Onigiri (Vegan Japanese Rice Balls Recipe)
Soft, perfectly shaped Japanese rice balls wrapped in crispy nori and optionally packed with salty-sour umeboshi or savory konbu tsukudani. Easy to make, endlessly customizable, and the OG traditional portable snack!
Servings: 12 onigiri
Calories: 127kcal
Cost: $5
Ingredients
If Cooking in a Rice Cooker:
- 2 cups uncooked Japanese short-grain rice
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons water
If Cooking on the Stovetop:
- 2 cups uncooked Japanese short-grain rice
- 2 ½ cups water
Optional Umeboshi Filling:
- 10 umeboshi plums pitted
Optional Kombu Tsukudani:
- 30 grams dried kombu or 100 grams fresh kombu
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 4 teaspoons mirin
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons sake
- ¼ teaspoon ichimi togarashi
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Optional Toppings:
Instructions
Prep the Rice:
- Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear.
- If using a rice cooker: Combine the rice and water in the rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- If cooking on the stovetop: Combine the rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, to steam for an additional 10 minutes.
Prepare the Fillings (Optional):
- For umeboshi: Pit the umeboshi plums and set them aside.
- For kombu tsukudani: Firest rehydrate the dried comb for 15 minutes in a bowl of warm water, and then rinse to get rid of any slimy, saltiness on the outside.
- Cut the rehydrated kombu into thin strips. In a small saucepan, combine kombu, water, tamari, rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, sake, iclimi togarashi, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Simmer over low heat until the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Once most of the liquid has been absorbed or evaporated, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Shape and Dress the Onigiri:
- Lightly dampen your hands with water and sprinkle with a small amount of salt. Take a handful of rice (¼ to ⅓ cup) and gently press it into a triangular or rounded shape. If adding a filling, create an indentation, add the filling, and cover with more rice.
- If using an onigiri mold, follow the manufacturer's instructions, packing rice gently.
- Wrap each onigiri partially or fully in nori and sprinkle with optional toppings like furikake, yukari shiso, or shichimi togarashi.
Notes
🍚 Rice, Rice Baby
Use California or Japanese-grown short-grain rice for the perfect sticky texture and flavor. Splurging on Tamanishiki is worth it for onigiri that hold together beautifully.
✋ Hands Off, Sticky Fingers
Dampen your hands with water and a pinch of salt before shaping the rice. This keeps the rice from sticking and adds a light, even seasoning to the outside.
🔥 Too Hot to Handle
Shape onigiri with rice that’s warm—not hot. Warm rice sticks together smoothly, making it easier to form perfect triangles without crumbling.
🤲 Pressure’s On, But Gently
Shape with firm but gentle pressure to hold the onigiri together without crushing the grains. Overpacking leads to dense rice, while under-shaping risks the whole thing falling apart.
🌊 Nori’s Not a Fan of Moisture
Wrap the nori just before serving to keep it crisp. If added too early, the seaweed absorbs moisture and turns chewy, which no one wants to wrestle with mid-bite.
Nutrition
Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg