Spicy TunaOnigiri are Japanese rice balls featuring Japanese sticky rice stuffed with spicy Kewpie mayo tuna and wrapped in savory nori. These rice balls are the perfect on-the-go treat or satisfying snack. Check out our easy steps to assemble a batch in under an hour!
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.
1½ cups Japanese rice, 2 cups Filtered water
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.
1½ cups Japanese rice, 2 cups Filtered water
Spicy Tuna Onigiri
Make the tuna - While the rice cooks, make the tuna filling. In a mixing bowl, add drained tuna, Kewpie mayo, Sriracha, sesame oil, mirin, and furikake to a small bowl. Combine the ingredients with a fork until the tuna is flaky and the ingredients are incorporated.
Assemble - Allow the hot rice to cool until warm. To shape the onigiri, wet your hands and spread a small amount of salt on your palms. Place a handful of rice in your hand and gently shape it into a ball. Make an indentation in the center of the rice, add about a tablespoon of the tuna to the indentation, then cover the tuna with a little more rice. To form the ball into a triangle, place the ball in your left hand and use your right hand to gently angle the ball into a triangle shape.
Wrap - Wrap the rolls with a small sheet of nori seaweed, roll in sesame seeds, and enjoy. Add leftover tuna to the top of each onigiri triangle.
1 Sheet nori, Toasted sesame seeds
Notes
Storage
Refrigerate these Japanese rice balls in an air-tight container or plastic wrap for up to 3 days. This will keep the moisture locked in so the onigiri don't dry out. If you want to take the onigiri to go for lunch, plastic wrap or a bento box will both work well. This dish does not stand up well to freezing.
Top Tips
Keep a bowl of water while making the onigiri. Wet your hands regularly with the water to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands during assembly.
Make sure the steamed rice is cool before adding the filling and nori.
Don’t form the rice balls too tightly or they will be too hard.