How to make a tuna and avocado sushi hand roll at home

Sushi hand rolls are a great way to make lunch at school extra special, and with just a few ingredients and a little practice, kids can impress the cafeteria by making their own sushi roll at lunchtime.

While you can definitely pre-make the roll and simply wrap it in plastic wrap, older kids will love showing off their sushi-making skills to their friends at school.

Start by slicing a cucumber lengthwise. If the seeds are small like these, then you can leave them in. For larger seeds, scoop them out with a spoon.

Slice a spear from 1 of the halves (about 1/3 in width of the cucumber half). Trim if necessary so that it is about the same length as your piece of nori.

Mix the can of tuna with mayonnaise and Sriracha sauce. If your child doesn’t like spicy food, then skip the Sriracha sauce. I like to use Wild Planet tuna because it is sustainable and lower in mercury. You will only use 1/2 the tuna mix for a roll.

To pack a DIY sushi kit for your child, put cooked rice and the tuna into separate containers. You can add an avocado half for them to slice with a plastic knife, or pre-slice it for them, and place it in another container. A great way to keep the nori from getting torn or folded is to either keep it in the original packaging or place 1 sheet in a gallon-size zip-top bag and then inside a folder in their backpack.

To make the sushi, spread the rice in a very thin layer on the sheet of nori. There should be about a 1/2-inch border on 1 long side and a 1-inch border on the other long side.

Spread the tuna mix onto the rice, and then lay the cucumber spear along the closest rice edge.

Line up the avocado slices near the opposite edge of the rice. The slices will use up only 1/4 of the avocado, so the rest can be added as an extra snack with lunch.

Starting at the cucumber edge, carefully roll up the sushi. If your child has a water bottle, then adding a little water on the outside edge can help seal the seam.

The sushi roll can be left whole as 1 long roll, but our family prefers it cut in half to make easy-to-hold hand rolls. You can also pack a soy sauce packet or a small container of soy sauce for dipping.

DIY tuna and avocado sushi hand roll recipe

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 ounce) can tuna
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Up to 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (optional)
• 1/3 cup cooked sticky rice (short grain)
• 1 nori (seaweed) sheet
• 1 long cucumber spear (about 1/6 a cucumber)
• 4 thin avocado slices (about 1/4 an avocado)
• Soy sauce (optional)

Instructions:

1. Mix the tuna with the mayonnaise, and stir in the Sriracha sauce to taste.
2. Spread the rice in a very thin layer onto the sheet of nori. Leave about a 1/2-inch border on 1 long side and a 1-inch border on the other long side.
3. Spread the tuna mix onto the rice.
4. Lay the cucumber spear along the closest rice edge.
5. Line up the avocado slices along the opposite edge of the rice.
6. Starting at the cucumber edge, carefully roll up the sushi. Use a little water to seal the outer seam.
7. Cut in half if desired, and serve with soy sauce for dipping if you like.

More school lunch recipes

BLT wraps
Salad kebabs with dressing dip
Taco roll-ups