Onigiri with Spicy Tuna

Onigiri are Japanese rice balls filled with various delicious fillings and wrapped in nori for the perfect snack that is so beautifully assembled! Although not traditional, this spicy tuna and avocado version combined with the crispy rice is on another level of flavor. I love having these in the fridge to just grab and go as a quick snack throughout the week!

The Spicy Tuna

Making the spicy tuna is the easiest part! The most important ingredient you’ll need is sushi grade or sashimi grade tuna to make it safe to be eaten raw. I go to my local Japanese fish market to buy the freshest high-quality tuna I can find.

NOTE: If you don’t want to use raw tuna, you can always substitute this for canned tuna instead. If you plan to follow this recipe exactly and fry them, the tuna will cook so you don’t have to worry about the raw tuna. If you want to enjoy the spicy tuna raw, skip the frying part.

Once you have the tuna, chop it up finely into small pieces and add the following:

• Kewpie mayonnaise
• sriracha
• sesame oil
• low-sodium soy sauce
• lime juice
• chili powder
• chopped scallions

I did not add scallions because my husband prefers it without but I added them to my own serving and it makes all the difference if you love green onions. Mix it all together and it’s ready to go!

Making Sushi Rice

If you’ve never made sushi rice before, do not be intimidated at all. We’re going to break it down step b step so you master it on the first try.

YOU’LL NEED THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS:

• sushi rice
• salt
• rice vinegar
• granulated sugar
• sesame oil

Start off by soaking and rinsing the sushi rice to remove some of the starch. I like using the Nishiki brand of sushi rice and it can be found at most supermarkets! After that, bring it to a boil with water and salt using a 2:3 cup ratio of rice to water. Simmer covered for 20 minutes and turn off the heat and leave it covered for another 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, granulated sugar, and sesame oil. Heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds to dissolve the sugar. Stir the rice and then add the mixture and mix well. The rice will be extremely sticky.

Assembling and Frying

Using hands dipped in water, shape about 1/4 cup of rice into a small triangle on a piece of saran wrap.

Add about 2 tablespoons of spicy tuna filling to the center. Cover with more rice on top in the shape of a triangle.

Wrap with Saran Wrap tightly and shape tightly. Then unwrap it. Repeat with the rest of the rice and tuna. You can also add thinly sliced avocado inside.

NOTE: For an easier way to fill and shape them: lay out rice in a flat layer, add the tuna in the center and wrap into a tight ball. Flatten and shape out the ball into a triangle.

OPTIONAL STEP: To make this yaki (which just means grilled in Japanese), add a splash of oil to a pan. Do not add a lot of oil, just enough to cover the surface of the pan. Add the onigiri and fry on each side for 3 minutes until crispy and golden. Then add a drizzle of Japanese barbecue sauce on one side and flip over so the barbecue sauce can caramelize. Repeat on the other side and then take off the heat. Add a piece of nori along the bottom and enjoy.

My favorite way to enjoy this is with spicy mayo to dip in or chili oil!

If you have leftovers, wrap each one in Saran Wrap and story in the fridge to enjoy!

Other Seafood Recipes to Try

• Crispy Rice Tuna Bites
• Joe & the Juice Tuna Sandwich
• Chipotle Shrimp Rice Bowls
• Volcano Shrimp
• Sushi Bake

If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.

To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest pinning away so stop by and see what’s up.