Description
Spam Musubi is a popular Hawaiian snack that combines savory, lightly sweetened fried spam with perfectly seasoned sushi rice, all wrapped neatly in nori seaweed. This quick and easy recipe delivers a delightful balance of flavors and textures, making it a perfect grab-and-go treat or lunchbox favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Spam Mixture
- 12 ounces Spam (low-sodium or lite)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Non-stick cooking spray
Rice
- 3 cups short grain rice (or sushi rice)
- Water (amount depends on cooking method, approximately 4 cups for stovetop)
- 1/4 cup Japanese rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Assembly
- 3 sheets Nori seaweed (cut into thirds)
- Saran wrap (plastic wrap)
- Water (for sealing nori)
Instructions
- Prepare Spam: Remove the spam from the can by squeezing the sides and shaking it until it comes out in one piece; keep the can for shaping the musubi later.
- Slice Spam: Cut the spam into 9 equal slices to achieve the ideal thickness for musubi.
- Fry Spam: Lightly spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place the spam slices in the pan. Heat over medium-high heat and fry each slice for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Glaze Spam: Whisk together soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, coat the spam slices with this mixture. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and caramelizes, forming a sweet glaze on the spam.
- Rinse Rice: Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.
- Cook Rice: Cook the rinsed rice according to your preferred method—stovetop, rice cooker, or Instant Pot. For stovetop/ rice cooker, use about 4 cups of water for 3 cups of rice. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for the Instant Pot.
- Prepare Vinegar Mixture: While rice cooks, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, whisking until sugar is fully dissolved.
- Season Rice: Transfer cooked rice to a large bowl and pour the vinegar mixture over it. Gently fold with a spatula to evenly distribute the seasoning.
- Cool Rice: Cover the rice bowl with plastic wrap and let it cool to room temperature on the counter.
- Prepare Musubi Mold: Thoroughly wash and dry the empty spam can. Line it with plastic wrap, leaving extra overhang for easy removal.
- Shape Musubi – Rice Layer: Spoon about 1/4 cup of the seasoned sushi rice into the bottom of the lined spam can, pressing down gently to shape.
- Shape Musubi – Spam Layer: Place one slice of glazed spam over the packed rice inside the can.
- Press and Remove: Gather the excess plastic wrap and gently press down to mold the musubi. Lift the musubi out of the can by lifting the plastic wrap overhang.
- Wrap with Nori: Remove the plastic wrap from the musubi and place the spam side down in the center of a nori strip. Wrap the nori tightly around the musubi and seal the edge with a finger dipped in water.
- Serve: Enjoy your Spam Musubi warm or chilled, perfect as a quick snack or lunch option.
Notes
- Using low-sodium or lite Spam reduces the salt content in the final dish.
- Make sure to rinse the rice thoroughly to avoid sticky, clumpy texture.
- The spam can used as a mold makes forming musubi quick and uniform; handle carefully to avoid cuts.
- Nori can become soggy if musubi is stored for too long; wrap just before eating if possible.
- Musubi can be refrigerated and eaten cold, or briefly heated before serving.
- If you don’t have a spam can, use a small rectangular mold or shape by hand tightly with plastic wrap.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Keywords: Spam Musubi, Hawaiian snack, sushi rice, nori wrap, fried spam, easy musubi recipe
