounce) can tuna (preferably any variety stored in oil), well drained
  • 2tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • ½teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1cup cooked white rice (preferably short- or medium-grain)
  • Toasted white or black sesame seeds, furikake or chopped scallions, for topping (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

604 calories; 29 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 16 grams polyunsaturated fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 32 grams protein; 662 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, stir the tuna, mayonnaise, sesame oil and soy sauce to combine.

  2. Step 2

    Add the white rice to a bowl and spoon the tuna mixture on top. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, furikake or scallions, if using.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
6,384 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Christy

This is a favorite lunch go-to at our house. I add sriracha to the mayo mixture, add a little rice wine vinegar to the rice, and serve with sliced cucumber and avocado. Toasted nori strips are a great addition too, makes me feel like I’m eating sushi.

Caroline Ahn

This makes a wonderful and filling comfort bowl as is, but if you like kimchi please do yourself a favor and try mixing the tuna mayo with kimchi stir-fried in a bit of sesame oil (aka kimchi bokkeum)!

Figaro

Wonderfully easy for someone who is just sick of (55 years)cooking. IMO this could be eaten warm or room temperature; any rice will do.

Diane

I love this dish. For the ultimate in speed and ease, as someone else suggested, I sometimes use packaged cooked rice. It's also great with some coarsely chopped pickled ginger sprinkled over the top.

Lauren

Easy, tasty, customizable recipe that I make at least once a month. Sometimes I eat it with toasted nori as my utensil. Perfect lunch!

Karen MacnCheese

I add some sambal olek for kick, and use a bit more Kewpie mayonnaise, soy sauce and sesame oil than called for. I've used tuna in oil, tuna in water and just plain tuna packed with a bit of tuna juice, and I like the last one drained.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Credits

By Eric Kim

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.