Japanese · Lunch · Snack · Breakfast
Salmon Onigiri
おにぎり (Onigiri)
Soft, lightly salted short-grain rice shaped into triangles around a flaky grilled salmon filling, then wrapped in crisp nori. A portable, satisfying snack or lunch that is naturally low in fat.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 3
Calories come from: Carbs 71% · Fat 14% · Protein 15%
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Ingredients
For 3 servings- 1 1/2 cups300 gJapanese short-grain rice
- 1 1/2 cups360 gWater (for cooking rice)
- 1 small fillet150 gSalmon fillet, skinless
- 1 tsp6 gFine salt
- 3 sheets9 gNori sheets
- 1 tbsp9 gToasted sesame seeds (optional)
Steps
- 1
Rinse the rice in a bowl of cold water, swirling and draining until the water runs almost clear.
- 2
Put the drained rice and the 360 g water in a pot and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
- 3
Bring the pot to a boil, cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 4
Turn off the heat and let the rice steam, still covered, for 10 minutes.
- 5
While the rice cooks, sprinkle the salmon with 1/4 tsp of the salt.
- 6
Grill or bake the salmon at 200 °C / 400 °F for 10-12 minutes until it flakes easily and reaches 63 °C / 145 °F inside.
- 7
Let the salmon cool slightly, then flake it with a fork, removing any bones.
- 8
Stir the sesame seeds, if using, through the flaked salmon.
- 9
Fluff the rice and let it cool until warm enough to handle.
- 10
Cut each nori sheet in half to make 6 strips.
- 11
Wet your hands with water and rub a pinch of the remaining salt over your palms.
- 12
Take about 1/6 of the rice, flatten it in your palm and press a dent in the centre.
- 13
Place 1/6 of the salmon in the dent and fold the rice over to enclose it.
- 14
Press firmly with cupped hands, turning, to shape a triangle about 3 cm thick.
- 15
Repeat with the rest of the rice and salmon, re-wetting and salting your hands each time.
- 16
Wrap a nori strip around the base of each onigiri just before eating so it stays crisp.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a vegan version, replace the salmon with diced pickled plum (umeboshi) or sautéed mushrooms seasoned with a little salt and sesame.
- Use drained canned salmon or tuna instead of a fresh fillet to skip the grilling step.
- Swap a third of the white rice for short-grain brown rice, soaked together, for a heartier bite that still holds its shape.
- If you want soy flavour on the salmon, use tamari and choose one labelled gluten-free to keep the onigiri gluten-free.
Storage
Onigiri are best eaten fresh the same day, since the rice hardens in the fridge. If needed, wrap each ball tightly without the nori, refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 1 day, eating it cold or microwaving until steaming hot throughout; do not freeze.
Make ahead
Cook, cool and flake the salmon up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Cook the rice and shape the onigiri on the day, adding the nori just before eating.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: FishSesame
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (275 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 463 kcal | 168 kcal |
| Protein | 16.9 g | 6.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 79.4 g | 28.9 g |
| of which sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fiber | 2.8 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 7.2 g | 2.6 g |
| of which saturated | 1.7 g | 0.6 g |
| Sodium | 813 mg | 296 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
