Spicy Tuna Onigiri Snack (Printable Version)

Japanese rice balls filled with seasoned spicy tuna and wrapped in nori for a handheld, savory snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice

01 - 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
02 - 2.25 cups water
03 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
04 - 1 teaspoon sugar
05 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Spicy Tuna Filling

06 - 5 ounces canned tuna in water, drained
07 - 2 tablespoons Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
08 - 1 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce
09 - 1 teaspoon soy sauce
10 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
11 - 1 green onion, finely chopped

→ Assembly

12 - 3 sheets nori, halved
13 - Salt for shaping
14 - Toasted sesame seeds, optional

# Directions:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine rice and water in a pot or rice cooker and cook according to package instructions. Let rest for 10 minutes after cooking.
02 - In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Gently fold into the warm rice and allow to cool to room temperature.
03 - In a bowl, combine drained tuna, mayonnaise, Sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onion. Mix until well combined and adjust spice level to taste.
04 - Prepare a bowl of water and small bowl of salt. Wet your hands and sprinkle lightly with salt. Take approximately 0.5 cup of seasoned rice and flatten gently in your palm.
05 - Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of spicy tuna filling in the center of the rice. Fold the rice around the filling and shape into a triangle, pressing gently but firmly to secure.
06 - Wrap a strip of nori around the bottom of each onigiri and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if desired.
07 - Serve immediately or wrap tightly in plastic wrap for later consumption.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They're portable enough to grab on your way out but impressive enough to pack for a picnic or fancy lunch.
  • The spicy tuna filling hits that sweet spot between creamy, spicy, and umami that makes you want to eat three in a row.
  • Once you nail the shaping, you'll feel like you've unlocked a secret kitchen skill.
02 -
  • Wet rice sticks to everything and is basically impossible to shape, so waiting for it to cool to room temperature is not optional—it's the difference between success and a sticky mess.
  • The nori will soften and become chewy if you wrap it too early or store it wet, so wrap right before serving or store the onigiri unwrapped and wrap them at the last minute.
03 -
  • Use flaky sea salt or finishing salt instead of table salt for shaping because it won't dissolve into your hands and gives better control.
  • If you mess up a shape, just squish it back into the rice bowl and start over—the rice is forgiving and will stick back together perfectly.
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