Also sometimes referred to as Spam sushi or Spam sandwiches, Spam musubi is a classic dish hailing from the islands of Hawaii. It’s simple, delicious, quick to make, and only requires a few ingredients.

Most people traditionally eat these portable, hand-held bites as lunch food or snack, but they are an inexpensive meal that will satisfy a craving at any time of day! This article will teach you everything you need to know about how to make this dish at home, from the ingredients needed to the step-by-step Spam musubi recipe. 

Ready to learn more about Hawaiian Spam musubi and even make it yourself? Read on to the next section to get started!

What Is Spam Musubi?

Spam musubi is a derivative dish of musubi, a style of sushi originating in Japan. Traditionally, musubi is composed of white rice formed into balls or triangles and wrapped in a variety of seaweed called nori. Hawaiians and Spam enthusiasts highly debate the specifics of Spam musubi; however, most people agree that it developed in Hawaii after World War II.

In its most basic form, Spam musubi gets constructed from a block of cooked Spam sandwiched between patties of white rice. The whole thing is then wrapped in a nori sheet and often gets served with sauce on the side.

Ingredients for Spam Musubi

This section will cover all the ingredients you need to make Spam musubi at home!

Spam

You can’t make Spam musubi without the main component: Spam! While known to many worldwide as “mystery meat,” Spam is made up of cooked pork. And although the fact that it comes in a can may be off-putting to some, the fact that it is so heavily processed means that it is affordable and has a longer shelf life than most other forms of meat.

White Rice

Although white sushi rice gets traditionally used to make Spam musubi, you can use any type of rice you keep at home, like brown rice or jasmine rice. However, sushi rice is the best choice because it holds together well and won’t fall apart as you are eating.

Nori

Nori is a type of dried seaweed commonly found in Japanese cuisine. It comes in large sheets approximately the same size as pieces of printer paper. If you have trouble finding this ingredient in your typical grocery store, check a local Asian market or order it online. It is salty and rich in umami flavors. 

Optional Additions

Although Spam, rice, and nori are the three main ingredients, a few other optional additions are helpful to make your Spam musubi extra tasty. 

You can cook the Spam itself in a teriyaki sauce for added flavor. A store-bought teriyaki sauce will get the job done, but you can make your own using two ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry: soy sauce and sugar!

Another ingredient that people commonly add to Spam masubi is a condiment called Furikake. Furikake is a dry seasoning that comes out of Japan. It always includes toasted sesame seeds, nori, and salt. It also may contain flavorful ingredients like dried fish, chili flakes, and mushroom powder.

Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, read the following section to learn the step-by-step recipe for making Spam musubi!

Spam Musubi

Spam musubi is a derivative dish of musubi, a style of sushi originating in Japan. Traditionally, musubi is composed of white rice formed into balls or triangles and wrapped in a variety of seaweed called nori.

You are just five simple steps away from enjoying your Spam musubi. Keep reading to learn what they are!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Additional Time 0 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Hawaii

Servings 8

Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 can (12 oz. / 340 g) Spam, sliced into 8 pieces
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 cups cooked sushi rice (or regular cooked white rice)
• 3 sheets roasted seaweed nori (cut into 8 strips about 2” (5 cm) wide and 9” (23 cm) long)

Instructions

 

Cut and Cook the Spam

• Heat a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating up, open the can of Spam and cut it horizontally into six or eight oval slices. Fry the sliced Spam until it begins to get brown and crispy. After around three minutes, flip the Spam to cook on the other side. Once both sides are done, remove them from the pan.
• If you are using teriyaki to make a Spam musubi sauce, add it to the pan as the Spam is finishing cooking, taking care not to burn it.

Start Assembling the Musubi

• Begin the assembly process by placing a strip of nori on a cutting board. Place the musubi mold over the nori, then add a slice of the cooked Spam. Optionally, sprinkle a pinch of furikake over the Spam.

Add and Press the Rice

• Pile a large spoonful of rice on top of the Spam in the mold and compact it firmly with the press or your hands. The result should be a solid rice patty about one inch thick.

Unmold and Fold

• Carefully unmold the musubi from the mold by holding the handle in one hand and pulling up with the other. Wrap the two ends of the nori around the rice. You may use a dab of water or a few grains of rice to stick the nori together if needed.

Enjoy!

• Spam musubi is best enjoyed immediately after making, while the spam is still hot and the nori is still crunchy. If you are taking it on the go, wrap it securely in plastic wrap for travel.

Tips and Tricks for Spam Musubi Recipe

While it is not completely necessary, a musubi mold is a helpful tool that will ensure you end up with the correct size and shape of the rice patty. 

If you do not have one of these molds at home, you can like the can the spam came in with plastic wrap and firmly press the rice into the can. Using this method, employ extra care when removing the musubis from the makeshift mold.

Nutritional Information

Spam musubi is not healthy, but it is a tasty snack to eat in moderation. 

One piece of Spam musubi has approximately 250 calories. There are between 40 and 50 grams of carbohydrates (depending on the quantity of rice you use), about 7 grams of protein, and about 7 grams of fat.

A typical serving size usually contains around 600mg of sodium, about one-quarter of the recommended daily intake for most adults. If you have a heart or blood pressure issue that requires you to limit your salt intake, low-sodium versions of Spam are available.