Onigiri is what rice wants to be when it grows up. A warm, slightly salty triangle of fluffy Japanese rice, stuffed with something delicious, wrapped in crispy nori. No rolling mat. No special tools. Just your hands and a little love. Let’s shape.
Cook Rice
Rinse rice in a bowl until water runs clear. Drain.
Cook rice with water in a pot or rice cooker. Let it rest 10 minutes after cooking.
Gently fold in rice vinegar and salt if using. Cool until warm (not hot).
Prepare Fillings
For tuna mayo: mix canned tuna (drained) with 2 tbsp Japanese mayo.
For salmon: flake cooked salted salmon.
Keep other fillings ready.
Wet Your Hands
Wet your hands (so rice doesn’t stick). Rub a pinch of salt on your palms.
Shape the Onigiri
Scoop about ½ cup of warm rice into your palm. Flatten into a disc.
Place 1–2 teaspoons of filling in the center.
Close the rice around the filling. Gently press and shape into a triangle (or ball).
Wrap or Top
Wrap a strip of nori around the bottom of the triangle. Or sprinkle with furikake.
Repeat with remaining rice.
Serve
Eat immediately (nori stays crispy). Or wrap tightly for lunch.
Summary
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min (rice) | Total: 35 min
Yield: 4 onigiri | Difficulty: Easy
Storage Notes
Best day-of. Rice hardens in the fridge. Wrap tightly in plastic if needed. Nori goes soft quickly—add it just before eating. For bento boxes, wrap onigiri in plastic then add nori at lunchtime.
