Best Rice for Musubi: Perfect Results with Minimal Effort

Affordable, hassle-free, and delicious— that’s what musubi can deliver if you use the right type of rice.

I once traded my sandwich for my friend’s homemade musubi.

But upon the first bite, dozens of rice grains escaped the seaweed’s hug and danced across my lap instead.

Don’t worry; that won’t happen to your spam delicacy, as you’ll be using the best rice for musubi!

Top Rice Variety for Musubi: Japanese Short-Grain Rice 

Japanese short-grain rice, commonly known as sushi rice, is the best rice variety for musubi. 

All year long, you’ll always find a bag of this grain in my pantry. 

That’s because it’s always the top variety you can use for dishes like sushi, kimbap, and onigiri! 

Now, what exactly makes this rice the king of musubi and other delicacies? 

Let’s find out! 

Reasons to Use Japanese Short-Grain Rice for Musubi 

Hassle-free Cooking: Due to its starchy nature, sushi rice becomes sticky when cooked. This helps the rice hold its spam-like shape and adhere well to the nori, making the molding process stress-free.

Mess-free Eating: Unless you want to finish eating your musubi with the help of a spoon and a bowl, stick to using sticky rice varieties like sushi rice. Even the rice grains that aren’t wrapped in nori won’t fall apart because this grain is that sticky. 

Versatility: As hinted earlier, Japanese short-grain rice is very versatile. Apart from using it for Japanese dishes like sushi and onigiri, it’s also my go-to short-grain variety when cooking dishes like kimchi fried rice and even some Greek food! 

Rice Alternatives for Musubi 

Can’t find Japanese short-grain rice?

Here are more common rice varieties that’ll also work well for this snack (or on-the-go meal). 

Calrose Rice

It might be less sticky than sushi rice, but Calrose rice still works pretty well for musubi.

Simply let this grain cool before handling and press the musubi mold firmly, and you should have no problem making this rice hold its shape!

Will Calrose rice make your musubi taste different? 

The flavor difference is so subtle that you won’t even notice it.

Just like Japanese short-grain rice, Calrose rice has a neutral flavor. So it pairs perfectly with the savory flavors of Spam! 

Jasmine Rice

I’m not a big fan of using Jasmine rice for musubi.

But if you’re really in a pinch and can’t (or don’t want to) find sushi or Calrose rice, this alternative can work.

Jasmine rice is still relatively sticky despite being a long grain.

For best results, though, I recommend wrapping the entire block of musubi with nori.

It’ll have a better chance of holding its shape that way. 

Have Spam-Azing Musubi with the Right Rice

Say goodbye to messy musubi fails and hello to the best Hawaiian snack you’ll ever have.

Just choose from the rice varieties I’ve recommended above, preferably sushi rice and Calrose rice, and you’ll take no time making the perfect musubi bites!

If you really must use jasmine rice, though, don’t forget to follow my tips about wrapping the entire block of musubi in nori.

Yield: 6

Easy Hawaiian Musubi

Print

Savor the perfect trio of protein, carbs, and fat with every bite of Spam musubi. It's not the healthiest, but it sure is delicious! Perfect snack or meal on the go.

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 can of Spam
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 cups of cooked sushi rice
• 2 large eggs
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Furikake seasoning (to taste)
• 1 sheet of nori (seaweed)
• Plastic wrap

Instructions

1. Open the can of Spam and cut it into 6 to 8 even slices.
2. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Make sure the sugar fully dissolves.
3. Marinate the Spam slices in the soy sauce and sugar mixture for at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
5. Cook the marinated Spam slices for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they’re caramelized. Once cooked, remove them from the skillet and set aside.
6. Whisk the 2 eggs, adding a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
7. Pour the eggs into the same skillet and cook until a thin, even layer forms. Flip when needed to cook both sides evenly.
8. Now that all the ingredients are fully cooked, use the opening of the empty Spam can to cut the egg into Spam-like slices. 
9. In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of cooked sushi rice with furikake seasoning (to taste).
10. Line the empty Spam can with plastic wrap.
11. Press a thin layer of the seasoned rice into the lined Spam can to mold it into a compact shape. Remove the rice from the can and set it aside. Repeat this step 6 to 8 times. 
12. Cut the nori into 2-inch wide strips. 
13. Lay a strip of nori on a clean plastic wrap. Then, place a slice of Spam on top of it.
14. Add a piece of the cooked egg on top of the Spam. 
15. Place the molded rice on top of the egg.
16. Fold the nori strip over the rice, Spam, and egg. Using a small dab of water, seal the nori edges together.
17. Wrap the musubi tightly in the plastic wrap to help it hold its shape.
18. Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the nori to soften and stick to the rice.
19. Unwrap the plastic wrap before serving.
20. Enjoy your Spam musubi!

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