Onigiri Recipe: Simple Japanese Rice Balls
Soft, sticky Japanese rice balls wrapped in salty nori with simple savory fillings. Cozy, portable, and perfect for lunches, snacks, or bento boxes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice uncooked; sushi rice or Japanese rice such as Kokuho Rose or Nishiki
- 2 1/4 cups water for cooking the rice, or follow package directions
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus extra for salting hands when shaping
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar optional, for subtle flavor and shine
- 4-5 sheets nori toasted seaweed, cut into strips or rectangles
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt for sprinkling on finished onigiri (optional)
- 1 tablespoon furikake optional, Japanese rice seasoning
- 4 tablespoons canned tuna drained, for tuna mayo filling
- 1-2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise Kewpie preferred, for tuna mayo filling
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce for tuna mayo filling
- 3 tablespoons cooked salmon flaked, pinch of salt and squeeze of lemon, for salmon filling
- 2-3 umeboshi pickled plums, pitted and roughly chopped, for traditional filling
- 3 tablespoons cooked chicken finely chopped or rotisserie chicken + 1 tablespoon mayo + dash soy sauce, for chicken filling
- 3 tablespoons seasoned kombu or seaweed salad for vegetarian filling
- 2 tablespoons miso paste mixed with 1 teaspoon honey or sugar, for sweet-salty vegetarian filling
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar for miso filling
- toasted sesame seeds white or black, optional garnish
- green onions thinly sliced, optional garnish
- shichimi togarashi Japanese chili seasoning, optional for heat
Instructions
- Add the Japanese short-grain rice to a bowl and cover with cold water. Swirl gently with your hand, then drain. Repeat 3–5 times until the water is only slightly cloudy to remove excess starch.2 cups Japanese short-grain rice, 2 1/4 cups water
- Combine the rinsed rice and 2 1/4 cups water in a medium pot or rice cooker. For stovetop, cover, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 15–18 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes to finish steaming.2 cups Japanese short-grain rice, 2 1/4 cups water
- While the rice is still warm, gently fluff with a rice paddle or wooden spoon. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1 teaspoon rice vinegar if using. Mix with a cutting-and-folding motion so you don’t mash the grains. Keep the rice warm for easier shaping.1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- While the rice cooks or rests, prepare 1–3 fillings. For tuna mayo, mix drained tuna with Japanese mayo and soy sauce. For salmon, flake the cooked salmon and season with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon. Chop umeboshi, or mix chopped chicken with mayo and a dash of soy sauce. Place each filling in a small bowl near your work area.4 tablespoons canned tuna, 1-2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 3 tablespoons cooked salmon, 2-3 umeboshi, 3 tablespoons cooked chicken, 3 tablespoons seasoned kombu or seaweed salad, 2 tablespoons miso paste, 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- Fill a small bowl with clean water and another with a tablespoon or so of salt for your hands. Cut nori sheets into rectangles or strips about 1 1/2–2 inches wide. Have a tray or plate ready for finished onigiri. Lightly damp hands and a pinch of salt help keep the rice from sticking and season the outside.1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 4-5 sheets nori
- With damp, lightly salted hands, scoop about 1/2 cup warm rice (or 1/3 cup for smaller snacks) into your palm. Press it slightly to form a rough ball or patty.2 cups Japanese short-grain rice, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Use your thumb to press a small indentation into the center of the rice. Add about 1–2 teaspoons of your chosen filling. Do not overfill so the rice can seal around it.4 tablespoons canned tuna, 1-2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 3 tablespoons cooked salmon, 2-3 umeboshi, 3 tablespoons cooked chicken, 3 tablespoons seasoned kombu or seaweed salad, 2 tablespoons miso paste, 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- Gently fold the rice around the filling to cover it completely. For the classic triangle, cup your hands around the rice and press lightly with your fingertips, turning the rice a bit as you go. Press just enough for the onigiri to hold together without compacting the rice too tightly.2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
- Place a strip or rectangle of nori along the bottom or side of each onigiri. The rough side of the nori should face the rice and the shiny side should face out. Press gently so it adheres. You can fully wrap the rice or just add one wide strip as a handle.4-5 sheets nori
- If desired, sprinkle the tops of the onigiri with flaky salt, furikake, toasted sesame seeds, chopped green onions, or a pinch of shichimi togarashi. Serve warm or at room temperature.1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt, 1 tablespoon furikake, toasted sesame seeds, green onions, shichimi togarashi
Notes
Yield: about 10–12 medium onigiri, depending on size. STORAGE: Wrapped tightly, onigiri keep at room temperature for 4–6 hours. Refrigerate up to 1–2 days in an airtight container; let come to room temperature or rewarm gently before eating, as rice firms in the fridge. For freezing, wrap onigiri (without nori) individually in plastic and freeze up to 1 month; add fresh nori after thawing or reheating. REHEATING: Sprinkle a few drops of water on each rice ball, wrap in a damp paper towel, and microwave in 20–30 second bursts until just warm. Make-ahead tip: pack nori separately and wrap right before eating to keep it crisp. Use Japanese short-grain rice for proper stickiness; keep fillings on the drier side so the rice holds together. Lightly salting your hands and shaping while the rice is still pleasantly warm gives the best texture.
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