Easy Yaki Onigiri
Easy Yaki Onigiri are crispy grilled Japanese rice balls perfect as a snack or side dish, flavored with savory soy sauce for a delicious umami punch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Snack
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin (optional)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil or sesame oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Moisten your hands with water and lightly salt them to prevent sticking. Shape the cooked rice into triangular or round balls, about 3 inches in diameter.
- Heat a non-stick skillet or grill pan over medium heat and add the oil.
- Place the rice balls in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until a golden crispy crust forms.
- Brush each grilled rice ball with soy sauce and mirin mixture, then continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes on each side until the glaze caramelizes.
- Remove from heat and serve warm as a snack or side dish.
Notes
For extra flavor, try wrapping each onigiri with a strip of toasted nori seaweed or adding a small filling like umeboshi (pickled plum) inside before grilling.