5.0 from 3 votes
Easy Onigiri Recipe (Japanese Rice Balls)
These flavorful rice balls are filled with savory surprises and wrapped in nori. Make them into fun shapes for a tasty lunch or snack that everyone, even kids, will enjoy eating!
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 20 balls
Calories: 70 kcal
Course:
Snacks , Lunch
Cuisine:
Japanese
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried sushi rice
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons Furikake rice seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Optional garnishes: Nori sheets for decoration sushi ginger, sliced smoked salmon
Instructions
- Place the rice in a medium saucepot. Rinse the rice several times, pouring off the water and excess starches. (It’s best to do this is a bowl or pot, not a colander, so the rice grains don’t break.)
- Place the sauce pot with the clean drained rice over high heat. Add 2 ½ cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat and let the pot sit and steam another 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork. Then gently mix in the furikake and salt.
- Use your hands, or Onigiri molds, to press the rice into balls or various shapes. If using molds, you might need to spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the pressed Onigiri on parchment or wax paper.
- If desired, cut nori sheets and press the seaweed sheets against the Onigiri for decoration. You can also cut and decorate with sushi ginger or smoked salmon. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- We made traditional triangles with a nori strip garnish on the bottom, and balls with nori rings and a ginger garnish. To make the pandas, we skipped the furikake and added extra salt to taste, to keep the color clean and white. You can find all sorts of Onigiri molds at local Asian markets and on Amazon.
- We made traditional triangles with a nori strip garnish on the bottom, and balls with nori rings and a ginger garnish. To make the pandas, we skipped the furikake and added extra salt to taste, to keep the color clean and white. You can find all sorts of Onigiri molds at local Asian markets and on Amazon.
- These will keep well for at least a week. To store Japanese rice balls in the fridge, first, let them cool completely before covering them with a layer of plastic cling wrap. You can have all of the Onigiri on a plate covered with a single piece of plastic, or wrap each individual ball for longer storage.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1pc
Calories
70kcal
(4%)
Carbohydrates
15g
(5%)
Protein
1g
(2%)
Fat
1g
(2%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
Sodium
119mg
(5%)
Potassium
17mg
(0%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
11IU
(0%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
7mg
(1%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 20balls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 70
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1pc | |
| Calories | 70kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 119mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 17mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 11IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 7mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.