Easy Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice Salad
Meet my new hyper-fixation meal. Crispy rice, tuna, cucumber and avocado all tossed in a creamy, spicy dressing. Perfect for an easy, high-protein lunch or light dinner.
The crispy rice is the star here. Cooked rice seasoned and air fried until golden and crunchy, with Cape Herb &Spice Chilli Crunch seasoning giving it a spicy, savory depth that regular crispy rice doesn’t have. It adds the most delicious texture to the salad, making it a dish I crave every day. The whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes and most of that is the rice crisping in the air fryer while you prep everything else.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cooked rice (day-old is best). Cold, leftover rice crisps better than fresh because the drier grains get crunchier in the air fryer. Microwave rice is a great time-saving hack here.
- Soy sauce. Tossed through the rice before air frying. Adds saltiness, umami and helps the rice brown.
- Rice vinegar. A splash adds a subtle tang that balances the soy sauce.
- Cape Herb & Spice Chilli Crunch seasoning. I love this seasoning and use it often. If you can’t find it or a similar version, use chilli crisp/chilli crunch oil instead.
- Canned tuna. Drained well. Shredded chicken also works.
- English cucumber.
- Avocado.
- Mayo and Greek yogurt (half and half). The yogurt lightens the mayo and adds a subtle tang while keeping the dressing thick and creamy. Using half yogurt also bumps up the protein.
- Sriracha.
- Spring onions / green onions. To finish.
How to Make Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice Salad
- Season the rice. Toss the cold cooked rice with soy sauce, rice vinegar and a generous amount of Cape Herb & Spice chili crunch seasoning until evenly coated.
- Crisp the rice. Spread the seasoned rice in a thin, even layer on the air fryer tray. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking or stirring halfway, until golden, dry and crunchy. Keep an eye on it in the last few minutes as it goes from golden to burnt quickly. Let it cool for a minute. It crisps up further as it cools.
- Make the dressing. Mix equal parts mayo and Greek yogurt with sriracha to taste. Stir until smooth.
- Prep the salad. Drain the tuna. Slice the cucumber. Slice or cube the avocado. Slice the spring onions.
- Assemble. Arrange the cucumber and avocado on a plate or in a bowl. Add the tuna. Top with a generous handful of the crispy rice. Drizzle the sriracha dressing over everything. Finish with sliced spring onions.
- Eat immediately. The crispy rice loses its crunch as it sits so this is an assemble-and-eat-right-away salad.
How to Store
- This salad doesn’t store well assembled. The crispy rice softens, the avocado browns and the dressing makes everything soggy. Eat it fresh.
- The components store separately. The crispy rice keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days (it stays crunchy as long as it’s sealed). The dressing keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Make the rice and dressing ahead and assemble fresh when you’re ready to eat.
Servings: 4
Calories: 335kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chilli crunch seasoning or use chilli oil as substitute
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
For the salad
- 2 cans tuna packed in water/brine drained
- 1 English cucumber thinly sliced
- 2 avocados sliced or cubed
For the dressing
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2-3 tbsp sriracha
- 1-2 tsp chilli crunch seasoning optional
- 1 tsp honey
- salt to taste
To serve
- lemon juice to taste
- spring onion/green onion sliced
Instructions
- Toss cold cooked rice with soy sauce, rice vinegar and Cape Herb & Spice chili crunch seasoning.
- Spread in a thin layer in the air fryer basket lined with parchment paper. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 15 minutes, gently shaking halfway, until golden and crunchy.
- Mix equal parts mayo and Greek yogurt with sriracha to taste. Add honey and season with salt.
- Drain 2 cans of tuna. Slice the cucumber and avocado.
- Arrange cucumber and avocado on a plate. Add tuna. Top with crispy rice. Drizzle with sriracha dressing. Finish with sliced spring onions.
- Serve immediately .
Nutrition
Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 776mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!