How to make "Salmon Flakes Rice Balls (Onigiri)"

November 20, 2025

Quick & Easy Salmon Flakes Rice Balls (Japanese Onigiri Recipe)

This simple Japanese onigiri uses sakebushi — rare dried shaved salmon flakes made in Hokkaido. Just mix with warm rice and shape into a triangle. Perfect for lunch, snacks, or meal prep.

Featured Ingredient
Sakebushi (Dried Salmon Flakes)

Dried Shaved Salmon Flakes “Hana Fubuki” – Smoked & Dried Like Katsuobushi
by Shiretoko Shibetsu Maruwa Foods (1.05 oz / 30 g)

Crafted in Hokkaido’s Shiretoko region, this rare ingredient is made from wild-caught salmon that is slow-smoked with mizunara oak and aged for 50 days. The result is a deeply aromatic, umami-rich salmon shaving similar to bonito flakes but with a more delicate flavor and higher omega-3 content.

Why You'll Love This Ingredient

・Made from wild-caught salmon from Shiretoko, Hokkaido

・Produced using the traditional Tebiyama-zukuri method

・Slow-smoked and aged for 50 days for complex umami

・Rich in omega-3 fatty acids

・Ready to use — no cooking or prep required

・Great on rice, salads, pasta, tofu, or soups

Ingredients (Makes 2 Rice Balls)

・Warm cooked rice: 1 cup (about 7 oz / 200 g)

・Sakebushi (dried salmon flakes): 1.5–2 tsp (about 0.14 oz / 4 g)

・Toasted white sesame seeds: 1–2 tsp

・Sesame oil: 1 tsp

・Soy sauce: 1/2 tbsp

・Salt: a pinch, plus extra for your hands

How to Make Salmon Onigiri

In a mixing bowl, add the warm rice.
Add sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt.
Add sakebushi.
Gently mix using a cutting motion so the rice does not become mushy.
Wet your hands with water, then rub a small amount of salt onto your palms.
Divide the seasoned rice into two equal portions.
To shape: Curve the fingers of your top hand to create an angled surface and support the rice with your bottom hand.
Gently turn and press the rice to form a triangular shape, applying only light pressure so the grains do not break.
Sparking sesame seeds on the top and serve as is.