Making Japanese Rice Balls (Onigiri)
Making Japanese Rice Balls (Onigiri) yields tender, lightly salted grains shaped into neat balls or triangles with a pleasing chew, contrasted by crisp nori. A sprinkle of sesame and seaweed flakes adds nutty, ocean-bright notes that keep each bite interesting. Ideal for picnics, lunchboxes, or party platters where portable comfort food shines.
- Prep—
- Cook40 mins
- Serves2
- DifficultyEasy
- 1
Combine the rice and water in a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- 2
Let it soak for 20 to 30 minutes.
- 3
Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- 4
When the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook until the water is fully absorbed, 12 to 13 minutes.
- 5
Remove from the heat; keep it covered and let it steam for another 10 minutes.
- 6
Take off the lid and let it cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- 7
Wet your hands and shape small portions of rice into triangles if you can, or into round balls.
- 8
Wrap each onigiri with a strip of nori.
- 9
Season with salt and garnish with sesame seeds and seaweed flakes.
- Calories 269.93 kcal Moderate
- Protein 6.12 g Moderate
- Carbs 57.56 g Moderate
- Total Fat 0.06 g Low Source
- Saturated Fat 0.0 g Low Source
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source
- Cholesterol 0.0 mg Low Source
- Sodium 49.53 mg Low Source
- Fiber 4.77 g Moderate
- Sugar 3.34 g Moderate
- Added Sugar 3.31 g Moderate
- Calcium 0.14 mg Low Source
- Iron 0.98 mg Low Source
- Potassium 0.96 mg Low Source
- Vitamin A 0.09 mcg_rae Low Source
- Vitamin C 0.0 mg Low Source
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Sesame
About This Recipe
Making Japanese Rice Balls (Onigiri) is a Japanese side dish recipe made with 6 ingredients. It takes about 40 mins, serves 2, and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Nori Seaweed, Salt, Seaweed, and Short Grain Rice. Each serving provides about 269.93 kcal.
Recipe Questions
- What is Making Japanese Rice Balls (Onigiri)?
- It is a Japanese recipe made with 6 ingredients, usually served for side dish or dinner or lunch or snack.
- What is Making Japanese Rice Balls (Onigiri) made of?
- The main ingredients are Nori Seaweed, Salt, Seaweed, Short-Grain Rice, Toasted Sesame Seeds. The full list of 6 is above.
- How long does it take to make Making Japanese Rice Balls (Onigiri)?
- About 40 mins in total: 40 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 269.93 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Making Japanese Rice Balls (Onigiri) easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 6 ingredients and 9 steps.
How easyChef Pro Scores This Recipe
easyChef Pro gives every recipe a health score from 0 to 100, built from more than 30 nutritional parameters including nutrient density, energy density and glycemic impact. It calculates rather than estimates, so the same recipe returns the same score every time.
The number is traceable. You can see exactly which nutrient moved it, so a dish scoring 78 might show fiber pushing it up while sodium pulls it down, alongside the NOVA processing level of each ingredient.
Your health goal changes the calculation itself, not just a filter. easyChef Pro applies clinically derived weighting across six health dimensions, which is why the same dish can score well for one goal and poorly for another.
Swap an ingredient or change the serving size and that math changes with it. Scoring your own version is the only way to see what your kitchen actually produces.
Modified this recipe?
Changing ingredients or serving sizes changes the nutrition profile. Score your own version with easyChef Pro to see how it compares.