This Red Dragon Roll is a delicious and light appetizer or dinner preparation. This Red Dragon Roll recipe makes sushi at home is easier than you think!
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The red dragon rolls is one of my very favorite sushi recipes. Packed with all the good stuff: crab mix, shrimp tempura, cucumber and topped off with spicy mayo, thinly slices scallions and more spicy mayo – yes please!
If you love sushi, definitely check out this Spicy Kani Roll, Tobiko Sushi, Alaska Roll Sushi, Sweet Potato Sushi Roll and Vegetable Sushi!
Red dragon roll sushi has also served as inspiration for other dragon roll sushi varities such as the green dragon roll, black dragon roll, golden dragon roll, fire dragon roll and crazy dragon roll. Whew! That is a lot of dragons!
Why this recipe works
- This red dragon roll packs all of your favorite sushi elements such as crab mix, shrimp tempura and spicy tuna!
- This is a more advanced sushi recipe that is absolutely beautiful for a dinner party and will be sure to impress your friends and family.
- You can make this red dragon roll recipe can be made with Instant Pot Sushi Rice which speeds up the process!
Ingredients to make red dragon roll
Sushi Rice
Rice: You will want to use a short grain (Japanese rice) or medium grain (California) rice. Some excellent sushi rice brands are: Lundberg Organic California Sushi Rice, Botan Calrose Rice or Nishiki Premium Grade Rice.
Seasoned Rice Vinegar: I recommend seasoned rice wine vinegar. Marukan Seasoned Rice Vinegar and Nakano Seasoned Rice Vinegar are both good choices and are often found in the Asian or vinegar/salad dressing section of most grocery stores. Many grocery stores also carry a store brand version of rice vinegar (ex: target).
Water
Salt
Red Dragon Roll
Nori Seaweed Paper: You can buy nori sheets at most grocery stores in the Asian section. You can also find a large variety of roasted nori seaweed sheets on Amazon.
Sushi-Grade Ahi Tuna: You will want to be sure to purchase sushi grade ahi tuna to make your red dragon roll. This can be purchased directly from many sushi restaurants.
You can also check with your local grocery store. Here in Arizona, I purchase my sushi grade fish from AJ’s Fine Foods at the sushi counter.
Imitation Crab Meat (Sticks): Also called kanikama, surimi seafood, krab, crab sticks or kamaboko.
Mayonnaise: You can use any brand of mayo at the grocery store. You can also buy specialty Kewpie Mayo if you prefer.
Sriracha: You can buy sriracha online or in the Asian section of most grocery stores. Huy Fong Sriracha is one of the more common brands.
Cucumber: Regular or English cucumber cut into matchsticks.
Shrimp Tempura: I recommend Kikkoman Mix Tempura Batter and use the recipe on the box to make my shrimp tempura. It is easy and turns out delicious!
Scallions (thinly sliced)
Pickled ginger (optional): If you would like to make your own, you can head over to my Quick Pickled Vegetables recipe which works great to make pickled ginger.
You can also buy pink pickled ginger or white pickled ginger on Amazon or at most local supermarkets in the Asian section.
Wasabi (optional): While can buy pre-made wasabi paste and many grocery stores or online, if you want to know how to make wasabi, I would recommend that you buy wasabi powder.
Personally, I think that wasabi made with wasabi powder tastes fresher and more potent. Wasabi is super easy to make!
Optional Sauces and Toppings
- Spicy Sriracha Mayo
- Bang Bang Sauce: Easy recipe. Who doesn’t like sweet and spicy!
- Eel Sauce: My homemade recipe for eel sauce is super easy!
- White or black sesame seeds
How to make red dragon roll sushi
How to make sushi rice
Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer to remove excess starch (water should run clean). Shake off excess water.
Add rinsed rice and salt to instant pot. Add water. Add 1 teaspoon salt.
Cook on instant pot high pressure setting for 6 minutes (with full natural release).
Transfer rice to bowl. Add rice vinegar evenly over rice.
Gently fold rice to incorporate rice vinegar, be careful not to smash rice.
Make Spicy Mayonnaise (Spicy Mayo)
Mix mayonnaise and sriracha. Separate into two equal portions.
Make Spicy Tuna Mix
Finely dice your sushi-grade ahi tuna.
Mix ahi tuna with 2nd portion of spicy mayo.
Make Crab Mix
Shred imitation crab meat (also called, surimi seafood, krab, crab sticks or kamaboko).
Mix imitation crab meat with 2nd portion of spicy mayo.
How to Make Red Dragon Roll
Cover a bamboo sushi rolling mat with plastic wrap.
Place a sheet of nori on the mat.
Dip hands in water and clap to remove excess water. It helps to keep small bowl of water near you and a towel.
Spread a layer of rice across the nori. You will use about 1 cup cooked rice per full nori sheet.
Spread rice over whole surface of nori (no gap). Lay slices of salmon evenly over half.
Flip nori over (rice/salmon side down, nori up).
Place 2 tablespoon crab mix, 2-3 pieces Japanese shrimp tempura and 3-4 thin cucumber strips lengthwise in a strip across the rice. Placement should be about 1 inch or so from the bottom of the rice paper. Be careful not to put too many or sushi roll will not close well.
Use bamboo mat to lift edges up and over filling. Use fingers to tuck roll.
Tuck mat tightly into roll shape so only nori with no rice is exposed, pull back and tighten.
Move mat and shape roll, repeat squeeze and shape.
Slice and wipe with wet towel after each slice to prevent knife from getting too sticky.
Cut in half and then each half into 3 segments.
Top red dragon sushi (sometimes called pink dragon roll) with spicy tuna, thinly sliced scallions and extra spicy mayo drizzle or fried onions (optional). You can serve these sushi rolls with avocado on the side if desired.
***Food Safety: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.
Check with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or appropriate regulatory agency regarding food safety recommendations.
Leftovers and Storage: Eat immediately. Do not store. Shrimp tempura roll will get soggy.
FAQ and expert tips
A red dragon roll is filled with crab mix, shrimp tempura, cucumber and topped with spicy tuna mix and thinly sliced scallions.
The filling of a red dragon roll is crab mix (cooked), shrimp tempura (cooked) and cucumber. The red dragon roll is topped with spicy tuna which is not cooked (sushi grade raw ahi tuna and spicy mayo).
A fire dragon roll is filled with crab mix, shrimp tempura, cucumber and topped with spicy tuna mix, flying fish roe and thinly sliced scallions.
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Red Dragon Roll
Equipment
- Instant pot (sushi rice), bamboo sushi mat, plastic wrap
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 1 cup small or medium grain white rice
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp water
- 2 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Red Dragon Roll
- 1 sheet nori (seaweed paper)
- 4 oz Sushi-Grade Ahi Tuna
- ¼ cup imitation crab meat (also called, surimi seafood, krab, crab sticks or kamaboko)
- 4 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon sriracha
- 2-3 slices cucumber (cut into matchsticks)
- 2-3 pieces shrimp tempura
- 1 tablespoon scallions (thinly sliced)
- pickled ginger (optional)
- wasabi (optional)
Optional Sauces and Toppings
- spicy sriracha mayo
- bang bang sauce
- eel sauce
- white or black sesame seeds
Instructions
How to make sushi rice
- Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer to remove excess starch (water should run clean). Shake off excess water.
- Add rinsed rice and salt to instant pot. Add water. Add 1 teaspoon salt.
- Cook on instant pot high pressure setting for 6 minutes (with full natural release).
- Transfer rice to bowl. Add rice vinegar evenly over rice.
- Gently fold rice to incorporate rice vinegar, be careful not to smash rice.
Make Spicy Mayonnaise (Spicy Mayo)
- Mix mayonnaise and sriracha. Separate into two equal portions.
Make Spicy Tuna Mix
- Finely dice your sushi-grade ahi tuna.
- Mix ahi tuna with 2nd portion of spicy mayo.
Make Crab Mix
- Shred imitation crab meat (also called, surimi seafood, krab, crab sticks or kamaboko).
- Mix imitation crab meat with 2nd portion of spicy mayo.
How to Make Red Dragon Roll
- Cover a bamboo sushi rolling mat with plastic wrap.
- Place a sheet of nori on the mat.
- Dip hands in water and clap to remove excess water. It helps to keep small bowl of water near you and a towel.
- Spread a layer of rice across the nori. You will use about 1 cup cooked rice per full nori sheet.
- Spread rice over whole surface of nori (no gap). Lay slices of salmon evenly over half.
- Flip nori over (rice/salmon side down, nori up).
- Place 2 tablespoon crab mix, 2-3 pieces shrimp tempura and 3-4 thin cucumber strips lengthwise in a strip across the rice. Placement should be about 1 inch or so from the bottom of the rice paper. Be careful not to put too many or sushi roll will not close well.
- Use bamboo mat to lift edges up and over filling. Use fingers to tuck roll.
- Tuck mat tightly into roll shape so only nori with no rice is exposed, pull back and tighten.
- Move mat and shape roll, repeat squeeze and shape.
- Slice and wipe with wet towel after each slice to prevent knife from getting too sticky.
- Cut in half and then each half into 3 segments.
- Top with spicy tuna, thinly sliced scallions and extra spicy mayo drizzle (optional).
Notes
- ***Food Safety: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness. Check with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or appropriate regulatory agency regarding food safety recommendations.
- Leftovers and Storage: Eat immediately. Do not store.
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