This delicious Dynamite Roll is bursting with amazing textures and flavors. You are going to love how easy it is to make this tasty sushi roll that’s creamy and crunchy, and has plenty of salty, tangy, umami ingredients.
Can’t get enough sushi? You have to try this Shrimp Tempura Roll and these California Roll Sushi Bowls.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I just know you’re going to love this Dynamite Roll recipe as much as I do. It’s got a delicious mix of flavors and textures, and it’s not hard at all to make!
- TASTE: Sweet and tangy rice with tender imitation crab and shrimp on the inside, this roll has nutty sesame seeds on the outside. Spicy mayo and savory unagi sauce top it off.
- TEXTURE: This Dynamite Roll has crunchy shrimp tempura, creamy Japanese mayo, crisp cucumber, and sticky rice. There is no end to the contrasting textures in the dish.
- TIME: This will take just over 2 hours to make, including the sushi rice and shrimp tempura preparation.
- EASE: Despite a number of ingredients and steps, this recipe is really quite simple. Rolling the sushi in the bamboo mat is the trickiest part, and I’ll show you how to do it right.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Sushi rice– Make your own sushi rice with just a few ingredients and short-grain rice. This has lots of starch so your sushi rice is sticky enough to be rolled.
- Imitation crab sticks- These have the perfect shape for this Dynamite Roll recipe. Though they are not made with actual crab meat, but instead fish, they taste exactly like real crab.
- Japanese mayonnaise– Sweet, tangy, and custardy, this mayo is not like American mayo, so use this kewpie version for authentic flavor and texture.
- Avocado- Look for one that is ripe, but not too ripe that is becomes mushy. We are not mashing it, but rather cutting it into sticks, so it has to hold its form.
- English cucumber- These have a great crisp texture and flavor so they are great in sushi.
- Nori seaweed- These seaweed sheets are what we use to roll our Dynamite Rolls.
- Sesame seeds- Toasted sesame seeds and black sesame seeds will be used here.
- Tempura fried shrimp– You can easily make homemade Shrimp tempura batter for the shrimp in this roll. They are deliciously tender, juicy, and crispy on the outside.
- Bamboo sushi mat- This inexpensive rolling mat is needed to roll the Dynamite Roll. You can find it in most specialty stores, online, or in the ethnic section of your grocery store.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute other proteins- Try this recipe with other seafoods as the main ingredient, such as spicy crab, spicy tuna, ahi tuna, yellowtail, or salmon.
- Make your own Japanese mayo- If you can’t find any Japanese mayonnaise, then make your own version: whisk together 3 tablespoons of regular mayo with 1 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar and 1/3 tsp. sugar until combined.
- Substitute the English cucumber- You can use other crunchy vegetables like regular cucumbers, radish, or shredded carrots.
- Add other sauces- Change up the flavor with different sauces, including teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic ponzu, Yum Yum Sauce, or a Shrimp Tempura Dipping Sauce.
How to Make a Dynamite Roll
- Make the sushi rice. Cook the sushi rice according to the recipe in a rice cooker. Then let it cool.
- Mix the mayo and crab. Finely chop the imitation crab meat and place it into a bowl with the kewpie Japanese mayonnaise. Mix and set aside.
- Prepare the vegetables and bamboo mat. Slice the cucumber and avocado into thin sticks with a sharp knife. Set aside. Then wrap your bamboo sushi mat in plastic wrap.
Pro Tip: Wrap the bamboo mat in plastic wrap for easy clean up. Being able to just pull the wrap off and toss it will make your life a lot easier when you’re done.
- Add the rice to the nori. Place a sheet of toasted nori seaweed on top of the sushi mat and cut off 1/4 of it with scissors. Then wet your hands in a bowl of water and grab a handful of sushi rice and gently spread a thin even layer on top of the seaweed.
- Add the sesame seeds. Now sprinkle the toasted white sesame seeds and black sesame seeds on top of the rice. Then flip the entire sheet of seaweed over.
- Add the fillings. Now, in the middle of the seaweed, add some imitation crab meat mixture, cucumber, avocado, and shrimp tempura.
- Roll and cut the Dynamite Roll. While turning in the front of the nori with the sushi mat, slightly compress the filling. Keep rolling the sushi with the sushi mat, making sure to keep the roll tight. Then use a sharp wet knife to cut the sushi into 8 equal pieces. Top with spicy mayo and unagi sauce, and serve with soy sauce and wasabi.
Recipe Tips
- Trim the nori sheets- You don’t have to do this but I find that if you use the full sheet, you end up with too much rice compared to the filling.
- Press the rice gently- Be careful not to press on the rice too hard when spreading it on the nori. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a mashed up mess.
- Keep your hands wet- Continuously wet your hands to prevent the rice from sticking to your fingers while you work with it. This will avoid lots of frustration and mess.
- Make sure the shrimp is straight- The trick to getting straight shrimp tempura instead of curled is slicing down the back so it fries uncurled. Also, remove the tails for this roll.
FAQs
What does a dynamite roll have in it?
A Dynamite Roll usually has shrimp tempura or yellowtail in it, with veggies like radish sprouts, avocado, and cucumber. Sometimes sauces like spicy mayo (made from Japanese mayo) are added along with masago.
Why is it called dynamite roll?
The Dynamite Roll gets its name from its appearance. When you make it with the tail of the shrimp tempura hanging out of one end of the uncut roll, it looks like the fuse on a stick of dynamite.
Serving Suggestions
This tasty Dynamite sushi roll can be served on its own for a light lunch or paired with other recipes for a full meal. Its versatile flavors make it the perfect accompaniment to so many dishes.
- Main dishes: Serve this roll with Chicken Tempura, Mongolian Beef, Homemade Shrimp Tempura with a Shrimp Tempura Dipping Sauce, or Grilled Teriyaki Salmon.
- Sushi: Pair it with California Roll Sushi Bowls, Shrimp Tempura Rolls, or Easy Sushi Bake.
- Sides: Enjoy this Dynamite Roll with some Kani Salad, Shrimp Tempura Udon Soup, Hibachi Fried Rice, or Fried Spring Rolls (VIDEO).
- Desserts: End the meal with some sweet treats, such as Mochi Donuts (VIDEO), Ube Ice Cream, Easy Dango, mochi ice cream, and Strawberry Tanghulu.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: Prepare the sushi rice in advance and assemble the roll. You can wrap the roll in plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours before adding the sauces on top and serving.
Storing: Store this Dynamite Roll by covering it tightly with plastic wrap and storing it in the fridge for up to 2 days. As it sits, the rice will harden, so try to only make what you will eat.
Freeze: Rice can get really dry when frozen, so while some of the individual ingredients can be frozen, I don’t suggest freezing this roll.
More Delicious Japanese-inspired Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions
Dynamite Roll
You're going to love this Dynamite Roll recipe! It's got a delicious mix of flavors and textures, and it's not hard at all to make!
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Servings: 64 sushi pieces
Calories: 45kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the sushi
- 1 recipe sushi rice
- 8 oz imitation crab sticks
- 3 Tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 avocado ripe
- 1/2 English cucumber
- 8 sheets toasted nori seaweed Cut in half
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Black sesame seeds
- 16 tempura fried shrimp
Toppings
Instructions
- Make the sushi rice according to the recipe. I highly recommend making the rice in a rice cooker. Then let it cool. Note: my sushi rice recipe makes 8 rolls. But you can cut this in half if needed.
- Finely chop 8 oz of imitation crab meat and place it into a bowl and mix it with 3 Tbsp of kewpie Japanese mayonnaise. Then set it aside.
- Now wrap your bamboo sushi mat in plastic wrap. This will make your life a lot easier then it comes to clean up.
- Place 1 sheet of toasted nori seaweed on top off the sushi mat and cut off 1/4 of it with scissors. You don’t have to do this but I find that if you use the full sheet, you end up with too much rice vs filling.
- Now wet your hands in a bowl of water and grab a handful of rice and begin spreading a thin even layer of sushi rice on top of the seaweed. Be careful not to press on the rice too hard, or you'll end up with a mashed up mess. Continuously wetting your hands will prevent the rice from sticking to your fingers.
- Now sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds along with black sesame seeds on top of the rice. Then flip the entire sheet of seaweed over.
- Now, in the middle of the seaweed, add about 1 oz of the imitation crab meat mixture, a few strips of cucumber, and two slices of avocado, and 2 tempura fried shrimp (tails off).
- Now, this is the tricky part. While turning in the front of the nori with the sushi mat, slightly compress the inner ingredients. Keep rolling the sushi with the sushi mat, making sure to keep the roll tight.
- Place the sushi roll onto a cutting board and use a sharp wet knife, cut the sushi into 8 equal pieces. I usually wet the knife before each slice.
- Then top with spicy mayo and unagi sauce, and serve with soy sauce and wasabi.
Notes
- Trim the nori sheets- You don’t have to do this but I find that if you use the full sheet, you end up with too much rice compared to the filling.
- Press the rice gently- Be careful not to press on the rice too hard when spreading it on the nori. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a mashed up mess.
- Keep your hands wet- Continuously wet your hands to prevent the rice from sticking to your fingers while you work with it. This will avoid lots of frustration and mess.
- Make sure the shrimp is straight- The trick to getting straight shrimp tempura instead of curled is slicing down the back so it fries uncurled. Also, remove the tails for this roll.
Nutrition
Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.03mg
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Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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