Easy Yaki Onigiri
Easy Yaki Onigiri are delightful grilled Japanese rice balls with a crispy, savory soy glaze—perfect for a quick snack or light meal.
- 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 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Optional: toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- With wet hands, shape the cooked rice into firm triangular or oval balls about 3 inches in size.
- Heat vegetable oil in a grill pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Place the rice balls in the pan and cook each side until golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Mix soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
- Brush the soy glaze onto the grilled rice balls and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes per side, allowing the glaze to caramelize.
- Remove from heat and optionally sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
For extra flavor, try stuffing the onigiri with pickled plum (umeboshi) or grilled salmon before shaping the rice balls.