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    The Heirloom Pantry » Recipes » Brunch Recipes

    Spam, Eggs, and Rice

    Published: Aug 3, 2022 · Modified: Oct 7, 2023 by Kathleen Higashiyama · The following content may contain paid links. When you click and shop the links, we receive a commission.

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    Pinterest pin for Spam, eggs, and rice, a local favorite from Hawaii.

    Spam, Eggs, and Rice is a flavorful local favorite from Hawaii. It features a bed of fluffy Japanese rice with furikake, a yolky egg, and fried Spam in a homemade teriyaki sauce.

    Rice with furikake, sunny side up eggs, and fried teriyaki spam on a plate.

    Spam, eggs, and rice is a classic breakfast in Hawaii and within the mainland Japanese-American community. In fact, it's so common in Hawaii that you can order a plate from McDonald's! We typically serve it as pictured or with a scoop of our popular Kimchi Fried Rice.

    The rice soaks up the yolk and sauce and the Spam is perfectly crisp and loaded with flavor. Make it your own with your egg of choice, like scrambled eggs or any type of fried egg. This dish is checks all the boxes: it's flavorful, quick to make, and can easily feed a crowd!

    Jump to:
    • About Spam, Eggs, and Rice
    • What is Spam?
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Instructions
    • Other Ways to Enjoy Spam
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tips
    • Related Recipes
    • Did You Like This Recipe?
    • 📖 Recipe

    About Spam, Eggs, and Rice

    • Taste - The spam, eggs, and rice combine to create the perfect mega-bite.
    • Texture - The rice is soft, the meat is firm and crispy, and the eggs have a gooey yolk.
    • Effort - This Spam and Eggs recipe has a few simple steps that take some time. You can streamline the process by making the teriyaki sauce the night before or using store-bought sauce.
    • Time - Depending on how you prepare the rice, it takes about 50 minutes to make. Save time by starting the rice then preparing the spam and eggs while the rice cooks.

    What is Spam?

    Spam is mainly pork (shoulder) and ham (buttock). It was created in 1937 in Austin, Minnesota and slowly gained popularity after that. Today, it is hugely popular in Hawaii and is a big part of local culture. People in Hawaii love it with rice, especially in spam musubis.

    When fried, Spam is perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. We love to glaze the spam in teriyaki sauce for extra umami flavor.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients to make fried SPAM, sunny side up eggs, and rice for breakfast.

    Spam and Eggs

    • Spam - Spam is a surprisingly rich and flavorful meat. We use low sodium because it is slightly healthier without sacrificing flavor.
    • Eggs - Eggs are savory and tasty source of protein.
    • Rice - We use Japanese short-grain rice, or uruchimai. Japanese rice is sticky, starch, and moist. You can make Japanese sticky rice in a rice cooker or on a stove top in a thick-bottomed pot.
    • Furikake - Furikake is Japanese seaweed seasoning. It is usually made of dried nori, or seaweed, sesame seeds, and salt.
    • Sriracha - Sriracha sauce adds a hint of heat without overpowering the other ingredients.

    Teriyaki Sauce

    • Soy sauce - Soy sauce, or shoyu in Japanese, is an essential condiment in Japanese cooking and adds a rich umami flavor to the teriyaki sauce.
    • Mirin - Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine that adds umami flavor and is the base of many Japanese sauces and marinades.
    • Sake -  Sake adds savoriness to the teriyaki sauce.
    • Brown sugar - Brown sugar provides sweetness.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Substitutions

    • Store-bought teriyaki sauce - You can replace our homemade teriyaki sauce with store-bought teriyaki sauce if you want to save time.
    • Shortcut sauce - If you don't have mirin or sake, just use soy sauce and sugar. The sauce will still caramelize and taste delicious.
    • Portuguese sausage - Portuguese sausage is another Hawaii favorite. It is a little spicier and more robustly flavored than spam.
    • Portuguese Sausage Spam - This special Spam combines 2 of Hawaii's favorite meats: Portuguese sausage and Spam. The combination is delicious.
    • No teriyaki - If you don't like teriyaki sauce or don't want to take the time to make it, you can fry the spam without it.
    • Soyrizo - Rice and eggs will also be delicious with vegan soy chorizo.
    • Bacon - If you want to make this recipe with bacon, check our our bacon breakfast rice bowl.
    • Brown rice or Wild rice - Use brown rice instead of white rice to make this meal healthier or if you just prefer the taste and texture to white rice. We recommend Koda Farm's Whole Grain Brown Kokuho Rose, which is a Japanese brown rice with a nutty flavor. Wild rice is also a great option if you are looking for a nutritious and flavorful alternative to white rice.
    • Gluten free - Both furikake and traditional soy sauce contain gluten. To enjoy this dish gluten free, season it with gluten free furikake and replace traditional soy sauce with tamari.

    Variations

    • Spicy - Add sriracha or your favorite hot sauce to make this breakfast spicy.
    • Shoyu - Douse all of the the ingredients in shoyu for extra umami flavor.
    • Eggs - This recipe will also be delicious with other types of eggs including a soft scramble, soft boiled eggs, or eggs over easy, over medium, or over hard eggs.
    • Quail eggs - Soft Boiled Quail Eggs are a delicious and slightly richer alternative to traditional eggs.
    • Kimchi - Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish made of salted and fermented vegetables. Kimchi will add a pungent and pickled spice to this brunch dish.
    • Green Onion - Add thin sliced green onions for a bright garnish.
    • Garlic powder - Garlic powder will add the quintessential aroma.
    • Spring Onion - Spring onion is slightly stronger flavored than green onions but still milder than regular onions.
    • Scallion - Scallion adds an aromatic flavor and a light crunch.
    • Spam fried rice - Spam and egg fried rice is a delicious brunch alternative to spam rice and eggs that uses similar ingredients.

    Instructions

    Steps to make teriyaki SPAM, including the teriyaki sauce and frying the SPAM in a pan.

    Rice

    • Rice cooker instructions - Place rice in the electric rice cooker pot and rinse the rice in the sink until the water runs clear, then drain. Combine rice and filtered water in the pot and cook per the rice cooker directions.

    Teriyaki sauce

    • While the rice cooks, make the teriyaki sauce. Add soy sauce, sake, mirin, and brown sugar to a bowl and whisk the ingredients. (Photo 1)

    Spam and Eggs

    • Cut the Spam lengthwise into 8 equal slices. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook Spam slices 3-5 minutes or until caramelized, flipping halfway through. Add teriyaki sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the slices are coated. (Photo 2, 3, and 4)
    Steps to make spam, eggs, and rice, including frying the SPAM in teriyaki sauce, frying the egg, and assembling the plate.
    • In a separate pan, cook the eggs while the Spam cooks. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and slightly foamy, crack the egg onto a skillet and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Cook for about 2 to 2½ minutes until the egg whites go from clear to white and edges start to crisp.
    • While the eggs and Spam finish cooking, distribute rice to bowls or plates. Then add eggs and caramelized Spam, and sprinkle with furikake. Serve with ketchup, Sriracha, soy sauce, or hot sauce.

    Pro tip: If your pan is too small to cook all of the Spam at once, cook 4 pieces first, set them aside, then cook the remaining 4 pieces. Once all of the pieces are cooked. add them all back then drizzle the Teriyaki sauce on all of them. This will ensure all of the pieces are caramelized in the teriyaki sauce without burning the sauce..

    Other Ways to Enjoy Spam

    • Spam Musubi - Spam Musubi is another great Spam recipe from Hawaii. It features Spam and rice wrapped in nori.
    • Spam Musubi with Egg - Add a scrambled egg to a Spam musubi for extra protein and deliciousness.
    • Spam Fried Rice - Spam and egg fried rice is a flavor packed brunch and a great way to use leftover Spam and rice.
    • Spam Ramen - Add Spam to ramen for a savory flavor burst.

    Recipe FAQs

    Is spam good fried?

    Yes, fried Spam has a crispy outside and tender juicy inside. We add teriyaki sauce to our fried Spam for extra flavor.

    Why is Spam so popular in Hawaii?

    Spam was introduced to Hawaii during World War II. During World War II, the U.S. government served Spam to soldiers stationed in Hawaii since Spam was cheap and non-perishable. There was so much Spam that it ended up sold in stores around Hawaii and eventually adopted into local culture.

    Can I eat Spam raw?

    Yes, Spam is already cooked so it can be eaten straight from the can. However, we highly recommend cooking it because both the texture and taste are much better!

    What goes well with Spam?

    Spam is super versatile and can be enjoyed with many sides and at any time of day. Our favorites are Spam musubi, Spam with Eggs and Rice, or our Spam in Spam breakfast fried rice recipe.

    Can dogs eat Spam?

    Dogs should not eat Spam because it is high in sodium and fat.

    Yolky egg, rice, and fried Spam with homemade teriyaki sauce.

    Equipment

    This recipe requires a few kitchen essentials. In order to prepare the eggs and Spam, you will need a knife, cutting board, mixing bowl, non-stick pan or standard skillet, and silicone baking spatula or tongs. For the teriyaki sauce, you will need a whisk, measuring spoons, and a small saucepan. For the rice, you will need a pot or rice cooker, and a rice paddle.

    Storage

    Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. In order to reheat the eggs, heat in a covered pan over low heat. In order to reheat the Spam and rice, heat over low heat on the stove or warm in the microwave. These ingredients do not stand up well to freezing.

    Top tips

    • Enjoy the freshly cooked rice, eggs, and Spam right away so the rice is hot, eggs are yolky and meat is crispy.
    • If possible, use a non-stick pan to cook the eggs. This will ensure that the eggs come out easily once they are done cooking.
    • Make the teriyaki sauce the night before to streamline the recipe. You can also make enough for the week to use with other dishes.

    Related Recipes

    • Soft-scrambled eggs with cheese (burrata), blistered cherry tomatoes, arugula salad, baguette, balsamic glaze
      Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Tomatoes, and Arugula
    • Shoyu Breakfast Fried Rice in bowls with soft boiled eggs.
      Breakfast Fried Rice with Spam, Bacon, and Eggs
    • Closeup shot of a fried sunny side up egg on a plate.
      How to Make Perfect Fried Eggs (4 Types)
    • Breakfast hash with sweet potatoes in a white Le Creuset braiser/skillet with eggs and avocado.
      Breakfast Hash with Sweet Potatoes and Eggs

    Did You Like This Recipe?

    Love this Spam and eggs recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below & consider leaving a comment below. Thanks!

    Sign up for THP's newsletter and keep in touch on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube. If you make this Spam breakfast recipe, tag #theheirloompantry so we can see your Spam, Rice, and Eggs!

    📖 Recipe

    Rice with furikake, sunny side up eggs, and fried teriyaki spam on a plate.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Spam, Eggs, and Rice

    Spam, Eggs, and Rice is a flavorful local favorite from Hawaii. It features a bed of fluffy Japanese rice with furikake, a yolky egg, and fried Spam in a homemade teriyaki sauce.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time40 minutes mins
    Total Time50 minutes mins
    Course: Breakfast, Brunch
    Cuisine: Hawaiian, Japanese
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 695kcal
    Author: Kathleen Higashiyama

    Equipment

    • 1 knife
    • 1 cutting board
    • 1 mixing bowl
    • 1 non-stick pan
    • 1 silicone baking spatula
    • 1 Tongs
    • 1 whisk
    • 1 Measuring spoons
    • 1 pot
    • 1 Rice paddle

    Ingredients 

    Spam, Eggs, and Rice

    • 2 cup Japanese rice
    • 1â…“ cup filtered water
    • 1 12 oz canned Low Sodium Spam cut into 8 even slices
    • 1½ tablespoon butter
    • 4 eggs plus more if preferred

    Teriyaki Sauce

    • 1½ tablespoon soy sauce regular, low-sodium, or gluten-free
    • ½ tablespoon sake
    • 2 tablespoon mirin
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar

    For Serving

    • furikake
    • ketchup
    • Sriracha
    • hot sauce
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Rice

    • Rice Stovetop instructions - Place rice in a saucepan and rinse the rice in the sink until the water runs clear, then drain. Combine washed rice and filtered water in a medium saucepan. Bring the rice to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.
      2 cup Japanese rice
    • Rice cooker instructions - Place rice in the electric rice cooker pot and rinse the rice in the sink until the water runs clear, then drain. Combine rice and filtered water in the pot and cook per the rice cooker directions.
      1â…“ cup filtered water

    Teriyaki sauce

    • While the rice cooks, make the teriyaki sauce. Add soy sauce, sake, mirin, and brown sugar to a bowl and whisk the ingredients. Set aside.
      1½ tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon sake, 2 tablespoon mirin, 1 teaspoon brown sugar

    Spam and Eggs

    • Cut the Spam lengthwise into 8 equal slices. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook Spam slices 3-5 minutes or until caramelized, flipping halfway through. Add teriyaki sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the slices are coated.
      1 12 oz canned Low Sodium Spam
    • In a separate pan, cook the eggs while the Spam cooks. Heat butter in a skillet over low-medium heat. Once the butter is melted and slightly foamy, crack the egg onto a skillet and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Cook for about 2 to 2½ minutes until the egg whites go from clear to white and edges start to crisp.
      1½ tablespoon butter, 4 eggs
    • While the eggs and spam finish cooking, distribute rice to bowls or plates. Then add eggs and Spam, and sprinkle with furikake. Serve with ketchup, Sriracha, soy sauce, or hot sauce.
      ketchup, Sriracha, hot sauce, furikake

    Video

    Notes

    Top Tips
    • Enjoy the freshly cooked rice, eggs, and Spam right away for the best flavor.
    • Make the teriyaki sauce the night before to streamline the recipe. You can also make enough for the week to use with other dishes.
    • If you don't have mirin and sake, you can use soy sauce and sugar. The flavor will still be good and the sauce will still caramelize.
    • If your pan is too small to cook all of the Spam at once, cook 4 pieces first, set them aside, then cook the remaining 4 pieces. Once all of the pieces are cooked. add them all back then drizzle the teriyaki sauce on all of them. This will ensure all of the pieces are caramelized in the teriyaki sauce without burning the sauce.
    • Wet the rice paddle before serving the rice. This prevents the rice from sticking.
    • Use regular sugar as a substitute for brown sugar.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 695kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 225mg | Sodium: 1718mg | Potassium: 538mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theheirloompantry or tag #theheirloompantry!

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    About the Author

    Kat Higashiyama and Alec Totto are recipe developers, food photographers, and the authors behind The Heirloom Pantry. Since 2017, they have shared recipes inspired by their Japanese and Italian heritage and California and Hawaii roots. They reside in San Jose with their two dogs, Peeps and Paisley. Read More…

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