Hawaiian Spam Musubi

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5 from 24 votes

Hawaiian Spam Musubi is a layered snack featuring slices of pan-cooked Spam glazed with a soy sauce and sugar mixture, served atop seasoned Japanese rice blocks wrapped in strips of nori seaweed. The combination of salty, sweet cooked Spam and tender, slightly sticky rice makes a handheld, convenient treat. The Spam is simmered gently in a simple sauce before being carefully shaped with the rice using a recycled Spam can as a mold, and wrapped in crisp seaweed for texture and ease of handling.

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Servings: 6

Calories: 442 kcal

Course: Main Course, Breakfast, Snacks

Cuisine: Asian, Hawaiian

Ingredients

1 can SPAM (12 oz, I like to use Lite spam)
2 heets nori 7 in x 8 in, 6 grams, seaweed

Cook rice:

2 cups rice Japanese variety
2 cups water

Sauce to cook spam:

¼ cup soy sauce ( The best to use Aloha soy sauce)
¼ cup sugar

Instructions

Cup of Yum

Put 2 cups of Japanese rice into the bowl.
Pour 6 cups of water into the bowl.
Wash and rub the rice.
Then, drain the rice. Usually, I repeat steps 2-4 for 3 times.
After that, put the washed rice into the instant pot.
Pour 2 cups of water into the instant pot and level off the rice. Close the lid and vent, press the button manual, adjust 6 minutes and natural release.
While cooking the rice, open a can of spam. Cut the block of spam into slices ¼ -½ inch thick. I did around ½ inch thick for 6 slices. You can do 8 slices and thinner.
After, pour ¼ cup of soy sauce and ¼ cup of sugar into a pan. Mix it well and turn on the small fire. ( The best to use Aloha soy sauce.)
Next, put the sliced spam from step 7 into the sauce. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Flip the other side and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Cut 2 sheets of nori seaweed into strips (2-3 inches wide).
Wash and clean the can from spam. Use a paper towel to dry it and put a plastic wrap into it. (This way it is easier to take the block of rice.)
When the rice is done, open the lid and scoop the rice out.
When the rice, nori and spam are ready, you can start combining the ingredients to make Hawaiian spam musubi.
Put 6 tablespoons of rice into the mold and compact the rice with the spoon.
Take out the block of rice.
Place a strip of nori under the block of rice.
Put the cooked spam on top of the rice.
Then, bring the nori together and close the end. You can dip some sauce from the cooked spam, this can help stick the seaweed and close it well.

Notes

Japanese short-grain rice is preferable for its texture and stickiness, but Calrose rice is a practical substitute.
Because of differences in cooking equipment and rice brands, you may need to adjust water amounts if not using an Instant Pot.
Lite Spam provides a less fatty and lower sodium option while preserving flavor.
Aloha soy sauce lends an ideal balance of saltiness and sweetness; standard soy sauce may alter the taste.
Reuse and clean the empty Spam can as a mold by lining it with plastic wrap for forming uniform rice blocks without sticking.
Experimenting with additions and variations is common, but the classic Spam and rice wrapped with nori gives the traditional musubi experience.

Nutrition Information

Calories 442kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 61g (20%) Protein 13g (26%) Fat 16g (25%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 8g (40%) Cholesterol 40mg (13%) Sodium 1347mg (56%) Potassium 326mg (7%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 45IU (1%) Vitamin C 0.3mg (0%) Calcium 22mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 442

% Daily Value*

Calories	442kcal	22%
Carbohydrates	61g	20%
Protein	13g	26%
Fat	16g	25%
Saturated Fat	6g	30%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	8g	40%
Cholesterol	40mg	13%
Sodium	1347mg	56%
Potassium	326mg	7%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	9g	18%
Vitamin A	45IU	1%
Vitamin C	0.3mg	0%
Calcium	22mg	2%
Iron	1mg	6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.