Want to learn how to make the perfect onigiri? Follow this easy, step-by-step guide and you'll be in for a delicious rice ball! Get started with this recipe today!

Onigiri (rice ball) is a traditional Japanese staple we eat daily for any occasion.
You've tried onigiri at a Japanese restaurant or somewhere and want to make it at home, but you're unsure where to start. This recipe will share how we go about it and guide you in making these delicious rice balls.
You will learn the most basic and traditional one, a triangular shape wrapped in nori sheets with six old-fashioned fillings inside, various fillings, and more!
- This recipe is for you if:
- You love onigiri (rice balls).
- You want to learn how to make rice balls.
- You are looking for onigiri recipe with great details
- You are looking for onigiri filling variations.
Let me walk you through the ingredients and instructions. If you want to check the recipe, please use the link below. Let's dive in!
Jump to:
- About this recipe
- What is onigiri?
- 📋 Ingredients
- 🔪Instructions
- 6 Popular Onigiri Recipes
- 1. Tuna and mayonnaise
- 2. Salmon
- 3. Umeboshi
- 4. Tarako
- 5. Katsuobushi or Okaka
- 6. Kombu
- 7. Shio (Salt)
- Other fillings of onigiri
- Storage
- What to serve with
- Onigiri is best for Obento (Lunch box)
- Konbini Onigiri
- FAQ
- Thanks For Stopping By
- 📖 Recipe
- How To Make Onigiri Rice Balls (6 Classic Fillings)
About this recipe
- How to make Onigiri rice balls
- Use Japanese short-grain rice
- Six classic fillings and many more
- Vegetarian fillings
What is onigiri?
Onigiri, omusubi, or rice balls, is a Japanese food made of steamed Japanese rice filled with ingredients, formed into a triangle shape, and wrapped in seaweed.
I can say that It's our comfort food! We Japanese people all grew up eating it!
Onigiri is perfect for obento (lunch box) or a quick snack. You can hold it in one hand like a sandwich so you can eat it easily at the park, school, office, or train. Also, it's a great snack between meals, especially for hungry kids.
They are all onigiri! Traditional onigiri is usually wrapped in a sheet of nori seaweed, but you can make it without it or shape it like a cylinder or round shape.
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).
- Cooked rice (Japanese short-grain rice)
- Nori seaweed
- Salt
- Filling of choice
Let's go over each ingredient in the following section.
Japanese rice
The best rice for onigiri is Japanese rice (or Japonica rice), which is short-grain, sticky rice with more starchy than long-grain type and is easy to stick together. Koshihikari rice is the most famous and popular brand.
Click here to learn "How to cook Japanese short-grain rice on the stove"!
A rice cooker is easy and convenient to cook rice; however, I like the traditional method - using just a pot! You can find helpful tips, equipment to use, and step-by-step instructions in this Japanese rice recipe.
Nori seaweed sheets
Nori is dried seaweed that we use for various dishes in Japanese cooking and sold as sheets like the picture above. This seaweed has a crispy texture, but once wrapped around rice balls; it becomes soft and tender.
The standard size is 8.3”x 7.5” (21 x 19 cm); you can cut it into third or quarters according to your liking. I divide the sheet into third in this recipe.
Filling of your choice
There are so many variations of onigiri fillings, but I will cover the most popular and classic ones in this recipe - Mentaiko, salmon, tuna mayonnaise, umeboshi, okaka, and kombu
- Mentaiko - Spiced cod roe. It marries with salt, soy sauce, chili, and other seasonings, so it tastes salty and spicy. The plain cod roe, called Tarako, is also a popular filling.
- Salmon - Grill salmon fillet and flake it. You can also buy salmon flakes at a store.
- Tuna mayonnaise - I use water-packed canned tuna. You can also use oil-packed tuna. Drain and combine with mayonnaise. If you copy authentic taste, use Japanese mayonnaise, like kewpie mayonnaise.
- Umeboshi - Pickled plum, which is sour and salty and goes well with plain Japanese rice. The seed is inside, so we remove it and make a paste for filling.
- Katsuobushi - Bonito flakes are essential for making dashi stock in Japanese cuisine. We combine it with soy sauce for the filling.
- Kombu tsukudani - Kombu is seaweed and an essential ingredient for making dashi stock. Kombu tsukudani, seasoned in soy sauce and mirin, is a flavorful side dish.
🔪Instructions
Now you know all the ingredients we will use for onigiri, it's time to make! Let me show you how to make onigiri step by step, or you can also watch this recipe video.
Step #1 - Prepare rice
Get ahead by cooking your rice in advance. Follow my detailed guide for making delicious Japanese rice to get a perfectly fluffy texture. And remember to let the rice cool before making onigiri - it's too hot to hold freshly cooked rice.
Step #2 - Prepare fillings
Each one (except kombu tsukudani) requires one more step before putting in onigiri. How to prepare is written in each onigiri recipe below.
Step #3- Make a triangle shape
Once you've prepared your fillings, it's time to shape them into balls!
- Cut a nori sheet into three equal pieces
- Prepare a small bowl of salt, water, cooked rice, the nori sheets, and a filling of your choice.
- In a small bowl, put rice and add filling in the center of the rice
- Wet hands, put some salt on your palm, and form a triangular shape
- Form like this by pressing gently with both your palms
- Wrap it with a nori sheet
Please watch this How to make onigiri video and check how to shape the Onigiri.
Here you go! Just grab it and enjoy! There are many ways to wrap with nori, but this is the fundamental way.
Shaping rice might require a little practice, so if you have difficulty making a triangular shape, you can use an onigiri mold (onigiri press)! It's easy to shape Onigiri!
The triangle is the most common shape, but you can make round or cylinder onigiri.
6 Popular Onigiri Recipes
- Mentaiko Onigiri
- Salmon Onigiri
- Tuna Mayo Onigiri
- Umeboshi Onigiri
- Okaka Onigiri (Katsuobushi)
- Kombu tsukudani Onigiri
Which one would you like to try? If you can't pick one, then try them all!! The filling amount is up to you, so feel free to add as much or little as you prefer.
I added two teaspoons of each filling, so it's full!
1. Tuna and mayonnaise
The classic combination of tuna and mayonnaise is a perfect match. This one is number one in the onigiri ranking!
How to prepare: Drain a canned tuna and combine it with mayonnaise. If you like the authentic taste, use Japanese mayonnaise. (either water-packed tuna or oil-packed tuna is ok).
2. Salmon
Salmon is also a super popular onigiri filling and the second in the onigiri ranking.
How to prepare: Grill salmon fillet and break it into flakes. You can also buy Japanese salmon flakes at a store. See the recipe below.
3. Umeboshi
Umeboshi is pickled plum, which is sour and salty and goes well with plain Japanese rice.
How to prepare: Remove the seed and chop with a knife to make the paste. See the recipe below.
4. Tarako
Tarako is cod roe made by marinating with salt, soy sauce, and other seasonings, so it tastes salty.
How to prepare: Remove from the thin membrane.
5. Katsuobushi or Okaka
Katsuobushi (Bonito flakes) contain an umami element and are essential for making dashi stock in Japanese cuisine.
How to prepare: Pour some soy sauce and combine. See the recipe below.
6. Kombu
Kombu tsukudani is flavorful kombu (seaweed) side dish. You can make it, but people usually buy it at a store.
How to prepare: Simmer kombu with sugar, mirin, and soy sauce until tender, or use a store-bought one. See the recipe below.
7. Shio (Salt)
This is a bonus recipe! You can make rice balls without filling!
This shio onigiri or musubi is made with no filling. Just a simple salty taste will be added by shaping the ball. I recommend adding a little salt on top when finished!
Other fillings of onigiri
Let’s talk about a variety of fillings! I've already shared six classic fillings, but there are tons of onigiri filling options.
I picked these popular fillings among Japanese people randomly from the Onigiri ranking!
- Shrimp Tempura
- Ikura (Salmon Roe)
- Shirasu (Small immature fish)
- Karaage (Deep fried chicken)
- Teriyaki chicken
For vegetarian
If you are vegetarian, here are great fillings for you:
- Takana (Pickled mustard green)
- Nitamago (Flavored egg)
- Hijiki seaweed salad
- Natto
- Tofu scramble
You can put anything you want in them, like fish, meat, or vegetables, if that sounds good for your taste buds, so feel free to experiment with your favorite ingredients!
Onigiri Variations
Onigiri is not only with plain white rice, there are more ways to make it!
For example, you can make it with seasoned rice, without nori, or grill it.
- Brown rice onigiri
- Takikomi gohan gonigiri
- Onigiri without nori
- Corn rice onigiri
- Yaki onigiri
- Sekihan onigiri
Pick your favorite rice, and let's make balls of rice!
Storage
If you don't eat them immediately, please wrap each onigiri with plastic wrap, like in the picture above, before they dry.
You can store them for a couple of days in the fridge and one month in the freezer.
When freezing, do not wrap the nori sheet.
And heat it in a microwave oven right before you eat it (do not thaw it at room temperature as it will get dry).
What to serve with
Do you like Japanese-style meals? Then it's a good idea to serve with miso soup and vegetable stir-fry and tsukemono (pickled vegetable)!
For instance:
- Onigiri
- Tempeh Teriyaki Stir Fry
- Pickled daikon
- Kabocha miso soup
- Edamame, cherry tomatoes
Onigiri is best for Obento (Lunch box)
Onigiri is the perfect food for the on-the-go because it's easy to grab and bite!
I make obento (lunch box) often recently (see my Instagram story :)) as we go to the circuit on the weekend for our six-year-old boy's kart practice.
Let me share our kid's obento from the other day:
- Okaka onigiri and Salmon Onigiri
- Salmon yakisoba (Stir fry ramen noodles)
- Nitamago (Flavored egg)
- Steamed broccoli
- Cherry tomato
- Umeboshi (Pickled Plum)
- Miso soup in a food jar
Our three years old girl enjoys her katsuobushi onigiri!!
Konbini Onigiri
Japanese convenience stores are called "Konbini," and you can find them everywhere.
Our area has three convenience stores, Lowson, Seven-Eleven, and Family Mart, within 10 minutes on foot.
Their onigiri choices are endless. I'm often overwhelmed because they always have a new recipe, and hard to pick one.
I recommend stopping at Konbini and checking out their onigiri aisle if you visit Japan. It would be a fun experience!
FAQ
Japan's most popular Onigiri fillings are tuna mayo, salmon, umeboshi, tarako, okaka, and kombu.
Common fillings are fish, fish eggs, pickled vegetables, and seaweed. Intensely flavorful fillings are often added since the rice has a mild flavor.
It's fine either way. It depends on your personal preference. Onigiri is often eaten on the go, so many people eat it at room temperature. But people who live in cold climates like Hokkaido (the northern part of Japan) are more likely to warm onigiri up before eating.
Your rice might not be suitable for making onigiri. Long-grain like Jasmine and Basmati would fall apart as they don't have the right stickiness to hold the rice together. I recommend using Japanese rice such as Koshihikari or sushi rice.
No. It's not necessary. We use vinegar for making sushi but not for onigiri.
Yes, you can make it without the filling. Some people prefer nothing in it, and it's called Shio onigiri (shio means salt). It's the simplest one made with salt, no filling, and no nori sheet!
The best rice for onigiri is Japanese rice (or Japonica rice), which is short-grain, sticky rice with more starchy than long-grain type and is easy to stick together. Koshihikari rice is the most famous and popular brand.
We use plain white rice for onigiri, but you can also use brown rice.
You can find Japanese short-grain rice at a Japanese supermarket or Asian grocery stores, or online stores. If you make onigiri with long-grain rice like Jasmine rice, your onigiri will fall apart, so I don't recommend using it.
Let me clarify about Sushi Rice because there are two usages:
A: Sushi rice - It's vinegar rice, seasoned cooked white short-grain rice with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. This rice is for making sushi.
B: Sushi Rice - The seller labels Japanese rice like this. This rice is not only for sushi but for any rice dish.
We usually don't use A: Sushi rice for regular onigiri or yaki onigiri, it's for sushi, but you can use it for your preference. If you mean B: Sushi Rice, it's regular uncooked Japanese rice, so you can use it.
The standard size is 8.3”x 7.5” (21 x 19 cm); you can cut it into various sizes. Third or quarters are the most common size.
See the image below for Whole size, Half-size, ⅓ size, ¼ size, ⅕ size, 1/10 size. I use ⅓ size in this recipe, but I also like to use ⅕ for smaller onigiri. By the way, Onigiri at a Japanese convenience store uses half size, which is fully covered by nori.
Thanks For Stopping By
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you’ve tried this recipe (or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!
Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!
Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares healthy and straightforward Japanese home cooking recipes, including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.
More Onigiri Recipes You Might Like
- 16 best Onigiri filling ideas
- 17 Easy Onigiri Recipes
- 23 Vegan Onigiri Recipes
- Yaki onigiri
- Salmon onigiri
- Tuna mayo onigiri
- Ume onigiri
- Okaka onigiri
- Kombu onigiri
📖 Recipe
How To Make Onigiri Rice Balls (6 Classic Fillings)
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 14 oz Cooked Japanese short-grain rice, 4 small bowls of rice
- 2 Nori sheets
- pinch of Salt
Fillings of your choice (choose your favorite one *see note)
- 4 Umeboshi, Remove the seed and chop to make the paste
- 1 Salmon fillet, Grill and break it into flakes
- 2 tablespoon Kombu tsukudani
- 1 tablespoon Mentaiko, Remove from the thin membrane
- 6 tablespoon Katsuobushi, 10g and 1 tablespoon Soy sauce (Combine together)
- 5 oz Canned tuna, 140g and 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise (Drain tuna and combine together)
Instructions
- Nori sheet: Cut it into 3 equal pieces.
- Prepare the filling of your choice (See 6 Popular Onigir Recipes)
- Collect ingredients: Put salt, a bowl of water, cooked rice, nori sheets, and your filling aside.
- Add filling: Put rice in a small bowl, make a small dent in the center, then add 1 or 2 teaspoons of your filling.
- Water and salt on your hands: Wet both hands with water, put some salt (2 fingertips of salt) on your palm and rub between your hands.
- Shape rice: Place the rice on your hand, hold with both hands, form a triangle shape (or round shape) by pressing gently with your both palms and fingers while rolling it several times.
- Wrap: Wrap it with nori sheet.
Video
Notes
- Equipment: Small bowl (This oxo tot small bowl is perfect for small onigiri)
- Storage: Wrap each one with plastic wrap, put it in a container, and keep them in the fridge for a couple of days and one month in the freezer.
- Variations: See the "Variations" section for filling and onigiri variations.
- Japanese short-grain rice (starchy and sticky) is ideal for making onigiri. If you are new to rice, see "How to cook Japanese rice on the stove."
- The filling amount is up to you, so feel free to tweak it for your preference.
- The nutrition label is for salmon onigiri.
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