Onigiri with Niku Miso are savoury rice balls with a filling of minced meat seasoned with ginger and Miso paste – both filling and delicious. These aren’t just Onigiri as a little snack; they’re actually fantastic Japanese-style main meals! You’re sure to love how easy they are to make and how little effort they take.
Today we’re turning a simple rice ball into a proper main meal! What do we need? Well, a hearty filling that will leave us feeling really full and satisfied!
Your comments on the best way to pack a Japanese main meal for on the go inspired me to cook this recipe for Onigiri with a hearty filling of freshly prepared ginger-Miso minced meat!
For the filling, we naturally need minced meat, which we braise in a little sesame oil together with spring onions and grated ginger. We then season everything with miso paste, soy sauce, Mirin and Sake – a classic combination of seasonings in Japanese cuisine. Add a little sugar and cornflour, and it’s ready! It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare – perfect, isn’t it?
This miso meat sauce, made from braised minced meat and delicious miso seasoning, is known in Japan as Niku Miso. It is actually served more as a side dish or topping for rice. For a pleasant flavour, season everything with ginger and spring onions – this really brings out the miso aroma.
You can use light Miso paste or red Miso; each gives the sauce a slightly different flavour profile. For example, the sauce made with white Miso has a sweeter and milder taste, whilst the one made with red Miso has a saltier and stronger flavour.
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You can also prepare the filling with minced beef and (a very special recommendation!) with soy mince for a vegan version! A little garlic or chilli oil also goes well with it!
Tip: Onigiri are best eaten fresh, as the rice dries out quickly after a while and the nori sheet becomes slightly soggy. Please do not store them in the fridge; instead, wrap them in cling film or pack them in a lunchbox.
Onigiri with Niku Miso
Makes 6 | 30 minutes | 398 kcal
🖨️ Print PDF 📌 Pin thisOnigiri with Niku Miso are spicy rice balls with a filling made from minced meat seasoned with ginger and Miso paste – a filling that is both satisfying and delicious. These aren’t just Onigiri as a little snack; they’re actually great Japanese-style main meals!
Ingredients (serves 6)
600 g cooked rice (see recipe):
✔ 300 g loose rice (im Shop ansehen)*
✔ 300 ml water (fresh, cold tap water)
✔ 1 pinch salt
200 g minced pork
20 g ginger
1 spring onion
1 tbsp sesame oil (im Shop ansehen)*
2 tbsp Miso paste (im Shop ansehen)*
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp Shoyu (im Shop ansehen)*
4 tbsp Sake (im Shop ansehen)*
2 tbsp Mirin (im Shop ansehen)*
1 tsp (level) katakuriko (potato starch) (im Shop ansehen)*
2 tbsp water
1 piece Nori sheets (im Shop ansehen)*
Useful utensils:
Onigiri mould – Rice mould set for rice triangles (im Shop ansehen)*
Japanese grater (im Shop ansehen)
Preparation (30 minutes)
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients for the Onigiri and get the rice ready (see the recipe here in a rice cooker or in a pan + leave to cool for 20 minutes).
Passaggio 2
Prepare the filling for the Japanese rice balls: To do this, peel the fresh ginger and grate it finely (for example, using a fine kitchen grater). Also, wash the spring onion , pat it dry and slice it into fine rings.
Step 3
In a bowl, whisk together the Miso paste, sugar, soy sauce, Sake, Mirin, cornflour and water until there are no lumps.
Step 4
Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add the spring onion rings and the grated ginger, and fry briefly. Add the minced meat and fry on all sides until it is no longer pink.
Passaggio 5
Now add the prepared sauce and bring to a full boil. Place the finished filling of minced meat and Miso sauce into a bowl and leave to cool slightly.
Step 6
Cut the nori sheet into strips 3–4 cm wide using scissors.
Step 7
Now take out the rice. Also, fill a small bowl with lightly salted water and have it ready. Dip the onigiri mould (large and small sides) into the water to shape the rice balls and allow them to drain briefly.
Fill the large side of the onigiri mould halfway with about 50 g of the prepared rice and form a small hollow in the centre for the filling.
Place some of the filling into the hollow (but not too much, otherwise it will all spill out).
Passaggio 8
Next, fill the mould with 50 g of rice (but do not fill it beyond the rim, otherwise everything will spill out at the sides).
Now place the lid of the onigiri mould onto the rice and press both sides together with light pressure. Open the onigiri mould by removing the lid. On the back of the large side of the mould, press the small triangle slightly inwards to remove the rice triangle from the mould.
Step 9
Wrap the rice triangle with the nori strips along the thin outer edges.
Make 5 more Onigiri using the remaining ingredients!
Step 10
Once the Onigiri is ready, it should be eaten as soon as possible. Onigiri are best when fresh, as the rice quickly becomes dry and the nori sheet slightly soggy after a while. Done – Itadakimasu!
Are you looking for even more delicious onigiri recipe ideas from Japan? Here you’ll find my most popular guides:
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Have you tried the recipe? Let me know in the comments – I can’t wait to hear from you!
