Spam Musubi (Hawaii)
intro
Iconic portable Hawaiian snack of sweet-savory glazed seared Spam pressed on seasoned sushi rice, wrapped in crisp nori for handheld eating.
Ingredients
Steps
Cook seasoned sushi rice
Rinse 360g (2 cups) short-grain sushi rice under cold running water until runoff water is completely clear, then cook per package directions (≈15 minutes in a standard rice cooker with 400ml cold water). Once cooked, gently fold in 15ml (1 tbsp) seasoned rice vinegar with a slicing motion to avoid mashing grains, then let cool 5 minutes until warm, not piping hot, to the touch.
Mix Spam teriyaki glaze
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 60ml (1/4 cup) low-sodium soy sauce, 25g (2 tbsp) granulated white sugar, and 30ml (2 tbsp) mirin for 30 seconds until sugar fully dissolves into a smooth glaze; set aside. No heat is required for this step.
Sear Spam slices
Remove Spam from the can, cut into 8 equal 1cm-thick slices. Heat 5ml (1 tsp) canola oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Add Spam slices in a single layer, cook 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp at the edges.
Glaze seared Spam
Turn heat to low (120°C/250°F), pour the prepared soy-mirin glaze over the Spam slices in the skillet. Simmer 2 minutes, flipping slices once, until glaze thickens to a syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon and evenly covers each slice. Remove pan from heat.
Prep assembly station
Cut 4 full roasted nori sheets in half parallel to the shorter edge to create 8 long strips, each 21cm long and 9.5cm wide. Lay nori strips flat on a clean cutting board, place a standard 7cm-wide Spam musubi mold (or clean empty Spam can with both top and bottom ends removed) across the center of each strip, and set the bowl of warm rice and optional furikake within easy reach.
Press and wrap musubi
Scoop 1/2 cup (≈90g) warm seasoned rice into the mold set on a nori strip, press firmly with the mold press (or flat bottom of a small cup) into an even, compact 2cm-thick layer, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp furikake if using, then top with one glazed Spam slice, pressing gently to adhere. Lift the mold straight up, wrap the two long ends of the nori strip up and over the top of the rice and Spam stack, dabbing a tiny drop of water on the overlapping nori end to seal closed. Repeat for all 8 musubi, serving 2 per person.
Tips
2.If you do not own a specialized musubi mold, clean out the empty Spam can, remove both metal ends, and use it as a perfectly sized, free rice press.
3.Let assembled musubi rest for 2 minutes after wrapping to let the nori soften slightly and adhere to the rice; this prevents the nori from cracking or peeling when you take your first bite.
OMG this tastes exactly like the spam musubi I used to grab from the 7-Eleven by my grandma’s house on Oahu! I was worried I’d mess up the teriyaki glaze but it was so straightforward, total 25 minutes start to finish? Absolute game changer for my work lunch meal prep this week.
Made these for my son’s end-of-season soccer potluck and they were the first thing gone! Even the kids who turned their noses up at Spam came back for seconds. Super easy to throw together after practice too, no fancy equipment needed.
Finally a cheap, easy meal that doesn’t taste like sad dorm food! I grabbed a can of Spam from the campus market, some nori sheets, and made 8 pieces for like $4 total. Way better than the takeout sushi place down the street that charges $8 for two musubi.
Wait, I’ve been overcomplicating spam musubi for YEARS? I used to cook the Spam for twice as long and my glaze was always too runny. This recipe’s ratio of soy, sugar, and mirin is perfect, and the pieces held up great in the fridge for 4 days of school lunches for my two girls.
I’ve been making local style musubi for over 40 years and I have to say, this recipe is spot on for folks who don’t have a local market down the street. The tip to line the musubi mold with plastic wrap? Saves so much cleanup, wish I’d thought of that years ago.
These are the perfect trail snack! I wrapped each piece individually in wax paper, threw them in my pack for a 6 mile day hike, and they didn’t get squished or mushy at all. Salty, sweet, carby, exactly what I needed halfway up the trail.
Brought these to a luau themed work party and everyone was asking for the recipe! I added a thin slice of pickled daikon in between the Spam and rice for a little tang, and it popped so hard. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I wish I’d doubled the recipe because we ran out in 10 minutes flat. 10/10 will be making these again for every summer cookout.
Full transparency: I thought Spam was gross before making this recipe. My partner is from Maui and kept bugging me to try musubi, so I caved and made this last night. Y’all. I ate three pieces standing up over the kitchen counter before I even finished cleaning up. I get the hype now.
25 minute cook time? No weird ingredients? Sign me up. Made these on a school night between helping with math homework and packing backpacks, and none of the kids complained about dinner. That alone earns 5 stars in my book.
Pro tip for anyone making this: toast your nori sheets for 10 seconds over the stove flame before wrapping, it brings out so much more nutty flavor! This recipe is so solid, I’ve made it four times in the last month alone.
Wait has anyone tried crisping the Spam up in the air fryer instead of pan frying it? I did 4 minutes at 400 degrees before tossing it in the glaze and it was perfectly crispy on the edges without being greasy. Game changer for less mess!
I swapped the regular Spam for the vegan Spam alternative to make this for my roommate, and even with the swap the glaze recipe was incredible! Tasted just like the musubi I got when I visited Kauai a few years ago. Super versatile base recipe.
Packed these for our family beach day last weekend and they were perfect! No melting, no messy hands when you wrap them right, and even my picky toddler ate a whole piece without throwing half of it in the sand. Win win.
My mom is from Honolulu and she’s been making musubi for me my whole life, so I’m super picky about how it’s made. This recipe didn’t make me miss her version at all (don’t tell her I said that). The rice to Spam ratio is exactly right, not too much rice, not too much meat.
Made these for our weekly board game night and they were the perfect handheld snack! We didn’t even need plates, just passed around a platter of them while we played Catan. 10/10, way better than the usual pizza and chips spread.
I did the math and each musubi comes out to like 75 cents to make? Are you kidding? I used to pay $3 a piece for these at my local Hawaiian food spot. I’m never buying them out again, this is too easy and too cheap to make at home.
Wait why did no one tell me spam musubi is the ultimate brunch food? I made a big platter of these for my brunch last weekend, served with a little side of spicy mayo for dipping, and my guests lost their minds. Who needs avocado toast when you have musubi?
Tested this recipe on my last car camping trip, cooked the Spam on my little camp stove, pressed the rice in a Spam can, no fancy gear needed. Ate like a king while everyone else was eating sad granola bars. Will be a staple on all my future trips.
I used low sodium soy sauce for the glaze because I have to watch my salt intake, and it still came out so flavorful! I was worried it would be bland but the sugar and ginger in the glaze gave it so much depth, I didn’t miss the extra salt at all.
I taught high school home ec for 28 years, and I tested this recipe with my summer cooking camp kids last week. Every single kid was able to make their own musubi with no help, and they all loved it. It’s the perfect easy, approachable recipe for teaching basic cooking skills.