Deconstructed Tuna Kimbap Bowl

Deconstructed Tuna Kimbap Bowl. A quick and easy flavourful Korean rice bowl packed with tuna, kimchi, spinach, egg and roasted seaweed. Ready in 30 minutes. A great meal if you love kimbap and are too lazy to make it!

My Deconstructed Tuna Kimbap Bowl is a simple Korean-inspired rice bowl featuring seasoned rice, tuna mayo, kimchi, eggs, sautéed spinach, and roasted seaweed.

It was inspired by the classic Korean tuna kimbap roll but broken down into a big comforting bowl, eliminating the tedious process of filling and rolling kimbap.

Kimbap is a Korean rice roll wrapped in seaweed with various fillings. It looks similar to Japanese sushi but it's not the same because sushi is usually made with mostly raw ingredients.

This is a quick and simple meal made with pantry ingredients, like canned tuna. It's great for busy weeknights when you're crunched for time and you need something fast and filling. Also a wonderful way to add seafood to your diet.

If you have leftover cooked rice, it will come together even faster! You'll just need to microwave the rice until hot. This rice bowl is very versatile and you can also swap the ingredients for ones you enjoy!

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements. 

• Cooked Short Grain Rice (aka sushi rice or calrose rice): or substitute with jasmine rice.
• Kimchi: make sure it's the well fermented kind for best taste. You can check by looking at the cabbage as it will be softened and reddish over white. Any Korean grocery store will sell this ingredient.
• Canned Tuna in Oil: I recommend strained canned tuna in oil over water as it's smoother in texture and more delicious. But as a last resort, substitute with canned tuna in water.
• Large Egg
• Spinach: use pre-washed baby spinach to make things easier! Or substitute with regular spinach, trim the ends and wash it very well to remove trapped dirt.
• Japanese mayo (aka Kewpie mayo): a creamy Japanese-style mayonnaise made of egg yolks instead of using whole eggs like in regular mayo. As a last resort, substitute with regular mayo.
• Roasted Seaweed Snack: most grocery stores especially Asian ones will sell this. Or substitute with dry roasted seaweed nori sheets and cut them into small squares or Korean-style seasoned seaweed flakes.
• Sesame Oil: for that nutty flavor that is usually used to garnish kimbap. Omit if you're allergic.
• Sesame seeds: toasted white or black sesame seeds both work. Omit if you're allergic.

Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon. 

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Deconstructed Tuna Kimbap Bowl:

1. In a medium pot filled with enough water, bring to a boil on high heat. Blanch baby spinach for 60 seconds and strain immediately. Rinse off with cold running water and shake out the water. Then squeeze the spinach to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Transfer cooked spinach to a bowl and season with sesame oil and salt. Set aside.
2. In a small pot filled with enough water, bring to a boil on high heat. Carefully lower in room temperature eggs, reduce to medium heat, cover and set a timer for 6.5 minutes for soft boiled eggs. For hard boiled, boil for 10 minutes. Transfer boiled eggs into a prepared ice bath. Once cooled, crack and peel with the back of a spoon from the less pointy side. Slice it into half with a knife and set aside.
3. Then in a small bowl, combine strained tuna and Japanese mayo. Set aside.
4. Next in a large serving bowl, mix cooked rice with sesame oil and sesame seeds with a rice paddle.
5. Finally add chopped kimchi, the tuna mayo mixture, seasoned spinach, seaweed snack, and the egg on top of the rice. Mix together and enjoy!

Storage

• This is best enjoyed fresh or same day.
• Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot.
• Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend freezing this deconstructed tuna kimbap bowl as the rice will turn hard.

Pairing Suggestions

Deconstructed tuna kimbap bowl serves well with Korean side dishes like:

• Korean cucumber salad
• beansprout salad
• zucchini fritters
• gamja jorim
• Korean spinach
• japchae
• gyeran mari
• fish cake stir fry
• Spicy Tuna Kimbap, Easy Spam Kimbap, Beef Bulgogi Kimbap, Cheese Kimbap Roll or Korean Egg Roll Kimbap

FAQ