Spam Musubi (Grilled Spam, Rice and Nori)
By Emily Carter ·
Published
Quick answer
Fry slices of Spam in soy sauce, sugar and mirin until caramelized at the edges. Press seasoned sushi rice into a musubi mold, top with a slice of Spam and wrap a strip of nori around the middle. Slice in half and serve warm or at room temperature.
Spam Musubi is the Hawaiian snack that fits in your hand. Caramelized Spam over seasoned sushi rice, wrapped in crisp nori for a salty sweet bite. It takes about 15 minutes, travels well, and disappears fast at picnics, school lunches and beach days.
Why you’ll love it
- Salty sweet Spam and seasoned rice in every bite.
- Fifteen minutes, no special equipment beyond a mold.
- Travels well, so it suits picnics, lunchboxes and beach days.
- Easy to scale up, with a whole can making eight musubi.
- Kids love it, and adults eat twice as many as they planned.
Ingredient notes
Spam: the classic canned meat, sliced and fried until caramelized. Cut it evenly, about 1 cm thick, so it cooks evenly and sits neatly on the rice.
Sushi rice: short grain rice cooked until tender, then seasoned warm with rice vinegar, sugar and salt. The warm seasoning is what makes the rice taste like a proper musubi base.
Soy sauce glaze: soy sauce, sugar and mirin cooked down into a shiny glaze. The glaze turns plain fried Spam into something sweet, salty and sticky.
Nori: dried seaweed sheets cut into strips. Wrap it shiny side out so it stays crisp longer and looks better on the plate.
Furikake: a Japanese sprinkle of sesame seeds, seaweed and salt. It is optional, but it adds crunch and savory flavor to the rice.
The warm rice and crisp nori rule that makes or breaks it
One rule decides whether musubi holds together or falls apart, and it is the rice. Use it warm, not hot. Hot rice steams the nori soft the moment you wrap it, while warm rice holds its shape and lets the nori stay crisp. The second rule is the press. Pack the rice firmly into the mold, with wet hands, so the musubi holds its shape in your hand. A loose press falls apart at the first bite. The third rule is timing. Wrap the musubi just before serving, since the nori softens as it sits. A musubi wrapped an hour ago is still good, but a musubi wrapped a day ago is a soft, sad thing.
Variations
- Egg musubi: add a thin rolled omelet between the rice and the Spam for a breakfast version.
- Teriyaki chicken musubi: swap the Spam for grilled teriyaki chicken, sliced thin, for a lighter musubi.
- Avocado musubi: add a slice of avocado under the Spam for a creamy contrast.
- Spicy mayo musubi: spread a little spicy mayo on the rice before adding the Spam for a gentle kick.
What we learned testing it
- Frying the Spam in the glaze beat plain fried Spam clearly in the side by side test. The glazed slices tasted sweet and salty, while the plain slices tasted flat.
- Pressing the rice firmly beat a loose press. The firm musubi held its shape in the hand, while the loose one fell apart at the first bite.
- Wrapping with the nori shiny side out beat dull side out. The shiny side stayed crisp longer and looked better on the plate.
Read how we test recipes.
Spam Musubi (Grilled Spam, Rice and Nori)
Makes 8 musubi, about 4 servings · 30 min total · Easy
Ingredients
Equipment
Large skillet · Musubi mold or empty Spam can · Rice cooker or pot · Sharp knife · Cutting board · Small bowl
Instructions
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Fry the Spam until caramelized
Slice the Spam into 8 even slices, about 1 cm thick. Fry the slices in a hot skillet 2 minutes per side until golden at the edges. Pour in the soy sauce, sugar and mirin, then cook 1 more minute, turning the slices, until the sauce thickens and coats the Spam in a shiny glaze.
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Cook and season the sushi rice
Cook the rinsed rice until tender, then let it rest 5 minutes off the heat. Stir the rice vinegar, sugar and salt together until dissolved, then fold the dressing through the warm rice with a spatula, fanning it gently so the grains stay separate and glossy.
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Press the rice and top with Spam
Wet the musubi mold and your hands so the rice does not stick. Press a scoop of warm rice into the mold, packing it firmly, then push it out onto a strip of nori. Sprinkle furikake over the rice if you like, then lay a slice of glazed Spam on top.
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Wrap in nori and slice
Wrap the nori strip up and around the rice and Spam, sealing the end with a drop of water. The nori softens slightly as it sits, which is normal. Slice each musubi in half with a sharp wet knife and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Slice the Spam evenly, about 1 cm thick. Thin slices dry out in the pan, while thick slices overpower the rice.
- Wet your hands and the mold before pressing the rice. Dry hands stick to the rice and tear the shape apart.
- Use warm rice, not hot. Hot rice steams the nori soft, while warm rice holds its shape and lets the nori stay crisp.
- Eat musubi the day you make it. The nori softens overnight, and the rice firms up in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition information is being calculated.
Substitutions
- Spam
- Use canned luncheon meat or sliced ham instead, fried the same way. The flavor is milder, but the musubi still works.
- Mirin
- Use 1 tablespoon of sake with a pinch of sugar instead. The glaze tastes a little less sweet.
- Furikake
- Leave it out, or sprinkle sesame seeds instead. The musubi tastes the same, just a little plainer.
Storage and make-ahead
Store leftover musubi wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 1 day. Eat at room temperature, or warm briefly in the microwave for 20 seconds. The nori softens in the fridge, so musubi is best eaten the day it is made.
Frequently asked questions
What is spam musubi?
A Hawaiian snack of grilled Spam over seasoned sushi rice, wrapped in a strip of nori. It is the classic convenience store snack in Hawaii, and a staple of school lunches and beach days.
Can I make spam musubi ahead of time?
You can cook the rice and fry the Spam a few hours ahead, but press and wrap the musubi just before serving so the nori stays crisp.
Do I need a musubi mold?
No. An empty Spam can with both ends cut off works as a mold, or you can shape the rice by hand into a neat rectangle.
What is furikake?
A Japanese seasoning of sesame seeds, seaweed and salt, sprinkled over rice. It adds crunch and savory flavor, but the musubi works fine without it.
Can I use brown rice for spam musubi?
Yes. Cook brown rice until tender and season it the same way. It tastes nuttier and holds its shape well, but it is a little firmer to bite.
