Bring a little taste of Japan into your home with our delicious salmon onigiri recipe - Japanese rice balls. These spicy salmon rice balls, are a Japanese classic, simple yet prepared with care for a delightful end result. Perfect for a Japanese-inspired bento box lunch, appetizer, light dinner or simply for entertaining, these onigiri are sure to wow your family and friends.
Let's show you how to create these tasty little salmon rice balls.
We love Japanese cuisine for its flavour and art form! Like the delicious depth of flavour in Pork ramen or the art of sushi making.
Our reader-favourite beginner's guide to making sushi is a must read for any sushi lover.
Salmon onigiri is a great way to get making Japanese food at home, delicious yet simple. And kids love them too, just adjust the spice in the salmon to their liking.
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What is onigiri?
Onigiri are delicious Japanese rice balls, a popular staple in Japanese cuisine. Typically made by shaping cooked rice into triangles or balls and sometimes wrapped in nori seaweed. Filled with various ingredients like salmon, pickled plum (Umeboshi), Kimchi, tofu or tuna. With so many filling options, you really can create the flavours and textures to suit your preference.
Do you need a mold to make onigiri?
Traditionally onigiri is shaped by hand into triangles or balls. But as we aren't the Japanese masters, we find balls easiest to shape by hand. And you don't have to buy any additional equipment to make them. Though you can purchase a triangle mold if you want to give making triangle onigiri a go.
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Serve alongside other delicious Asian dishes like our Thai steamed fish or Asian inspired chilli oyster. And for all the salmon lovers our salmon sushi bowl is a must-try!
Ingredients
For the sushi rice:
- Sushi rice - If it's available to you sushi rice is best for making onigiri as it holds together well but it can also be substituted for short-grain rice.
- Water
- Sushi vinegar - sometimes called sushi seasoning, this can be purchased in most supermarkets but it's also easy to make at home, check out our sushi vinegar recipe.
Japanese spicy salmon:
- Fresh salmon fillet - Deboned and no skin, fresh and good quality is important as it will be eaten raw.
- Spring onion - scallions.
- Sesame seeds - toasted
- Sriracha - you can adjust heat to your liking
- Japanese mayo - we love the kewpie brand.
Optional topping ideas:
Garnish your salmon onigiri to create additional flavours and textures.
- Wrap in a slice of nori.
- Sprinkle with a little furikake/ bento seasoning.
- Add a little extra filling on top.
- Add some sesame seeds.
- Or a little spicy mayo.
Serve with a little soy sauce for dipping.
See recipe card below for quantities.
How to make onigiri
- Prepare and cook the rice.
Take time to prepare the rice by letting it soak for 20 minutes. Then drain and wash the rice until the water runs clear, this process removes excess starch.
Hint - Pre-soaking the rice also reduces the cooking time.
In a medium pot with a lid, add one cup of water to the pre-soaked cup of rice. Bring to a quick boil then reduce to a low simmer for 16-18 minutes, remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Keep the lid on throughout the whole process.
Add the sushi vinegar to the rice and mix well. Allow the rice to cool a little on a tray covered with a damp cloth.
Chefs tip - Onigiri is easier to mold while the rice is still warm, so let your rice cool a little but not too much.
- Make the Japanese spicy salmon.
While the rice is cooking make the salmon filling. Prepare all the ingredients.
Dice the salmon into small half-centimetre cubes.
Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. Store in the fridge until required.
- Create the rice balls.
Take a small amount of rice and gently form into a ball. Then use your thumb or finger to shape a crater in the middle of the ball.
Add a little of the salmon filling and patch the top with a little extra rice, gently roll back into a ball. Repeat the process until all twelve balls are made.
Chefs tip - Wet your hands prior to working with the rice, as it gets sticky.
Storage
These salmon rice balls can be made earlier in the day and stored in a sealed container in the fridge. We recommend covering the onigiri with plastic wrap before adding the container lid, this will help prevent the rice from drying out. If prepping ahead, garnish just prior to serving.
We recommend consuming these salmon onigiri on the day they are prepared, due to the raw salmon filling and freshness.
Frequently asked questions
Sushi rice is best for making onigiri as it holds together well. Short-grain rice will also work. But standard long-grain rice isn't sticky enough for shaping.
Whether you prefer onigiri warm or cold comes down to personal preference but it is normally served at room temperature.
Sushi vinegar is added to rice to season and add more flavour to the plain rice. The vinegar is added after cooking while the rice is cooling the sweet, salty and sour flavours are absorbed into the grains.
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Our goal is to share simple, tasty dishes created by Chef Shane and partner, Sara. Using Shane's understanding of flavours and knowledge of food, to teach and inspire you to create delicious food everyday and gain a new level of confidence in the kitchen. Sara understands what it's like preparing weekly dinners for a busy family of five and likes to create dishes that are easy, full of flavour, that the whole family will enjoy.
Happy cooking!
Recipe
Salmon onigiri recipe
Ingredients
Sushi rice:
- 1 cup Sushi rice (See note 1)
- 1 cups Water
- 2 ½ tablespoon Sushi vinegar or sushi seasoning (See note 2)
Japanese spicy salmon:
- 200 g Fresh salmon fillet de-boned, skin removed. (See note 3)
- 1 Spring onions / scallions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon Sesame seeds toasted
- 2 teaspoon Sriracha
- 1 tablespoon Japanese mayo
Optional topping ideas:
- Nori sheet
- Furikake
- Sesame seeds
- Spicy mayo
- Soy sauce For serving.
Instructions
Sushi rice:
- Place the rice into a large bowl and cover with water, allow to sit for 20 minutes, strain off the water. Add more fresh water and use clean hands to mix the rice. This process washes off the excess starch.
- Repeat until the water draining off the rice runs clear. Usually 2-3 times.
- Place the washed rice into a medium pot. Add a cup of cold water and cover with a lid. Place onto a high heat to bring to the boil. As soon as the rice starts to boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer. Don’t open the lid at this stage. Trust the process. Cook until the water has evaporated, around 16-18 minutes. Remove from the heat, keep covered and allow the rice to sit for 10 minutes.
- Add the sushi vinegar a little at a time, adjust the amount to taste. Use a wooden spoon to mix the sushi vinegar through the rice. Mix the rice well then remove from the pot and place into a clean dish. Cover with a clean damp tea towel while the rice cools a little.
- You can turn the rice over now and again to help it cool. But you want to make your rice balls while the rice is still slightly warm.
Japanese spicy salmon:
- While your rice is cooking prepare your salmon:
- Dice the salmon into small ½ cm cubes and place into a bowl.
- Add the spring onion, toasted sesame seeds, sriracha and mayonnaise.
- Give it a gentle mix and then place into the fridge to cool.
To make the salmon onigiri:
- Always wet your hands, as the rice gets sticky.
- Take a desired amount of sushi rice, gently squeeze and roll into a ball in the palm of your hand.
- Use your thumb or finger to push a crater into the middle and fill with a small amount of salmon filling.
- Patch the top with a little extra rice and roll back into a ball.
- Optional. To garnish the balls: you could add a small amount of the filling on top, wrap them in a slice of nori, sprinkle a little Furikake or sesame over the rice balls or add a little spicy mayo.
- Serve with a little soy sauce for dipping and enjoy!
Leave your reviews, comments and questions below.