Spicy Tuna Onigiri. Rice balls wrapped in roasted seaweed and stuffed with creamy spicy mayo tuna. A simple and satisfying snack, breakfast, or quick meal on the go. Great as picnic food too!
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What is Spicy Tuna Onigiri?
Spicy Tuna Onigiri is a Japanese triangular shaped rice ball stuffed with a creamy spicy tuna mayo mixture and wrapped in dry roasted seaweed. This is a popular Japanese food that is sold at many convenience stores or restaurants. Many hungry commuters and students love to eat this for breakfast, light meal or as a snack as it's cheap, filling and delicious!
I love making these whenever I have leftover cooked rice in the fridge that I can easily heat up. It's a fast recipe that requires minimal ingredients and I always make this during a busy week when I don't have much time to cook.
Ingredients
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
- Short grain rice, sushi rice (aka Calrose rice): do not use long grain rice
- Nori
- Salt
- Black Sesame Seeds (optional)
- Water to moisten hands and rice paddle
Spicy Tuna filling:
- Canned tuna in oil or water
- Japanese mayo, or kewpie mayo: or substitute with normal mayo
- Sriracha sauce
How to make Spicy Tuna Onigiri
Prepare Rice
Rinse your rice. Using your rice cooker or a pot, cook your rice as how you normally would.
Season Cooked Rice
After it’s cooked, scoop the rice into a large bowl and season with salt. Mix well. Cover and let it cool to room temperature. Feel free to use leftover rice by reheating it in the microwave for 90 seconds covered.
Create Tuna Mayo Mixture
Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together strained canned tuna, Japanese mayo and sriracha sauce. Set aside.
Lay out Plastic Wrap
Lay out a large fresh sheet of cling film or plastic wrap (about 15 x 15 inches) on a clean surface where the film will cling.
Divide & Scoop Rice onto Plastic
Moisten your rice paddle with water. Divide your cooked rice into four equal portions. Scoop one portion of the rice into the center of the cling film. Spread out evenly into a circle, about ½ – ¾ inch thick.
Place Tuna Mayo Mixture onto Rice
Divide your spicy tuna mayo mixture into four equal portions. Scoop a portion into the center of the rice.
Shape Rice Ball into Triangle
Lift the corners of the cling film and twist into a ball, pushing the filling into the center of the rice ball. Gently flatten the rice ball until it’s about 2 inches thick. Then shape into a triangle using the L-shape of your thumb and pointer finger until you’re satisfied with the shape.
Adhere Nori
Remove your nori from its packaging. Fold the sheet into half vertically and cut or gently tear at the fold. Then fold one of the halve sheets into half and fold again. Cut into 4 vertical strips. ***You can also use half a sheet of nori per rice ball (it’s up to you!)***
Garnish
Remove the triangle rice ball from the cling film and stick the rough side of the seaweed sheet on the base of the ball starting from the middle down. Garnish with black sesame seeds (optional). Enjoy!
Storage
These are best consumed immediately. It's best not to eat room temperature rice for over 24 hours as rice is a breeding ground for bacteria. If you have leftovers, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. To reheat, microwave without the plastic wrap until the rice is warm again.
Expert Tips
- Please use sushi rice or Calrose rice. This is especially important to ensure the rice sticks. I don't recommend any long grain rice or sticky glutinous rice.
- Cover rice with a lid or warm towel to keep it moist
- I highly recommend canned tuna in oil or olive oil for this recipe for a luscious creamy center but if you only have canned tuna in water, which works fine too!
- Keep your roasted seaweed sheets in the package and only take it out when you’re ready to wrap the rice ball. This will keep the sheet from absorbing moisture in the air which will make it go soggy. But to be honest, once you adhere the seaweed wrapper to the rice triangle and if you’re not quick to eat, it will go soggy anyway.
Other recipes you may like!
- Japanese Tuna Onigiri (Non-Spicy Version!)
- Bulgogi Beef Triangle Kimbap
- Korean Rice Balls
- Pork Katsu Onigirazu
- Folded Kimbap
- Pork Belly Kimbap
- Spicy Tuna Kimbap
📖 Recipe
Spicy Tuna Onigiri (No mould needed!)
Ingredients
- 240 g sushi rice uncooked (or 1 ½ rice cooker cups)
- ½ or 2 sheets nori this is based on personal preference
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds Optional for garnish
- Water to moisten hands and rice paddle
Spicy tuna filling:
- 104 grams canned tuna drained of oil or water
- 1 ½ tablespoon Japanese mayo (normal mayo will work too)
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Rinse your rice. Using your rice cooker or a pot, cook your rice as how you normally would. After it’s cooked, scoop the rice into a large bowl and season with salt. Mix well. Cover and let it cool to room temperature. Feel free to use leftover rice by reheating it in the microwave for 90 seconds covered.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together strained canned tuna, Japanese mayo and sriracha sauce. Set aside.
- Lay out a large fresh sheet of cling film (about 15 x 15 inches) on a clean surface where the film will cling.
- Moisten your rice paddle with water. Divide your cooked rice into four equal portions. Scoop one portion of the rice into the center of the cling film. Spread out evenly into a circle, about ½ – ¾ inch thick.
- Divide your spicy tuna mayo mixture into four equal portions. Scoop a portion into the center of the rice.
- Lift the corners of the cling film and twist into a ball, pushing the filling into the center of the rice ball.
- Gently flatten the rice ball until it’s about 2 inches thick. Then shape into a triangle using the L-shape of your thumb and pointer finger until you’re satisfied with the shape.
- Remove your nori from its packaging. Fold the sheet into half vertically and cut or gently tear at the fold. Then fold one of the halve sheets into half and fold again. Cut into 4 vertical strips. ***You can also use half a sheet of nori per rice ball (it’s up to you!)***
- Remove the triangle rice ball from the cling film and stick the rough side of the seaweed sheet on the base of the ball starting from the middle down. Garnish with black sesame seeds (optional). Enjoy!
Barbara
I had been looking for a spicy tuna recipe and yours is the best. Thank you. I make onigiri for my Granddaughters school lunches. I have another Granddaughter at University in Japan and she is the one that taught me how to make Onigiri. Thank you and keep up the good work.
christieathome
Thank you so much Barbara for this very kind comment! I am so happy to hear this. It's so sweet that you make them onigiri for their lunches and your granddaughter taught you how to make it! 🙂 Have a lovely day!
Mark
This was so simple and delicious. Even easier because I had leftover sushi rice in the fridge.