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Breakfast for One

Easy Spicy Tuna-Mayo Rice Ball (Onigiri)

A fun twist on Japanese onigiri filled with a spicy tuna mayo salad — easy to make with pantry staples and perfect for a quick breakfast, snack, or light meal.
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Yield: 2 Rice Balls
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup steamed rice room temperature
  • ¼ seaweed sheet
  • 1 tsp sesame oil optional
  • Sesame seeds optional
  • Salt
Spicy tuna-mayo salad
  • 1 can tuna drained
  • 1-2 tbsp pickled jalapeños chopped
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Mix the drained canned tuna with chopped pickled jalapeños, mayonnaise, sriracha, salt, and pepper until combined.
  • Cool the rice to room temperature, then season lightly with salt, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, mixing gently to coat.
  • Take a handful of rice, flatten into a thick disk, place a spoonful of tuna filling in the center, and shape into a ball enclosing the filling completely.
  • Press the ball into the corner of a food container to mold it into a triangle, then wrap the bottom with a strip of seaweed.

Watch the Recipe

Notes

A food container is the easiest way to get a clean triangle shape without an onigiri mold — press gently rather than packing too tightly so the rice stays fluffy. Adjust the jalapeño and sriracha amounts to your spice preference. Salt levels in canned tuna vary by brand, so taste the filling before adding extra salt.