Easy Yaki Onigiri
Yaki Onigiri are Japanese grilled rice balls with a savory soy glaze, perfect as a quick snack or side dish with a deliciously crispy exterior and soft interior.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 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 (for grilling)
- Optional: toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Moisten your hands with water to prevent sticking and shape the cooked rice into 2-3 compact triangular or round balls.
- Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet or grill pan over medium heat.
- Place the rice balls in the pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until they develop a golden-brown crust.
- Mix soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
- Brush the sauce mixture generously onto each side of the rice balls during grilling, turning carefully.
- Once the rice balls are evenly grilled and glazed, remove from heat.
- Optionally, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top before serving.
Notes
For extra flavor, try adding a small filling of grilled salmon or umeboshi (pickled plum) inside the rice balls before grilling.