Dynamite Roll
intro
Creamy, spicy, crispy fusion sushi roll loaded with tender seafood, zesty dynamite sauce, and fresh veggies for a bold, restaurant-worthy at-home bite.
Ingredients
Steps
Cook Sushi Rice
Rinse 300g short-grain sushi rice under cold running water until the water runs completely clear, then combine with 360ml water in a rice cooker. Cook on the standard white rice setting (approximately 15 minutes). Once cooked, transfer rice to a wide wooden bowl, gently fold in 60ml rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly coated. Let rice cool to 35°C (95°F, slightly warm to the touch) before using; do not refrigerate, as cold rice becomes hard and dry.
Fry Tempura Shrimp
Heat 500ml neutral canola oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pot to 180°C (350°F), measured with a candy thermometer. Whisk 100g tempura batter mix with 120ml ice-cold sparkling water until just combined (small lumps are normal; do not overmix). Dip each peeled shrimp fully in batter, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry for 2.5 minutes per side until light golden and crispy, then transfer to a wire rack to drain for 2 minutes; do not pat dry with paper towels, as this removes the crisp outer batter layer.
Mix Dynamite Sauce
In a small bowl, combine 80ml Kewpie mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sriracha, all 120g shredded crab meat, and 25g (5 teaspoons) masago, reserving the remaining 5g (1 teaspoon) masago for final garnish. Stir until fully mixed, then set aside 1/3 of the sauce (approximately 75g) for roll filling, leaving the remaining 2/3 (approximately 150g) for topping. Taste and add extra sriracha if more heat is preferred, but keep the base ratio for a balanced creamy-spicy flavor.
Roll Sushi Maki
Lay one full nori sheet shiny-side down on a bamboo sushi mat covered in plastic wrap. Spread 1/4 of the cooled seasoned rice evenly over the bottom 2/3 of the nori, leaving a 2cm bare strip at the top edge to seal the roll. Sprinkle the rice with 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds. Across the center of the rice, lay 2 tempura shrimp, 2-3 cucumber matchsticks, 2 avocado wedges, and a 1 tablespoon line of the reserved dynamite sauce filling. Roll tightly from the bottom, using the mat to press firmly into a 20cm long log, dabbing the bare nori strip with a tiny bit of water to seal. Repeat for all 4 rolls.
Broil Roll Toppings
Place all 4 sealed rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the remaining dynamite sauce evenly over the top of each roll, covering the top surface fully. Turn the oven broiler to high (260°C / 500°F), place the baking sheet on the top rack 15cm (6 inches) from the heating element. Broil for 1.5 to 2 minutes, watching extremely closely, until the sauce bubbles and just starts to develop light golden caramelized spots; do not let the sauce burn. Remove from oven immediately.
Slice and Serve
Let broiled rolls rest for 1 minute, then use a sharp, wet knife to cut each roll into 8 equal 2.5cm (1 inch) thick pieces, wiping the knife blade with a wet cloth between cuts for clean, smooth slices. Arrange pieces on a serving platter, sprinkle with the remaining toasted sesame seeds and reserved masago, and serve immediately with pickled ginger, soy sauce, and wasabi on the side if desired.
Tips
2.Keep your hands lightly damp with cool water when handling sushi rice to prevent sticking; dry hands will cause rice to clump and tear delicate nori sheets as you roll.
3.Never leave the oven unattended while broiling the dynamite topping: the high heat can burn the creamy sauce in as little as 10 seconds once it starts bubbling, so watch closely for light golden spots.
OMG this dynamite roll was a total game changer for our weekly family sushi night! I was nervous about the medium difficulty since I’m pretty new to rolling sushi, but the steps were so clear. The spicy mayo and baked scallop topping? *Chef’s kiss* My kids went back for seconds before I even sat down!
Brought these to my neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and people were begging me for the recipe! I added a little extra sriracha to the dynamite sauce because my crew loves extra heat, and they were gone in 10 minutes flat. SO good.
Made a double batch on Sunday for meal prep and they held up great in the fridge for 3 days! I skipped the tempura crunch on the ones I saved for later so they didn’t get soggy, and added it right before eating. 10/10 will be in my regular rotation.
How tight do I need to roll these? My first two came out totally lopsided and all the filling fell out when I cut them 😅 I’m this close to giving up and just ordering takeout.
Told my kids we were having dynamite rolls for dinner and they thought we were eating actual dynamite. Joke was on them when they ate 3 rolls each and asked when we can make them again. 10/10, even got a rare "this is better than mom's cooking" compliment from my teen.
I swapped the imitation crab for real lump crab meat and it elevated this so much! Worth the extra couple bucks for the fancy crab, trust me. The dynamite sauce is perfectly balanced, not too creamy not too spicy.
Has anyone tried making this with gluten-free tempura and gluten-free soy sauce? I have celiac and have been dying for a good dynamite roll recipe that doesn’t make me sick, but I don’t want to waste a bunch of ingredients if the texture turns out weird.
Wait, the cook time says 40 minutes? Am I slow? It took me almost an hour and 15 minutes from start to finish, between making the rice, prepping all the fillings, making the sauce, and rolling. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious, but I wish I’d known to block extra time on a weeknight!
Made this in my tiny dorm kitchen with a $10 bamboo mat I got off Amazon and it slapped! I used pre-cooked shrimp from the campus dining hall to save time and my whole floor lined up for a bite. 10/10 no fancy equipment needed.
Added a little masago on top for extra brininess and crunch, just like my local sushi spot does. Tasted identical to the restaurant version for a fraction of the price! I’ll never pay $18 for a dynamite roll again.
I made these last night following the recipe exactly, and the only thing I couldn’t get past was the avocado – I know that’s basic sushi filling but I cannot stand the texture of avocado. If I leave it out next time, will the roll still taste good?
Made these for my anniversary dinner with my wife (we had our first date at a sushi place) and she cried happy tears. It felt so fancy but was way easier to pull off than I thought it would be. We even had leftover sake to pair with it, 10/10 date night meal.
I doubled the tempura crunch bits because that’s my favorite part of any sushi roll, zero regrets. If you’re a texture girlie like me, don’t skimp on the crunch – it makes the whole roll pop.
Has anyone baked the dynamite topping in the air fryer instead of the oven? My oven is broken right now and I’m craving these so bad, I don’t want to wait for the repair guy to come next week.
I used leftover baked salmon from last night’s dinner instead of the tempura shrimp and it slapped! The flaky salmon paired so well with the spicy dynamite sauce, I might make it that way on purpose from now on.
I’ll be honest, I was super skeptical of a homemade dynamite roll recipe because I’ve had so many bad ones, but this is legit. The sauce ratio is perfect, not too mayo-heavy like a lot of recipes, and the tempura is crispy even after baking the topping. Will be making this again.
My 7 year old is the pickiest eater on the planet and she ate two full rolls without complaining! I left the sriracha out of the sauce on her portion so it wasn’t spicy, and she thought it was the coolest thing ever that we made sushi at home.
I started prepping these for my friend’s birthday tonight and realized I completely forgot to grab a bamboo mat! Do I *have* to use one? Can I just use parchment paper or something to roll them, or am I screwed?
Made these for our football watch party last Sunday and they were the most popular snack on the table, even beating out the wings! I cut them into bite-sized pieces so people could grab them easy, and paired them with extra soy sauce and wasabi for dipping. Game day win for sure.
Made a vegetarian version for my sister who doesn’t eat seafood, swapped the crab and shrimp for tempura sweet potato and cream cheese, and used the same dynamite sauce on top. Even the meat lovers at the table were reaching for the veggie version! So versatile.