Cucumber Sushi Boats
Updated
Updated
Featuring crab in a spicy mayo dressing, tender rice, and crunchy cucumber, these Cucumber Sushi Boats are a quick and easy, fun, refreshing twist on sushi without the work. These can be enjoyed as a meal or cut into smaller pieces as a snack or an appetizer.
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Easy Cucumber Sushi Boats
We are a sushi loving family, raw fish and all – even the kids. More times than not, I forego assembling sushi rolls and just make deconstructed sushi bowls or sushi bake, but with the summer heat I’ve put together another fun variation on them with these refreshing cucumber sushi boats!
They have many of the same ingredients as a classic sushi roll, without the work. Crab is tossed with a simple spicy mayo for a twist on a spicy crab roll, then stuffed into hallowed out cucumbers with rice.
Why You’ll Love This Sushi Recipe
- Sushi flavors without the work. This recipe has many of the standard sushi ingredients and flavors, without the work of assembling rolls.
- Almost no cooking or baking. With the exception of the rice, there’s no other cooking involved. The crunchy refreshing cucumber makes these great on hot summer days.
- Serve as a meal or appetizer. Serve them whole for an easy lunch, or cut the cucumber boats into smaller sections for a snack or appetizer if you’re hosting a brunch.
What You’ll Need
These cucumber sushi boats are made with just a handful of ingredients.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Mayonnaise – The creamy base of the sauce for the crab salad.
- Sriracha – Adds a bit of heat to the dish.
- Soy sauce – Adds the classic umami flavor.
- Crab – You can use imitation crab sticks or real crab meat, whichever you prefer.
- Cucumbers – Persian cucumbers are best for this recipe, as they have a thin skin and tend to be on the smaller size.
- Rice – You can use sushi rice or medium grain white rice.
- Rice vinegar and Salt – Mix with the cooked rice.
- Avocado – Cut into tiny cubes.
- Scallion – For a subtle peppery onion and earthy flavor and pop of color.
Other Filling & Topping Ideas
How To Make Cucumber Sushi Boats
This recipe is so quick & easy to make.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Cook the rice. Cook sushi rice or medium grain white rice according to package directions. Allow to cool, then gently mix with a splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of salt.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together the mayo, sriracha, and soy sauce. Transfer half to a plastic bag.
- Add the crab. Fold the crab into the remaining sauce.
- Prep the cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to gently scoop out the seeds. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Assemble. Add the rice to the boat, pressing down to compact it a bit. Top with the crab salad and avocado. Drizzle with the remaining spicy mayo and top with scallions.
Tips for Success
- Adjust the spicy level. Feel free to use more or less sriracha to adjust the heat level of the mayo.
- Leave a cucumber border. When scooping out the cucumber, take care to not scoop all the way through to the skin. You also want to leave an edge of flesh, so it looks like a boat.
- Wet your fingers. When pressing the rice into the cucumber, wet your fingers first to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands.
Proper Storage
Once assembled, you can cover these cucumber sushi boats with plastic wrap and refrigerate them for up to 2 days.
More Cucumber Recipes To Try
- Cucumber Sandwiches
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Chicken Salad Cucumber Boats
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Pineapple Cucumber Salad
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Cucumber Sushi Boats
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked sushi rice or medium grain white rice
- splash of rice vinegar
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 imitation crab sticks, , finely chopped (or 2 ounces lump crab meat)
- 3 small Persian cucumbers, , washed and dried
- 1/2 ripe avocado, , cut into tiny cubes
- 1 scallion, , diced small
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions. Allow to cool then gently mix with a splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of salt.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, sriracha, and soy sauce; whisk to combine. Transfer half of the mixture to a plastic bag. Add crab to the remaining sauce in the bowl and fold to incorporate.
- Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise, so you have 6 equal pieces. Using a spoon, gently scoop out the seeds from each piece, leaving a bit of a border, so they look like boats. Pat the insides dry with a paper towel.
- Using a spoon, add some of the cooked and cooled rice into each boat. (Wet your fingers a bit so the rice doesn't stick, and press the rice down to compact it.)
- Top the rice with some of the crab mixture, followed by the avocado. Drizzle with extra spicy-mayo and sprinkle with scallions.
- Serve them whole for an easy lunch, or cut the cucumber boats into smaller sections for a snack or appetizer.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
so yummy love sushi