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Salmon Onigiri

Salmon Onigiri Recipe (Japanese Rice Balls)

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Prep 20 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Learn how to make salmon onigiri with flaky salmon, seasoned rice, and crisp nori. An easy, delicious Japanese treat for any time of day.
Servings 6 onigiris
Course Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Japanese

Ingredients

For the Rice
  • 2 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice warm
  • ½ teaspoon salt
For the Salmon Filling
  • 2 salmon fillets
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon mirin
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
For Assembly
  • 3 sheets nori cut in half

Instructions

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Season the salmon fillet with salt and place it in the air fryer basket. Cook for 7-10 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool slightly.
  2. Use a fork to flake the salmon into small pieces. Add the mayonnaise, soy sauce, sriracha, mirin, and sesame oil. Mix until well combined and creamy.
  3. Tear off a large piece of plastic wrap, about 12 inches long, and lay it flat on your work surface.
  4. Add about 1/2 cup of warm rice in the center of the plastic wrap. Gently flatten it into a circle about 4 to 5 inches wide. Lightly sprinkle with salt.
  5. Spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of the salmon mixture into the center of the rice. Top with another small handful of rice, about 1/4 cup, completely covering the filling.
  6. Bring all four corners of the plastic wrap together above the rice and twist the plastic wrap to fully enclose the onigiri.
  7. To form a triangle, hold the rice in one hand and use the edge of your other hand to create three sides. Press gently, rotate, and repeat until a neat triangle forms. Avoid squeezing too hard to keep the rice from getting too compressed.
  8. Carefully unwrap the onigiri.
  9. Place a half sheet of nori on your work surface. Set the onigiri in the center of the nori, with one corner of the triangle pointing toward you.
  10. Fold the bottom corners of the nori up along the sides of the onigiri, creating two small triangular flaps that meet near the center.
  11. Next, fold the top portion of the nori down and over the onigiri. Gently press the nori against the rice so it adheres.
  12. The nori should wrap around the sides and back of the onigiri while leaving a small triangle of rice visible at the bottom.
  13. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an estimate only. Actual values may vary depending on the specific ingredients, brands, and portion sizes used.

Nutrition

Serving1 onigiriCalories205 kcalCarbohydrates21 gProtein11 gFat8 gSaturated Fat1.5 gPolyunsaturated Fat2.5 gMonounsaturated Fat3 gCholesterol25 mgSodium390 mgPotassium220 mgFiber0.5 gSugar0.5 gVitamin A60 IUVitamin C1 mgCalcium10 mgIron0.7 mg