Easy Spicy Tuna Onigiri Recipe: Savory Japanese Comfort Snacks

Spicy tuna onigiri reinvents ordinary rice into a vibrant culinary adventure that captures the essence of Japanese street food.

Compact yet bursting with flavor, this handheld delicacy combines the rich umami of seafood with a tantalizing heat that dances across your palate.

Triangular pockets of seasoned rice cradle a zesty tuna mixture, creating a perfect balance between texture and taste.

Traditional techniques merge with bold contemporary ingredients, elevating this simple snack into a gourmet experience.

Japanese home cooks and professional chefs alike treasure these portable delights for their versatility and intense flavor profile.

Carefully selected spices and fresh ingredients distinguish this version from standard rice preparations.

Each bite promises a harmonious blend of heat, freshness, and comfort that will transport you to bustling Tokyo street markets.

Spicy Tuna Onigiri With a Kick Inside

• Savor Spicy Flavor Explosion: The combination of sriracha sauce and Japanese mayo creates a tantalizing heat that dances on your taste buds, transforming simple tuna into a zesty filling that packs a delicious punch.
• Master Easy Japanese Technique: Crafting onigiri becomes a breeze with the cling film method, allowing even novice cooks to shape perfect rice balls without sticky hands or complicated tools.
• Quick Portable Lunch Solution: These compact triangular rice balls are ideal for picnics, work lunches, or on-the-go snacks, offering a complete meal that's both nutritious and incredibly satisfying.
• Customize with Creative Touches: Flexible recipe allows personal tweaks like adjusting spice levels, experimenting with different fillings, or adding optional sesame seed garnishes to make each onigiri uniquely yours.

What You’ll Need to Wrap Up These Tuna Bites

• Sushi Rice: Short-grain, sticky rice perfect for holding together onigiri with a slightly sweet, subtle flavor.
• Salt: Enhances the rice's natural taste and helps balance the overall seasoning.

• Canned Tuna: Protein-rich base for the spicy filling, best when drained well and flaked.
• Japanese Mayonnaise: Creamy, tangy condiment that adds richness to the tuna mixture.
• Sriracha Sauce: Adds a spicy kick and vibrant heat to the tuna filling.

• Nori Sheets: Thin seaweed sheets that provide a classic Japanese wrapper with a subtle ocean flavor.
• Black Sesame Seeds: Optional topping that adds a nutty crunch and visual appeal to the onigiri.

How to Shape and Fill Spicy Tuna Onigiri

Step 1: Prepare Rice Base

Rinse sushi rice under cold water until water runs clear. Cook rice in a rice cooker or pot following package instructions. Transfer cooked rice to a large bowl, season with salt, mix thoroughly, and let cool to room temperature.

Step 2: Create Spicy Tuna Filling

• Canned tuna
• Japanese mayonnaise
• Sriracha sauce

Mix well and set aside.

Step 3: Set Up Workspace

Lay a 15 x 15 inch piece of cling film on a clean surface. Keep a rice paddle nearby and moisten with water.

Step 4: Shape Rice Base

Divide cooled rice into four equal portions. Place one portion on cling film and gently flatten into a circle about ½ to ¾ inch thick.

Step 5: Add Tuna Filling

Spoon a portion of spicy tuna mixture into the center of the rice circle.

Step 6: Form Onigiri Ball

Lift the corners of cling film and twist to create a ball, ensuring tuna filling is completely enclosed.

Step 7: Shape Into Triangle

Gently press down to flatten the ball into a 2-inch thick disc. Use thumb and index finger to shape into a triangular form.

Step 8: Wrap And Garnish

Cut nori sheets into strips. Wrap a strip around the base of each rice ball. Optional: Sprinkle black sesame seeds on top for extra flavor and texture.

Tips to Get the Rice Just Right

• Master Rice Texture: Rinse rice thoroughly to remove excess starch, ensuring fluffy and perfectly separated grains for ideal onigiri consistency.
• Prevent Sticky Hands: Keep a small bowl of water nearby and periodically wet your hands and rice paddle to prevent rice from sticking during shaping.
• Balance Spicy Filling: Adjust sriracha sauce quantity to match your heat preference, tasting the tuna mixture before filling to ensure ideal flavor intensity.
• Create Perfect Seal: Use cling film as a helpful tool to enclose the filling completely, preventing tuna from leaking and maintaining a clean, professional shape.
• Nori Wrapping Trick: Cut nori strips slightly longer than needed, allowing a small overlap when wrapping to ensure a neat and secure attachment around the rice ball.

Best Ways to Store and Reheat Onigiri

• Refrigeration: Store leftover onigiri in an airtight container, keeping them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Wrap each rice ball individually in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
• Reheating: Warm onigiri gently in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, covering with a damp paper towel to maintain moisture. Alternatively, quickly pan-fry in a lightly oiled skillet for a crispy exterior.
• Best Consumption: Enjoy onigiri fresh for optimal texture and flavor. Refrigerated onigiri may become slightly harder, so reheating helps restore their soft, pleasant consistency.

Delicious Pairings for Spicy Rice Snacks

• Pair with Crisp Sake: Select a chilled junmai or ginjo sake that complements the spicy tuna's richness and cuts through its heat, creating a smooth and refreshing balance.
• Match with Seaweed Salad Side: Serve a light, tangy seaweed salad alongside the onigiri to enhance the oceanic flavors and provide a fresh, crunchy contrast to the soft rice triangles.
• Complement with Green Tea: Brew a hot sencha or genmaicha green tea to cleanse the palate and balance the spiciness of the tuna, offering a traditional Japanese drinking experience.
• Add Pickled Ginger Garnish: Include a small portion of pickled ginger (gari) on the side to provide a zingy, palate-cleansing element that refreshes between bites of the spicy onigiri.

Creative Fillings for Tuna Onigiri Fans

• Salmon Sensation: Replace tuna with fresh salmon, mixing it with wasabi mayo for a creamy, peppery kick that elevates the traditional onigiri flavor profile.
• Veggie Volcano: Swap seafood for roasted vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant, seasoned with teriyaki sauce and finely chopped green onions for a plant-based alternative.
• Kimchi Crunch: Blend spicy Korean kimchi with cream cheese and shredded chicken, creating a tangy, robust filling that adds a bold Korean-inspired twist to the classic Japanese rice ball.
• Furikake Fusion: Coat the exterior with furikake seasoning instead of nori, incorporating dried seaweed, sesame seeds, and dried fish for an extra umami-rich exterior that provides incredible texture and depth.

Spicy Tuna Onigiri Recipe

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4.5 from 29 reviews

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 2 1x

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Description

Japanese rice balls embrace bold flavors with this spicy tuna onigiri recipe. Crisp nori wraps around seasoned sushi rice and zesty tuna, delivering a perfect handheld snack you’ll crave at first bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Protein:

• 104 grams canned tuna, drained

Rice and Base Ingredients:

• 240 grams (or 1.5 rice cooker cups) sushi rice, uncooked
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Water to moisten hands and rice paddle

Flavor and Garnish Ingredients:

• ½ tablespoon Japanese mayo (or regular mayo)
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
• ½ or 2 sheets nori (based on personal preference)
• ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds (optional for garnish)

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Instructions

1. Thoroughly cleanse sushi rice under running water until the liquid becomes transparent, then cook using a rice cooker or pot following package guidelines.
2. Transfer cooked rice to a spacious mixing bowl, incorporate salt evenly, and allow to cool to ambient temperature.
3. Create a spicy tuna filling by blending drained tuna with Japanese mayonnaise and sriracha sauce in a separate container.
4. Position a square piece of plastic wrap on a clean work surface and lightly dampen a rice paddle with water.
5. Portion the cooled rice into four uniform segments.
6. Spread one rice portion onto the plastic wrap, creating a smooth, circular layer approximately half an inch thick.
7. Delicately place a portion of the prepared spicy tuna mixture directly in the rice circle’s center.
8. Gather the plastic wrap’s edges and gently twist, forming a compact ball that completely encases the tuna filling.
9. Softly compress the rice ball, transforming it into a disc roughly two inches thick.
10. Utilize your thumb and index finger to mold the disc into a triangular shape with defined edges.
11. Slice nori sheets into appropriate strips and carefully wrap around the base of each rice triangle.
12. Optional: Sprinkle black sesame seeds over the onigiri for added texture and visual appeal.

Notes

• Prep rice carefully by rinsing until water runs clear to remove excess starch, ensuring perfect sticky texture for shaping onigiri.
• Use wet rice paddle or hands to prevent sticky rice from clinging, making the forming process smooth and easy.
• Create tight seal when wrapping tuna filling to prevent ingredients from falling out during handling or eating.
• Select high-quality canned tuna and Japanese mayo for authentic flavor and creamy consistency in the spicy mixture.
• Nori wrapping not only adds traditional presentation but also provides convenient grip and extra umami flavor to the rice ball.
• Refrigerate onigiri immediately if not serving right away to maintain optimal texture and food safety.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Snacks
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: Japanese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2
• Calories: 360
• Sugar: 1 g
• Sodium: 450 mg
• Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 36 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 18 g
• Cholesterol: 25 mg