Korean Rice Balls (Jumeokbap 주먹밥)

Several korean rice balls on a plate ready to be served.

Korean Rice Balls (Jumeokbap 주먹밥)

Korean rice balls or Jumeokbap 주먹밥 are a made with short grain white rice that are rolled into compact balls filled with tuna. These seaweed covered rice balls are a popular flavorful snack that are perfect for picnics or as a on the go snack!

Course Appetizer, Appetizer & Sides, Lunch & Dinner Recipes, Main Course

Cuisine Korean

Keyword jumeokbap, jumeokbap recipe, Korean onigiri, Korean rice ball recipe, korean rice balls, seaweed rice balls, sesame rice balls, sticky rice balls, tuna mayo rice balls, tuna rice balls

Prep Time 5

Assembling Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 342kcal

Author Megan

Equipment

Ingredients

Seasoned Rice

3 cups cooked rice short or medium grain sushi rice
1 ½ teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt

Tuna Filling

5 oz canned tuna trained
2 tablespoon Japanese Kewpie Mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper

Garnish

Furikake Seaweed seasoning
Seaweed sheets cut into squares

Instructions

Make the tuna filling. In a medium mixing bowl, add the drained canned tuna Japanese mayo, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Set aside.
Season the rice. In a large mixing bowl, add the warm rice, sesame oil, and salt. Mix to combine. Set aside to cool.
Assemble the rice. Place a piece of plastic wrap over a 1/3 measuring cup and fill it with the seasoned rice. Pull the rice out with the plastic wrap then flatten the rice into a thin disk.
Add the filling. Add 1/2 tablespoon of the tuna mixture into the rice and then wrap the rice around the filling. Twist the plastic wrap at the top to tightly create the shape of a ball.
Coat. Lightly roll the sticky rice ball on a plate of seaweed seasoning. Pair with a square of seaweed and enjoy!

Notes

Rice selection: use short-grain Korean rice or sushi rice for the right amount of stickiness and texture to create the sticky rice balls.
Rice preparation: make sure to wash your rice until the water runs clear to prevent the rice from becoming overly sticky. Once cooked, let it cool slightly before forming the balls.
Use plastic wrap or food-safe gloves: the best way to prevent the rice from overly sticking to your hands is to use plastic wrap or gloves when forming the jumeokbap.
Press firmly. When forming the tuna rice balls, make sure to press the rice firmly to ensure the sticky rice ball holds its shape.
On-the-go storage: if you plan on enjoying these seaweed rice balls later, wrap them individually in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
Storage Instructions. Korean rice balls are best consumed within 6 hours since the rice will stiffen as it cools. However, you can also store any jumeokbap in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition