If you love sushi night and taco night equally, this Sushi Taco Flight gives you the best of both worlds. Crispy seasoned hard taco shells are filled with fluffy sushi rice and three different sushi-inspired fillings: creamy Miso Salmon, spicy Shoyu Tuna, and a California Roll-inspired crab filling. It’s basically the Japanese hand roll experience reimagined as a fun taco flight, with plenty of contrasting crunchy, creamy, spicy, and savory textures in every bite.

The best part about these sushi tacos is getting to try a little bit of everything. The miso salmon is rich and savory with creamy mayo, salty miso, and pops of tobiko. The spicy shoyu tuna is fresh and punchy with soy sauce, sesame oil, serrano peppers, ginger, and Taco Bell Fire Sauce for an unexpected kick. Then there’s the California roll taco, which is creamy, slightly sweet, and smoky-spicy thanks to imitation crab and Taco Bell Creamy Chipotle Sauce.

These poke tacos are also perfect for entertaining because you can turn them into an interactive sushi taco bar. Make a big batch of sushi rice, prepare the fillings ahead of time, then set out avocado, cucumber, furikake, green onions, and any other toppings you love. Everyone can build their own tacos just like they would customize a hand roll. Serve all three varieties together and you have a colorful sushi taco flight that makes an impressive appetizer, party platter, or fun dinner.

And don’t feel like you have to stop with these three flavors! Once you have the crispy taco shell and sushi rice base, you can get as creative as you want with the fillings. Try spicy salmon, shrimp tempura, yellowtail, crispy tofu, teriyaki chicken, or even leftover poke. Think of this recipe as a mashup between Japanese hand rolls and taco night—there really aren’t many rules.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Seasoned Hard Taco Shells

Seasoned hard taco shells: The crunchy base of the sushi tacos. Their savory seasoning adds extra flavor while giving you a completely different texture from a traditional seaweed hand roll.

Sushi Rice

Sushi rice: Short-grain Japanese rice has the sticky texture needed to stay inside the taco shells.

Water: Used to cook the sushi rice until tender and fluffy.

Rice vinegar: Gives sushi rice its signature light tanginess.

Sugar: Adds a subtle sweetness and balances the acidity of the vinegar.

Salt: Seasons the rice and brings all the flavors together.

Miso Salmon

Sushi-grade salmon: Rich, buttery salmon makes the base of this creamy poke-style filling. Use fish specifically intended for raw consumption from a reputable source.

Miso paste: Adds salty, fermented umami that pairs especially well with salmon.

Mayonnaise: Creates a creamy texture and mellows out the stronger flavors of the miso and soy sauce.

Tobiko: Flying fish roe adds little pops of salty flavor and a fun texture.

Green onions: Add freshness and a mild onion flavor.

Soy sauce: Adds saltiness and umami.

Spicy Shoyu Tuna

Sushi-grade ahi tuna: A lean, meaty fish that’s perfect for poke-style preparations. Use tuna intended for raw consumption from a trusted source.

Soy sauce: Forms the savory shoyu base for the tuna.

Sesame oil: Adds a nutty, toasted flavor. A little goes a long way.

Serrano peppers: Bring fresh heat and a little crunch.

Green onions: Add freshness and color.

Sesame seeds: Give the tuna a subtle nutty flavor and extra texture.

Grated ginger: Adds a fresh, aromatic bite that balances the richness of the fish.

Taco Bell Fire Sauce: The unexpected ingredient! It adds tangy, slightly smoky heat to the spicy tuna and ties the sushi-and-taco concept together.

California Roll Filling

Imitation crab: Gives you the familiar sweet and savory flavor of a California roll.

Mayonnaise: Makes the crab mixture creamy and rich.

Green onions: Add freshness and a mild onion flavor.

Soy sauce: Adds savory umami.

Taco Bell Creamy Chipotle Sauce: Adds creaminess, smokiness, and a little heat.

Sugar: A small amount balances the salty and spicy flavors.

Toppings

Avocado: Adds a buttery, creamy texture that works with all three fillings.

Cucumber: Adds a refreshing crunch to balance the creamy fillings.

Furikake: A Japanese rice seasoning that adds extra umami, sesame flavor, and texture.

Substitutions & Variations

• Salmon: Swap the salmon for sushi-grade tuna, yellowtail, scallops, or another fish intended for raw consumption.
• Ahi tuna: Substitute sushi-grade salmon for a spicy salmon taco.
• Imitation crab: Use real lump crab meat or cooked shrimp instead.
• Raw fish: If you don’t eat raw fish, use cooked salmon, shrimp tempura, teriyaki chicken, or crispy tofu.
• Taco Bell Fire Sauce: Substitute your favorite hot sauce or spicy chili sauce.
• Taco Bell Creamy Chipotle Sauce: Use another creamy chipotle sauce or combine mayonnaise with chipotle sauce to taste.
• Serrano peppers: Jalapeños are a slightly milder alternative.
• Mayonnaise: Japanese Kewpie mayo works especially well if you want a richer, slightly sweeter flavor.
• Hard taco shells: Try mini hard taco shells for an appetizer-sized sushi taco flight.
• Toppings: Add spicy mayo, eel sauce, pickled ginger, jalapeños, crispy onions, tempura flakes, masago, tobiko, sesame seeds, or extra green onions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are sushi tacos?

Sushi tacos combine elements of sushi or Japanese hand rolls with the shape and crunch of a taco. For this recipe, seasoned hard taco shells are filled with sushi rice, poke-style seafood mixtures, and classic sushi toppings.

What is a sushi taco flight?

Instead of making every taco the same flavor, a sushi taco flight lets you serve several varieties together. This recipe includes miso salmon, spicy shoyu tuna, and a California roll-inspired crab taco so you can sample three different flavors in one meal.

Do I need sushi-grade fish?

If you’re serving the salmon or tuna raw, purchase fish specifically intended for raw consumption from a reputable seafood supplier or market. When in doubt, ask the seller whether the fish is appropriate to eat raw. You can also use cooked seafood instead.

Can I make sushi tacos ahead of time?

You can prepare the sushi rice and fillings ahead of time, but don’t assemble the tacos until you’re ready to eat. The moisture from the rice and fillings will eventually soften the hard taco shells.

How do I keep the taco shells crunchy?

Let your sushi rice cool before adding it to the shells and assemble the tacos immediately before serving. Avoid letting wet fillings sit inside the shells for an extended period.

Can I make these without raw fish?

Absolutely. Cooked salmon, shrimp, imitation crab, crispy tofu, tempura shrimp, or teriyaki chicken would all work well.

What other sushi taco fillings can I make?

This recipe is meant to be customizable. Try spicy salmon, shrimp tempura, salmon avocado, yellowtail jalapeño, crispy shrimp, teriyaki chicken, spicy crab, or even a vegetarian avocado-cucumber version.

What should I serve with sushi tacos?

Serve them with extra soy sauce, spicy mayo, eel sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, edamame, seaweed salad, or a simple cucumber salad.

Can I use leftover sushi rice?

Yes. Gently warm leftover sushi rice just enough to soften it, but allow it to cool before assembling the tacos so the shells stay crisp.