Easy Cucumber Tuna Kimbap (Oi Chamchi Gimbap)

Tuna kimbap slices on a serving platter.

Easy Cucumber Tuna Kimbap (Oi Chamchi Gimbap)

Korea's favorite Tuna Kimbap with crunchy cucumber! Easy to make with just a few ingredients, these delicious rice rolls are perfect for a light meal or snack, great for picnics, road trips, or lunchboxes!

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine Korean

Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Lactose

Keyword canned tuna, kimbap, Korean rice roll, korean tuna roll, tuna kimbap, tuna rice rolls, tuna rolls

Prep Time 20

Servings people

Calories 305

Author Holly Ford

Ingredients

For rice

4 cups cooked white rice short grain rice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

For tuna

2 5-oz each canned tuna
2 tbsp minced onion
2 tbsp mayonnaise

For other ingredients

1 English cucumber or 2 Kirby cucumber
1 tsp kosher salt
8 romain lettuce leaves Use only green part
4 strips radish pickle
extra sesame oil and sesame seeds for ganish

Instructions

For tuna

Drain the tuna well by pressing firmly to remove more liquid. Mix tuna with minced onion and mayonnaise in a small mixing bowl.

For cucumber

Thinly slice the cucumber using a mandolin slicer or knife. Place them in a large bowl, sprinkle salt over the cucumber strips, toss, and let them sit for 5 minutes to draw out moisture. After they've sat, gently squeeze out the excess water. This step ensures the cucumbers remain crisp and well seasoned. Transfer the cucumber to a bowl.

For rice

Season the cooked rice by mixing in salt, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds in a large mixing bowl.

Assembling kimbap

Lay a sheet of seaweed (gim), shiny side down, on a cutting board or clean surface with the longer edge facing you. Evenly spread about 1 cup of rice over the seaweed. If the rice sticks, wet your fingers slightly with water.
Place two lettuce leaves at the edge closest to you on top center of the rice, followed by the tuna mixture and cucumber strips on top of lettuce. Add a strip of radish pickle for an extra tangy crunch.
Carefully roll the seaweed over the fillings, using both hands to tuck in the ingredients. Apply gentle pressure to ensure the kimbap roll is tight and compact. If you're not comfortable rolling with your hands, use a bamboo sushi mat to firm up the roll.
For a glossy finish, brush the roll with a touch of sesame oil and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Before slicing the roll into bite-sized pieces, apply a little bit of sesame oil to a sharp knife to prevent sticking. Cut the roll into 1/2-inch bite sizes. Clean the knife with a damp towel when needed and apply oil again.

Video

Notes

Tips:

For optimal results, use white short-grain or medium-grain rice. Make sure your rice is cooled down to the room temperature if using freshly cooked rice. Too-hot rice can make the seaweed shrivelled and soggy.
Radish Pickle (Danmuji) is available in Korean markets or Asian markets' refrigerated sections. If unavailable, you can substitute with any rinsed pickled vegetable. The flavor profile will be slightly different.
For the best taste, enjoy kimbap on the day it's made or the following day. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container, and slice it into bite-sized pieces right before serving to prevent the rice from drying out.

Nutrition