What is Negitoro?
The term “negitoro” originally referred to scraping meat from around a tuna’s spine, called naka-ochi (中落ち), with a spoon. This scraping action, which used to be called “negitoru,” is how the name came about. While “negi” is also the Japanese word for leek or green onion, the “negi” in “negitoro” actually doesn’t have anything to do with green onions, even though they’re often served together.
While high-end sushi restaurants make negitoro by pounding premium fatty tuna (toro), in this recipe, I will show you secret tricks to transform cheaper red tuna meat into negitoro maki with a luscious, melt-in-your-mouth texture like toro!
Although negitoro is most commonly used for sushi, you can also use it as a rice ball filling or on donburi too!


How I Developed This Recipe
Have you ever had that melt-in-your-mouth feeling with negitoro maki? How do they make it so soft? It’s not just about mashing tuna. There’s more to it than that!
It’s a pretty straightforward technique, but it makes a big difference. Now, I can enjoy a delicious negitoro anytime without breaking the bank.
Fancy finding out the secret to that melt-in-the-mouth negitoro? Let’s jump in and shake up your sushi game!

Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Sashimi-Grade Tuna: Go for the cheapest lean tuna you can find, as long as it’s sashimi-grade. This recipe is specifically designed to transform even budget-friendly cuts into a luxuriously tender, melt-in-your-mouth experience.
- Secret Ingredients: Neutural flavored oil, mayonnaise, and dashi granules.
- Vinegared Sushi Rice: This perfectly seasoned rice is a blend of short-grain Japanese rice, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, giving it that classic sushi flavor and a sticky texture. For guaranteed success, check out my complete sushi rice tutorial on the blog.
- Wasabi Paste: It doesn’t matter if you go for the store-bought paste or make your own with freshly grated wasabi root—either way, it’ll taste great. Not a fan? No problem! Wasabi is totally optional and can be adjusted or omitted to suit your taste.
- Green Onion: You’ve got to have finely chopped green onions in authentic negitoro!
- Sushi Nori Seaweed: We’re going to cut these sheets in half to get the perfect rectangle for the thin sushi rolls.
- Dark Soy Sauce: To really enjoy the subtle flavors of this sushi roll, we suggest just a light dip in dark soy sauce.

Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Negitoro Maki at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
Rinse the tuna block under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt, which is called “shiojime” and makes the flavor better and gets rid of any fishy smell.

Put the salted tuna in a container that’s tilted for 10 to 15 minutes, so the water can drain out.

Rinse the tuna again under cold water and pat it dry.

But this whole “shiojime” process is optional!
You can prepare the sushi rice while you wait.
To get started, mix the vinegar, sugar, and water together in a bowl until dissolved.

Wet the bottom of a bamboo container with water – this will stop the rice from sticking.

Then add this mixture to your cooked rice.

Fold the rice gently with a cutting motion using a rice paddle until it’s glossy and the vinegar mixture is evenly distributed.

Let the rice cool down to body temperature with a fan.

Then cover it with a damp cloth to keep it from drying out.

For more detailed instructions, check out my full sushi rice recipe on the blog.
Use a spoon to scrape the tuna flesh.

Then mash it with a knife.

In a bowl, mix the mashed tuna with oil, mayonnaise, and dashi granules until everything is well combined.

Optional: To improve the texture and aroma of the nori, fan it over an open flame using your gas burner on a low setting. Be careful not to burn the nori or your hands though!

Cut the nori sheets in half to make the hosomaki rolls. If you want to get really precise with your cuts, you can use kitchen shears or fold and tear along the crease.

Also, if you are using a gas stove, I recommend lightly toasting the nori to improve the flavor, aroma and texture!

Set up your sushi station with a bowl of cold water (to keep your hands moist), wasabi, and a bamboo rolling mat. Place the mat flat side up, with the knots at the top, so it’s easier to roll.
Place the nori rough side up on the mat, lining it up with the bottom edge.

With lightly moistened hands (to prevent sticking), take about 70g of rice.

Spread the rice evenly across the nori, leaving a finger-width border at the top.

Make a small ridge of rice along this border to help seal the roll.

If you’re using wasabi, spread a thin line in the center of the rice.

Put the tuna mixture in the middle of the rice (not the nori), and add a line of chopped green onion underneath.

Now, to roll, just lift the mat’s edge, making sure the nori’s bottom edge is lined up. Now, wrap the nori around the filling. Use your thumbs to lift the mat and your fingers to gently press the ingredients.

Keep rolling until you reach the empty nori border, then seal it.

Gently shape the roll into a square with your fingers.

Dampen your knife with a moist towel to keep it from sticking. Use a gentle sawing motion to cut the roll, pushing forward first, then back and forth.

Divide the roll into six equal pieces by first cutting it in half.

Then each half into thirds.

Serve with a small dish of dark soy sauce for dipping.

I hope you enjoy this Negitoro Maki recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!

More Hosomaki Recipes

Negitoro Maki (Mashed Tuna Sushi Rolls)
Ingredients
- 120 g sashimi grade tuna block
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 280 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice
- 1 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- ½ tbsp cooking oil neutral flavor
- ¼ tsp dashi granules
- wasabi
- finely chopped green onions
- 2 sheets roasted seaweed for sushi (nori)
- Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) for dipping
Instructions
- Optional "shiojime" to improve flavor: Rinse 120 g sashimi grade tuna block with cold water and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt all over, then place it in a container propped up on one side to allow excess moisture to drip to the bottom. Rest in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, in the meantime you can prepare the rice.
- Mix 2 tsp rice vinegar, ¼ tsp sugar and ½ tsp salt in a bowl until dissolved.
- Pour the mixture over warm 280 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice, and mix using a cut and fold motion with the edge of a rice paddle while fanning to cool. Once evenly distributed, cover the rice with a clean damp tea towel to prevent it drying out and set aside.
- Wash the tuna and pat it dry with kitchen paper.
- Use a spoon to scrape the tuna flesh into rough pieces.
- Roughly chop it with a knife to make a chunky mash.
- Transfer the mashed tuna to a bowl and add 1 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, ½ tbsp cooking oil and ¼ tsp dashi granules. Mix until everything is combined.
- Optional: Turn your gas burner on low and carefully fan 2 sheets roasted seaweed for sushi (nori) over the fire to improve the texture and aroma of the nori.
- Fold the nori in half and pinch along the crease before tearing them down the fold. (Use scissors for a neater cut.)
- Lay the bamboo rolling mat on a flat surface with the bamboo sticks laying horizontally. Place a piece of nori rough side facing up at the bottom of the mat.
- Wet your hands and shape an 70g (approx 2.5 oz) handful of rice into a rough cylinder.
- Place the rice on the nori and spread it out while leaving a finger-width border along the top. Pinch along the top edge of the rice to make a ridge, then spread wasabi through the middle.
- Spread quarter of the tuna mixture through the middle of the rice, then sprinkle finely chopped green onions next to it.
- Lift the bottom of the mat fold over until the rice meets.
- Press firmly to shape, then lift the edge of the mat and roll once more so that the edge of the nori seals the roll.
- Wipe a sharp knife with a damp cloth and cut the sushi roll in half. Use a short, sharp sawing motion to cut the roll without applying too much pressure (pressing down will squash it).
- Cut each half into thirds, wiping the knife between each cut.
- Enjoy with a small bowl of Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) for dipping.
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