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How to Make Onigiri Recipe
This onigiri recipe makes for the perfect snack or lunch, no matter the occasion.
If you are not familiar with onigiri, they are balls of rice shaped in triangles wrapped with “nori”, or seaweed, with or without filling.
Traditionally, they have fillings of grilled salmon, salted cod roe, tuna mayonnaise, Japanese pickled plum, etc. But, feel free to use whatever ingredients you like.
Ingredients for Japanese Rice Balls
- Japanese sushi rice
- Rice vinegar (optional)
- Furikake
- Salt
- White sesame
- Seaweed
- Tobiko or fish roe
Cook’s Tips
- If you like your sushi rice seasoned with rice vinegar like sushi, add some rice vinegar to your onigiri recipe
- You can also add Furikake, or Japanese seasonings, to add flavor to the rice
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Onigiri Taste Like?
Onigiri is basically a lightly seasoned rice ball, which is flavored with salt.
Do You Eat Onigiri Cold?
These rice balls are similar to sandwiches in that you can take them to eat anywhere, so there is no need to eat them warm. They can be eaten cold, warm, or room temperature.
How Many Calories?
This onigiri recipe has 114 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
This meal is best served on its own. For a wholesome Japanese meal, I recommend the following recipes.
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Onigiri Recipe (Japanese Rice Balls)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Japanese sushi rice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional)
- 2 tablespoons Furikake (bottled Japanese seasoning)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch white sesame
- toasted seaweed
- 1 tablespoon Tobiko or fish roe
Instructions
- Cook the rice using a rice cooker. Let cool.
- Add the rice vinegar (if using), Furikake, salt and white sesame to the rice. Stir to mix well.
- Using a triangle Onigiri mold or your hand, shape the rice into six (6) triangle rice balls. Wrap the bottom part of the rice balls with the seaweed. Top with the Tobiko. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Where can get ingredients especially the seaweed for wrapping ?
Asian supermarket.
Hi, I am using short grain rice but the rice don’t seem to stick together well :( Any clue what could be the cause?
Thank you.
Not wet enough.
Great recipe. I actually really appreciate this amazing recipe. I will make it for my family. Thanks!
Can’t remember when I first had these..
Hmmm… 5 years old ?
We weren’t affluent so they were unadorned except for a pickled-plum (Ume-boshi) in the middle and wrapped completely with “nori”.
I still enjoy them today.. many, many, many years later.
That’s awesome Doug. :)
Round rice balls are made for a funeral or mourning period, other times are triangle shape. Also the seaweed sprinkle is furikake.
This looks delicious and sounds awesome to make. Have you made the ones that are stuffed before? I’m going to have to make this. Looks great!