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    Home » Recipes » Mains » Teriyaki Spam Musubi

    Teriyaki Spam Musubi

    Last Modified: October 6, 2022 - Published by: christieathome - Comments: 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Teriyaki Spam Musubi. Pan-fried spam with a homemade teriyaki glaze packed with sushi rice and wrapped in roasted seaweed.

    teriyaki spam musubi

    A delicious and popular Hawaiian dish that is easy to make at home. This is a popular foreign food that residents of Hawaii love! It's sold at many shops.

    This is one of my favorite foods as a savory snack if I have a can of spam lying around with leftover rice. If you love teriyaki spam and rice with nori, then this is the dish for you.

    teriyaki spam musubi

    Great on its own

    Spam musubi is best served on its own, for diner, lunch or delicious as quick snacks. It's my favorite food when I'm feeling a bit indulgent because it's an easy snack to throw together. I wouldn't say it's a complete meal, but you can have it with some veggies or whatever you'd like to make it feel complete.

    No Musubi Press Required

    This great recipe does not require a spam musubi mold or a musubi maker. You can simply use the can that your spam comes in. This is my personal preference to keep things simple. Alternatively, you can also use your hands to mold the layer rice into a rectangular block, but this can be challenging.

    teriyaki spam musubi

    Popular in Hawaii

    Spam musubi is a very popular thing to eat in Hawaii. After the World War II, canned meat was heavily available as it was imported from the United States. It's very similar to a Japanese onigiri.

    Spam Musubi is a wonderful Hawaiian snack, and you can find it in the convenience store or gas stations in Hawaii. And now you don't have to travel to the Hawaiian Islands to have Hawaiian spam musubi! 

    teriyaki spam musubi

    It’s okay if it’s not pretty!

    If this is your first spam musubi in the making, don't panic if it's not perfect! I will show you step by step how to make this popular Hawaiian snack. If you don’t assemble it properly, it’s okay because it’s the taste that matters the most and remember that practice makes perfect.

    Save the Spam Can

    Although this is a spam musubi recipe without the mold, we are still going to use the spam can. Just make sure to clean it with some soap and water before using.

    Ingredients

    The below teriyaki spam musubi ingredients are required. ***Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements***

    • Short-grain rice: aka Sushi rice or Calrose rice is recommended for this dish.
    • Spam: We're using reduced sodium spam but feel free to use regular spam.
    • Nori Seaweed: We are simply cutting a strip of nori into vertical strips to wrap the entire musubi to hold the elements together.
    • Vegetable oil: or any neutral tasting oil like avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or canola oil to fry the spam.

    Teriyaki sauce for spam musubi:

    • Regular soy sauce: We'll be using equal parts soy sauce. Make sure to use regular all-purpose soy sauce and not light or dark soy sauce. Regular soy sauce will be labelled as "Soy Sauce".
    • Mirin: Most Asian grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon will sell this item. It's a sweet cooking wine that tastes nothing like alcohol.
    • Cooking sake: Most Asian grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon will sell this item. It's commonly used in Japanese cooking.

    Rice seasoning:

    • Sugar
    • Salt
    • Rice vinegar: Most Asian grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon will sell this item. You can also use white vinegar too.

    Required: large non-stick skillet

    How to make Teriyaki Spam Musubi

    Below are brief steps and images on how to make this spam musubi but please scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions:

    Teriyaki Spam Musubi
    1. Rinse your uncooked white rice in water a few times. Cook rice in a rice cooker. Season hot rice with sugar, salt and rice vinegar.
    2. Cover and let it cool down to room temperature as you prepare other ingredients.
    3. Lay spam on a clean surface. Cut spam into 5 equal pieces. Clean and reserve the spam can for later.
    4. In a small bowl, combine regular soy sauce, mirin, and sake.
    5. In a large skillet over medium heat, add vegetable oil. Fry slices of spam in a single layer for 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side, until pinkish golden. Do not go above medium-high heat.
    6. Pour sauce over cooked spam slices and let it fry in sauce for 1 minute on each side until it becomes a thick glaze. Remove spam from hot pan and transfer to an oiled plate to prevent the spam from sticking to plate.
    7. Note: Do not leave spam in pan as the teriyaki glaze will start to burn it with the residual heat.

    To Assemble:

    1. Line the can of spam with a large piece of plastic wrap.
    2. Divide seasoned rice into 5 equal portions using a wet rice paddle.
    3. Scoop 1 equal amount of rice into base of lined spam can.
    4. Cover the rice with the plastic wrap. Then using your fingers, pack the rice into base of can until top is flat.  Note: Be careful not to cut yourself along the sharp edges of the can, feel free to use a utensil to help you with this step.
    5. Remove the rice from can by pulling the cling film out and unwrap it.
    6. On a clean work surface, cut your nori sheet horizontally into 5 equal sized strips.
    7. Wet your hands and place a slice of spam on top of the rice. Shiny side up.
    8. Wrap nori strip around the whole thing. Repeat process for remaining ingredients. Enjoy!

    Cooking Tips

    Below are tips on making the best spam musubi:

    Season rice while hot

    This allows for the seasoning to really penetrate the rice granules. It’ll also be easier to mix when the rice is piping hot versus warm.

    Cover rice to keep moist

    This is super important. Otherwise, your rice will not stick when you press it

    Cut spam into equal portions

    On a flat surface, slice spam into equal pieces. I like them thicker but if you like them thinner, feel free to do that too.

    Fry the spam until golden and no further

    Fry spam for just 1.5-2 minutes per side over medium heat until pinkish golden. Do not raise flame to medium high heat or it'll burn.

    Do not overcook

    If you do, your piece of spam will burn in the sauce if you let it cook past 5 minutes. You only want to glaze the spam in the sauce for 2 minutes in total at most!

    Use the spam can and plastic wrap or cling wrap

    This will help you so much versus molding the rice yourself. Be sure to use a sheet of plastic wrap to line the can to make it easier when you remove the rice block.

    Use wet hands when handling your rice block

    Short grain rice is a sticky rice. Wet your hands with a little bit of water as this prevents the rice from sticking to your hands as you assemble your musubi

    Keep piece of nori inside the package until assembly time

    Roasted seaweed tends to draw on surrounding moisture in the air making it less crispy or crunchy. So, I keep the sheet of nori by keeping it in the packaging until you're ready to assemble.

    Cut a strip of seaweed

    Cut them into vertical pieces. You can make them thicker if you'd like.

    FAQ

    Below are frequently asked questions about this spam musubi with teriyaki sauce:

    How long will this last?

    This can be kept for 4 days refrigerated.

    Can I store spam musubi in the fridge for later?

    You can but just wrap it in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. To reheat, microwave for 20-30 seconds without the plastic wrap. Warning: the nori will be moist.

    Can I use long grain rice instead?

    I would not recommend that as the rice will not stick together. Short grain Japanese rice is the best for this dish.

    May I use the less sodium version of spam?

    Yes, go for it!

    What is Spam musubi sauce made of?

    There are many different variations of it! Some use a simple soy sugar base while others use oyster sauce. However, my teriyaki spam musubi recipe is without oyster sauce. My teriyaki sauce is homemade and is made of three simple ingredients: regular soy sauce, mirin and cooking sake.

    What’s the best teriyaki sauce for spam musubi?

    The best kind is homemade to be honest! It’s so easy to make as it only requires three simple ingredients: regular soy sauce, mirin and sake. However, teriyaki sauce can be found at most grocery stores. So, choose one that you enjoy! I like the Kikkoman one.

    What is the difference between musubi and onigiri?

    Onigiri is a rice ball shaped in a triangle wrapped in nori. The dish originates from Japan, and it can contain ingredients like tuna with mayo, crab meat, spam, sweet fish roe, and more.

    Musubi is a Hawaiian Japanese fusion dish, and the shape is rectangular consisting of spam, sushi rice and roasted seaweed.

    What sides go with Spam musubi?

    Teriyaki Spam Musubi is a dish that you usually eat on its own as a snack, but you can definitely pair it with a side of vegetables to make it healthier.

    Is Spam musubi good for you?

    I wouldn’t say it’s a health food as spam is high in sodium and it’s quite high in fat content but it’s darn delicious and sometimes you have to indulge!

    Is Spam musubi Hawaiian or Japanese?

    It’s a Hawaiian Japanese fusion dish.

    Other rice sandwich recipes you may like!

    If you enjoyed my teriyaki spam musubi recipe, you may enjoy these other recipes:

    Spicy Tuna Onigiri
    Japanese Tuna Onigiri
    Bulgogi Beef Triangle Kimbap
    Cheese Kimchi Kimbap
    Tenmusu (Shrimp Tempura Rice Ball)
    Pork Katsu Onigirazu
    Korean Tuna Mayo Rice Balls
    Folded Kimbap

    *This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Teriyaki Spam Musubi

    christieathome
    Teriyaki Spam Musubi. Pan-fried spam with a homemade teriyaki glaze packed with sushi rice and wrapped in roasted seaweed. A delicious Hawaiian Japanese fusion dish that is easy to make at home. If you love teriyaki spam and rice with nori, then this is the dish for you!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Assembling time 15 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish
    Cuisine hawaiian
    Servings 5 pieces
    Calories per serving 409 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 230 grams sushi rice uncooked
    • 340 grams spam low sodium kind
    • 1 sheet nori
    • 1 tsp vegetable oil for frying spam

    Teriyaki sauce:

    • 2 tbsp regular soy sauce (not light or dark!)
    • 2 tbsp mirin
    • 2 tbsp sake cooking kind

    Rice seasoning

    • ½ tsp white granulated sugar
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 2 tsp rice vinegar

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse your uncooked rice in water a few times. Then boil it until cooked. Season hot rice with sugar, salt and rice vinegar. Cover and let it cool down as you prepare other ingredients.
    • Lay spam flat on the cutting board. Slice spam into 5 equal pieces. Clean and reserve the spam can for later.
    • In a bowl, combine regular soy sauce, mirin, and sake.
    • In a large nonstick pan over medium heat, add vegetable oil and fry spam for 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side, until pinkish golden.
    • Pour sauce over spam and let it fry in sauce for 1 minute on each side. Remove spam from hot pan and transfer to an oiled plate to prevent the spam from sticking to plate. Do not leave spam in pan as the teriyaki glaze will start to burn it with the residual heat.
    • Line the spam can with a large piece of plastic wrap.
    • Divide seasoned rice into 5 equal portions using a wet rice paddle. Scoop 1 portion into base of lined spam can. Cover the rice with the plastic wrap. Then using your fingers, pack the rice into base of can until top is flat. Be careful not to cut yourself along the edges of the can, feel free to use a utensil to help you with this step.
    • Remove the rice from can by pulling the cling film out and unwrap it.
    • Cut your nori sheet horizontally into 5 equal sized strips.
    • Wet your hands and place a piece of glazed spam on top.
    • Wrap a strip of nori around it. Repeat process for remaining ingredients. Enjoy!

    Notes

    This can be stored in the fridge wrapped in plastic in an air tight container. To reheat, microwave for 30 seconds. Warning: nori will naturally be moist. 
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
    Copyright PolicyPlease do not copy and paste my recipes or use my photos in your own site/blog or social media. If you use my recipe for adaptation, please provide a link back to my recipe and re-write in your own words. Thank you.

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    Cutting Board
    Rice Cooker
    rice paddle
    Measuring Set
    Santoku Knife
    10-inch non stick pan
    Nutrition
    Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 1650mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish
    Cuisine hawaiian
    Keyword best spam musubi recipe, best teriyaki sauce for spam musubi, how to make spam musubi, how to make teriyaki spam musubi, quick spam musubi, spam musubi, spam musubi recipe, spam musubi recipe without mold, spam musubi recipe without oyster sauce, teriyaki spam and rice, teriyaki spam musubi, teriyaki spam musubi recipe
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Winter

      March 12, 2022 at 9:50 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious! Made these for my family and it was a hit!

      Reply
    2. Jennifer

      April 13, 2022 at 5:53 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and so easy to make.

      Reply
    3. Smiley N

      October 20, 2022 at 12:45 am

      5 stars
      Yum yum yum.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        October 20, 2022 at 11:11 am

        Thank you so much for your kind comment! So glad you enjoyed my recipe!

        Reply
    4. Happy Foodie

      November 22, 2022 at 4:02 pm

      5 stars
      Definitely satisfied my musubi craving. I really appreciate that you included the instructions on shaping the musubi without a press. I thought I was going to have to buy one, but this worked perfectly!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        November 22, 2022 at 4:24 pm

        So happy to read this and glad I could share helpful tips to make the musubi without having a buy a press for it! Thanks for making my recipe and for sharing this kind review!

        Reply

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    Christie

    Christie is an Asian Recipe Blogger sharing delicious recipes that you can make at home! Her goal is to make Asian cooking approachable and less intimidating. With a social media following of over 500k, she has been featured on Buzz Feed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn and more! Christie's recipes have been made over and over again by her loyal readers.

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