Onigiri (おにぎり), sometimes called Omusubi (おむすび), are Japanese rice balls. They are what I call the magical food of the Japanese. Tender, toothsome rice made portable, they are the classic comfort food for picnics (especially during the cherry blossom viewing), bento lunch boxes, quick grab-and-go snacks, hiking trips, movie snacks, etc. Growing up in Japan, I have the fondest memories of helping my mom shape freshly cooked rice into triangles and pack them neatly into my bento boxes before running off to school.
What is Onigiri (Omusubi)?
Onigiri (おにぎり) are Japanese rice balls made of steamed rice that you compress into a triangular, ball, or cylinder shape and are usually wrapped in a nori seaweed sheet. You can flavor them lightly with just salt or add a variety of fillings. The word “onigiri” is more commonly used throughout Japan, but it’s also known as nigirimeshi (握り飯) or omusubi (おむすび). Adored by all ages, onigiri prove their importance and popularity in Japanese everyday lives. We make rice balls for school and work lunches and for many outdoor activities and events. In some ways, they are the Japanese idea of energy bars. We snack on onigiri when we need a quick boost of energy and sustenance.
Onigiri’s History
Deemed as the very first traveling food, onigiri were invented before the existence of refrigeration as a means to preserve fresh rice longer so it could be brought along to feed travelers, samurai, soldiers on the road, or farmers in the farm fields. The method was to fill the rice with a salty or sour ingredient as natural preservatives and lightly compact them into portable food that can be carried along and eaten with hands. To keep the rice safe, salt was first used in making the onigiri. Today you can find these rice balls in so many varieties and forms, but the basics of making onigiri remain the same. If you’re an anime or manga (Japanese comics) fan, you have most likely seen onigiri show up in many storylines of these cultural outputs. The most memorable appearance has to be in a scene in Spirited Away, where a boy named Haku offers Chihiro, the main character, some onigiri in the hope of comforting her. As the young girl took a bite of the rice ball, tears started rolling down her cheeks. It tells the powerful connection between food and home and the emotions involved. As you can see, onigiri means a lot to the Japanese.
Ingredients for Onigiri
For the most basic and comforting onigiri, you’ll need only two ingredients. That’s right! You need steamed rice and good-quality nori seaweed.
Japanese Short-Grain Rice – Commonly labeled as sushi rice outside of Japan, Japanese short-grain rice is the rice that we use in most Japanese cooking. It gives you the perfect chewy, tender, and slightly sticky texture. I personally recommend Koshihikari. Please do not substitute it with jasmine or any other types of rice as they will fall apart. Wish to learn more about Japanese rice? Read this post. Nori Seaweed – You can find it at Japanese/Asian grocers, well-stocked grocery stores, or online. Optional Fillings – We’ll discuss them below.
How to Make Onigiri
What is the Best Rice Cooker
Onigiri Filling
Yes, you can fill onigiri with whatever your heart desires, but I’ll share with you some of the most common fillings for onigiri in Japan.
shake [pronounced as sha-keh] (salted salmon) umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum) okaka (bonito flakes moistened with soy sauce) kombu (simmered kombu seaweed) tuna mayo (canned tuna with Japanese mayonnaise) mentaiko or tarako ((spicy) salted cod roe) furikake (rice seasonings to sprinkle all over)
Now if you are ready to get creative, look no further than your dinner leftovers. I’ve used my leftovers from Chicken Karaage and Shrimp Tempura to fill my onigiri. Instead of plain steamed rice, you can also use Takikomi Gohan (mixed rice) or Corn Rice.
Onigiri Shapes and Mold
You can make many different shapes of onigiri, and the most common ones are:
Triangular Cylindrical (shape of rice bale) Round/circular Cylindrical Creative – Some home cooks even take their onigiri to another high fashion level by shaping the rice balls into so many cute animals or character-based shapes!
In this updated recipe post, I used an onigiri mold to demonstrate how to use it. I find it easier to portion each onigiri using the mold.
How to Wrap Nori
There are different ways to wrap the nori around the rice balls. You can cut a sheet of nori into thin strips and wrap the nori around the cylindrical or triangular rice ball shape (this is more like a decoration). You can also cut the nori sheet in thirds and wrap the rice ball with the nori. Some prefer to wrap the rice balls when they are warm so the nori will stick to the rice (but it will be soggy/moist) but most people prefer to keep the nori as crisp as possible. You can buy this onigiri plastic wrapper, which allows you to keep the nori crispy until you’re ready to eat (similar to Japanese convenience store-style onigiri). Or, check the video below to see how you can make a DIY plastic wrap.
Cooking Tips and Techniques
Frequent Asked Questions
Why does my nori get soggy and wet?
Nori gets soggy as soon as it absorbs moisture. If you prefer crispy nori for your onigiri, I recommend wrapping the nori right before you eat. Make sure the nori is kept in a resealable bag to avoid getting stale.
Why does my nori get gummy?
I recommend getting better quality nori, preferably imported from Japan. It’s very unfortunate but most nori available in grocery stores here is not flavorful and the texture tends to get gummy when wet/moist. I always get imported nori from Japan (I usually pick the most expensive nori at Nijiya Market) and it’s pretty good. We can get better quality nori in Japan at a decent price, but not outside of Japan yet.
Do I have to make onigiri right before I pack for lunch?
If you want to make onigiri for lunch the next day but don’t want to wake up early, here’s my tip. You can wrap the finished onigiri (in plastic wrap) with a thick kitchen towel. The kitchen towel protects the rice balls from being too cold in the refrigerator. Rice gets hard in the refrigerator but with this easy trick, your onigiri will be cool enough to stay safe.
Do you serve onigiri cold?
You can enjoy onigiri warm or at room temperature, so they’re perfect in your lunchbox or as a portable snack on the go. You can even plate them up as a tasty appetizer!
Do you think I can involve my children in making rice balls?
Yes! The best part about making onigiri at home is you can always engage your little ones as their ‘craft day in the kitchen.’ Make it fun and enjoyable! You can use this onigiri mold to make it easier to create a triangle shape. Like everything else, practice makes perfect when it comes to making onigiri. For a visual guide, you can watch my video and see the step-by-step instructions below.
Is onigiri sushi?
For the uninitiated, onigiri is sometimes misunderstood as a type of sushi but they are not. One of the key differences between onigiri and sushi is that onigiri starts from a base of plain steamed rice, while sushi is made of Sushi Rice (steamed rice seasoned with vinegar, salt, and sugar). 👉🏻 See more details in How To Cook Japanese Rice and How To Make Sushi Rice.
Where can I get onigiri?
Outside of the home, you can literally find rice balls everywhere in Japan: konbini convenience stores, airports, cute cafes, and specialty stores. Here in the US, you can find them at Japanese grocery stores.
More Onigiri Recipes and Variations
We also enjoy onigiri in these popular variations:
Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls) Yaki Onigiri Chazuke Onigirazu (Rice Sandwich) Tenmusu (Shrimp Tempura Rice Balls) Salmon and Shio Kombu Onigiri
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram. Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on September 5, 2012. It was updated with more helpful content and new step-by-step and final images on September 10, 2023. The post was republished with a new video on May 10, 2024.
