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–+ servings

Onigiri with Spicy Tuna

Onigiri are Japanese rice balls filled with various delicious fillings and wrapped in nori for the perfect snack that is so beautifully assembled! Although not traditional, this spicy tuna and avocado version combined with the crispy rice is on another level of flavor. I love having these in the fridge to just grab and go as a quick snack throughout the week!
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Yields12 onigiri
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings12 onigiri

Ingredients

SPICY TUNA FILLING

  • 1 pound ahi tuna, finely chopped into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise, Kewpie mayo preferred
  • 3 tablespoons sriracha
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

SUSHI RICE

  • 2 cups sushi rice, rinsed well
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

OTHER

  • avocado, optional
  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • Japanese barbecue sauce
  • nori sheets

Instructions 

MAKE THE SUSHI RICE

  1. Rinse the sushi rice for a minute or two until the water runs clear. If you have time, soak it in water for 15 minutes prior to rinsing.
  2. Add 3 cups of water to a pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the salt and rice and once boiling, lower the heat and cover to simmer for 20 minutes. After, turn off the heat but leave covered for 10 more minutes. Then fluff it up.
  3. In a small bowl, add the rice vinegar, granulated sugar, and sesame oil. Microwave for 30 seconds or quickly warm it up in a pot just so the sugar dissolves.
  4. Pour this over the rice and mix so that each grain of rice is coated evenly. It should be very sticky! Set aside.

MAKE THE SPICY TUNA

  1. To a bowl, add the finely diced tuna along with mayonnaise, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, and sliced green onions. Mix together.

ASSEMBLY

  1. Using hands dipped in water, shape about 1/4 cup of rice into a small triangle on a piece of saran wrap.
  2. Add about 2 tablespoons of spicy tuna filling to the center. Cover with more rice on top in the shape of a triangle.
  3. Wrap with Saran Wrap tightly and shape tightly. Then unwrap it. Repeat with the rest of the rice and tuna. You can also add thinly sliced avocado inside. Wrap a piece of nori along the bottom.
  4. OPTIONAL STEP: To make this yaki (which just means grilled in Japanese), add a splash of oil to a pan. Do not add a lot of oil, just enough to cover the surface of the pan. Add the onigiri and fry on each side for 3 minutes until crispy and golden. Then add a drizzle of Japanese barbecue sauce on one side and flip over so the barbecue sauce can caramelize. Repeat on the other side. Take off the heat and wrap a piece of nori along the bottom.
  5. Enjoy with spicy mayo to dip in or chili oil!

Notes

  • If you have any leftovers, individually wrap each one tightly in saran wrap and store in the fridge to enjoy later.
  • For an easier way to fill and shape them: lay out rice in a flat layer, add the tuna in the center and wrap into a tight ball. Flatten and shape out the ball into a triangle.

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!