How to Make Affordable Sushi At Home

For the last ten days I have been exploring the food scene of the Northwoods of Wisconsin and the Western U.P. of Michigan.

It has been a wonderfully delicious adventure filled with many culinary delights… except for one:

Sushi

We’ve come a long way from the days where many Americans would recoil at the idea of raw fish. These days, you can find high quality sushi restaurants in any state in the country.

You still can’t find sushi in every part of every state, however. And while the Northwoods is a secret foodie paradise, sushi is one of the few delicacies they seem to lack.

I, of course, came home from this magical trip craving the one thing I couldn’t get.

Not in the mood to go out and never in the mood to spend a lot of money on any kind of food that I am able to prepare myself, I decided to make my famous Poor Man’s Sushi” at home.

If you have followed along with me for a while you may know that I am an Aldi USA fanatic.

If you haven’t, now you know.

Aldi is one of the top five grocery stores I frequent and they are an instrumental part of this recipe.

A couple of years ago I discovered that they sell a frozen Ahi Tuna package for less than $6 that is perfect for making this recipe. The package comes with three frozen Ahi Tuna steaks that make enough for three servings for this particular recipe.

I also LOVE that it is certified sustainable seafood.

This tuna coupled with a few other items found at Aldi and some ingredients I have on hand in my pantry make this dish simple and affordable.

I laid out what I used and specified what I purchased at Aldi and what I already had in my pantry.

Ingredients

*Purchased At Aldi

**Pantry Items

• 1 Package of Ahi Tuna Steaks, Thawed*
• 1/4 C of Good Quality Soy Sauce**
• 1/4 C of Rice Wine Vinegar**
• 4 T Toasted Sesame Oil**
• 2 T Toasted Sesame Seeds**
• 4 Green Onions, Sliced Thinly On An Angle*
• 1 Mango, Cubed*
• 6 to 8 Cilantro Leaves*
• 1 Seedless Cucumber, Sliced Thin*
• 2 Jalapeños, Sliced Thin*
• 1 C of Good Quality Rice, Cooked According To Package Instructions**

Pro Tip: I make a trip every so often to the Asian Market to keep pantry items on hand like rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and rice. You can also purchase these items on Amazon if you do not have access to an Asian market. 

I usually don’t have time to make “real” sushi, nor do I want to deal with the mess.

That’s why I came up with the idea of making DIY Sushi Bowls as a fun way to enjoy all the flavors of sushi without all the fuss.

Here is what you need to do:

1. In the bottom of your bowl, place a couple of spoonfuls of your cooked, cooled rice.
2. Sprinkle a few teaspoons of rice wine vinegar over the rice and give it a stir.
3. Take your tuna steaks and cut them into bite sized cubes, place them in a bowl, and toss them with a little bit of soy sauce, some sesame oil, a little rice wine vinegar, and some sesame seeds.
4. Give the bowl of tuna a good stir and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
5. Place your tuna after it marinates on top of the rice and pour the remaining marinade over the top.
6. To each bowl, add some cilantro, mango, cucumber, green onions, and jalapeños.
7. Sprinkle a bit of sesame oil over the top of the tuna and veggies and give it another sprinkle of sesame seeds.

That’s It! You’re ready to eat!

I serve this buffet style sometimes and add in more toppings like crunchy fried onions, other veggies and fruits, avocados, and more. Then I let people choose their own toppings!

Pro Tip: Don’t let the tuna marinate for more than 15 to 20 minutes. It will start to “cure” and just taste icky!

This entire recipe took about 15 Minutes to prepare and cost me around $14!

It definitely cured my craving for sushi and didn’t break the bank.

It can also be altered to fit any low carb/no carb lifestyle. You can sub in salad leaves, seaweed, brown rice, or cauliflower rice to make your meal more keto friendly.

This is a fantastic, affordable, easy meal! I hope you enjoy!

Enjoy and be sure to follow me on Facebook & Instagram for more recipes and tips!

***DISCLAIMER – Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have a medical condition.

Looking for another great Tipsy Tuesday Tip? Learn how to make the perfect sandwich now!