Japanese 5 min

Onigiri (Rice Balls) with Salmon and Nori

Name: Onigiri (Rice Balls) with Salmon and Nori
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked short-grain Japanese rice, warm; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 6 oz canned or cooked salmon, flaked and seasoned with soy sauce; 4 sheets nori, cut into strips or rectangles; 1 tablespoon soy sauce (for salmon seasoning); 1 teaspoon sesame oil (for salmon seasoning); 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds; Salt water for shaping (1/2 cup water + 1 teaspoon salt)

meal-prepdairy-freehealthyseafoodbreakfast

Ingredientsfor 2

280

Cal

16g

Protein

44g

Carbs

Fat

13 cups cooked short-grain Japanese rice, warm
21/2 teaspoon salt
36 oz canned or cooked salmon, flaked and seasoned with soy sauce
44 sheets nori, cut into strips or rectangles
51 tablespoon soy sauce (for salmon seasoning)
61 teaspoon sesame oil (for salmon seasoning)
71 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
8Salt water for shaping (1/2 cup water + 1 teaspoon salt)

Order ingredients on Instacart

Instructions

1
Season warm rice lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and fold gently with a rice paddle — do not mash. Let cool to just-warm temperature, not hot, so you can handle it comfortably.
2
Mix flaked salmon with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Keep the salmon pieces slightly chunky for texture.
3
Wet your hands with salted water — this prevents sticking and lightly seasons the exterior. Place a handful of rice (about 1/3 cup) in your palm, make a small indentation, and press in 1 tablespoon of salmon filling. Cover with a little more rice.
4
Shape the rice ball by cupping both hands and applying firm, even pressure from multiple angles. Traditional shapes are triangle (most common), cylinder, or ball. Apply pressure about 5–6 times, rotating the rice ball after each press. The onigiri should hold together but not feel compressed or gluey.
5
Wrap with a strip of nori just before serving to maintain crispness. If making ahead, wrap nori separately in a piece of plastic and attach just before eating.