• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sift & Simmer
Matcha, tea-infused baking recipes & modern Asian favourites
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Pantry
    • Matcha 101: A Beginner's Guide
    • Hojicha 101: A Beginner's Guide
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Savoury

    Spicy Tuna Onigiri

    Published: May 8, 2017 by Michelle · 17 Comments

    Share this recipe!

    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This is an easy recipe for Spicy Tuna Onigiri that is not only super portable, but makes for a healthy meal. It features seasoned rice and spicy tuna filling formed into a triangular shape. Pack a couple to go and you've got lunch made.

    Spicy tuna onigiri on pink plate.
    When it comes to rice, I would rather eat noodles or anything wheat-based over it.

    This is funny because growing up, my family ate rice pretty much every night.

    So when I'd go to AYCE (all-you-can-eat) sushi places, I would always skip the temaki sushi cones.

    It wasn't until I found an onigiri mold that piqued my interest in this rice-centric food.

    What is onigiri?

    Onigiri is Japanese rice ball wrapped in seaweed.

    It is actually not considered sushi since it is made with plain (or lightly salted) white short-grain rice. 

    Sushi rice, on the other hand is seasoned with vinegar, sugar and salt. 

    Spicy tuna onigiri on pink plate with furikake in small dish.

    Fillings in onigiri

    Onigiri can be filled with pretty much anything you like.

    Traditional fillings include:

    • pickled ume
    • salted salmon
    • or kombu

    You can vary the fillings or make it plain.

    For this version, I wanted to make Spicy Tuna.

    Ingredients you'll need

    For the filling, you'll need these ingredients:

    • canned tuna: packed in water or oil, your choice; drained
    • sriracha (or hot sauce): to your taste; chili garlic sauce would be great too
    • red pepper flakes: to your taste
    • mayonnaise: you can use Japanese kewpie mayo or regular mayo
    • green onions: chopped

    You'll also need these ingredients to assemble the onigiri: 

    • cooked short-grained rice
    • sesame seeds: you can use white or black
    • furikake: is a dry Japanese seasoning that contains seaweed, sesame seeds, bonito flakes, salt and sugar
    • nori seaweed
    • avocado (optional), but I love the creaminess it adds

    I used canned tuna since I knew I would be feeding it to the kids, but you can use sushi-grade tuna or any other type of fish.

    I also like my spicy tuna on the *spicy* side, so I've added red pepper flakes and green onions for a little more punch.

    Tuna onigiri on wooden board.

    Shaping the onigiri

    Onigiri is really just a rice ball.

    There's no "right or wrong" way to shape the onigiri.

    Common shapes are triangle, or round balls. So have fun and play around with the shapes!

    Essentially, I made it for the kids to see if they would eat a rice ball in the shape of a triangle.

    My kids were intrigued by the shape and enjoyed the rice.

    Plus, I discovered that I love making (and eating) these, much to the amusement of my husband!

    How to serve & store

    You can make the the Spicy Tuna Onigiri ahead of time and stick them in the fridge.

    They will last for 1-2 days in the fridge, well-wrapped.

    Not only it is super portable, but it makes for an easy and healthy meal.

    Pack a couple to go and you've made lunch. 

    The only thing to note is that the rice does harden a little when it's stored in the fridge, so if you don't like that, you can enjoy them fresh.

    Other recipes you may like

    Be sure to check out these recipes:

    Aburi-Style Smoked Salmon Oshi Sushi

    Homemade Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls

    Easy Chicken Katsu Curry

    Pork Tonkatsu

    I love the textural contrasts in this simple humble parcel.

    The warm, sticky unseasoned rice, with the slightly creamy yet flaky spicy tuna, accentuated with the crunch of exterior coating of sesame seeds. One bite and you'll see why this is a staple in Japanese cuisine.

    Let me know if you try out this tuna onigiri recipe. Tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below.

    Close up of onigiri on pink plate.Tuna onigiri on pink plate with text overlay.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 11 votes

    Spicy Tuna Onigiri

    A recipe for Japanese rice balls with a spicy canned tuna filling.
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 216kcal
    Author: Michelle

    Equipment

    • onigiri mold (optional)

    For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

    Ingredients

    • 3 C hot/warm cooked short-grained rice
    • 1 can tuna drained
    • 2 tablespoon sriracha or hot sauce
    • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 3 tablespoon green onion finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoon chili pepper flakes optional
    • 1 avocado sliced

    Garnish:

    • 12 x 1 " nori seaweed strips
    • furikake Japanese seasoning
    • sesame seeds
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Combine tuna, hot sauce, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, green onion, lemon juice and pepper flakes into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Adjust seasonings to taste.
    • Place into the refrigerator until ready to use, at least 1 hour. (The longer it sits, the more flavourful the tuna will be).
    • When ready to assemble, using an onigiri mold, add about 1 heaping tablespoon of warm rice to the mold, press down lightly with a spoon.
    • Add 1 tablespoon of spicy tuna filling over top of the rice.
    • Finish by adding another 1 tablespoon of rice on top of the filling to encase it. Press the mold firmly to retain the shape of the rice ball.
    • Open the mold and remove the onigiri.
    • Dip the exterior of the onigiri into some sesame seeds and furikake if you wish, and wrap it with a piece of nori.

    Notes

    Depending on the size of your mold, you may need to adjust how much filling and rice you need.
    Be sure to use hot/warm rice as cooled rice will not stick together well.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

    The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

    Did you try this recipe?Mention @siftandsimmer or tag #siftandsimmer!
    « Japanese Matcha Cotton Cheesecake
    Earl Grey Milk Jam Spread »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. R

      June 09, 2017 at 3:00 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! So pretty. I just bought some tuna. Gonna dear some tuna steaks for my bday lol ??

      Reply
    2. R

      June 09, 2017 at 3:01 pm

      I meant Sear*

      Reply
    3. Julie

      March 20, 2021 at 8:54 am

      5 stars
      Spicy tuna is one of our favorites. I can't wait to make these myself.

      Reply
    4. Biana

      March 20, 2021 at 9:53 am

      5 stars
      I didn't realize that spicy tuna onigiri was so simple to make! Will be making this for dinner soon.

      Reply
      • Michelle

        March 21, 2021 at 8:45 am

        It really is an easy dish to make, thanks Biana! 🙂

    5. Lisalia

      March 20, 2021 at 10:01 am

      5 stars
      Yum! We love spicy tuna sushi and we love making sushi as a family. This will be such a great dinner.

      Reply
      • Michelle

        March 21, 2021 at 8:45 am

        Thank you Lisalia! Hope you all enjoy it 🙂

    6. Beth

      March 20, 2021 at 10:58 am

      5 stars
      Yum! This looks so amazing and tasty! So excited to give this a try! My daughter and I are going to love these!

      Reply
      • Michelle

        March 21, 2021 at 8:45 am

        Thank you Beth! 🙂

    7. Megan Lehr

      March 20, 2021 at 11:13 am

      5 stars
      What a fun recipe! It's absolutely delicious and so fun to fill with different things.

      Reply
      • Michelle

        March 21, 2021 at 8:46 am

        That's the fun part, switching up the fillings! Thanks Megan 🙂

    8. Anjali

      May 12, 2021 at 3:42 pm

      5 stars
      I've never made sushi at home before! I can't wait to try your recipe - it looks surprisingly easy!

      Reply
    9. Amy

      May 12, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! I have been trying to up my school lunch game and I think I may have found it! Might try and find an onigiri mould so it's easier. My daughter would love this and she's not afraid of a little bit of spice too.

      Reply
    10. Caitlyn Erhardt

      May 12, 2021 at 6:03 pm

      5 stars
      I love spicy tuna! This made for the perfect lunch on the go for me and my kiddos! Thank you!

      Reply
    11. Beth

      May 12, 2021 at 10:08 pm

      5 stars
      Oh wow! These were so delicious and very easy! I’ve never been a big fan of seaweed but my daughter sure is. I gave these a try and they were so yummy!

      Reply
    12. Ash

      April 18, 2022 at 11:00 pm

      Can’t wait to try it but where would you recommend putting the avocado, I have some perfectly ripe ones in the fridge, and I’m tempted to try and mess around and put it inside. Either way spicy tuna is so yummy you can’t go wrong!

      Reply
      • Michelle

        April 19, 2022 at 7:51 am

        Hi Ash, it's really up to you -- you can mash the avocado and combine it with the tuna, add avo slices over the tuna filling inside, or slice into thin strips and drape it on the top/exterior. Hope that helps!

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    About Me

    My name is Michelle and Sift & Simmer is a food recipe blog featuring easy, creative and delicious recipes. I believe that the best food is made from scratch. Read More…

    Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube

    Popular Recipes

    Matcha Snickerdoodle Cookies

    Matcha con Panna (Matcha with Cream)

    Matcha Latte

    Matcha 101: A Beginner's Guide

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    Subscribe for the latest recipes and updates directly to your inbox!

    Contact

    Contact

    Copyright © 2017-2023 Sift & Simmer

    All images and content are copyright protected. Do not use without prior permission.