Creamy Crab Onigiri Rice Ball

Crispy, buttery rice, creamy filling, this Creamy Crab Onigiri Rice Ball is the perfect recipe for summer picnics!

Creamy Crab Onigiri is stuffed with creamy, sweet, and savory crab, and the rice is pan-fried till crispy with butter and soy sauce.

It takes less than 15 minutes to make; my Creamy Crab Onigiri has been a favorite household lunch this summer. 

All you need to make this delicious Creamy Crab Onigiri is rice, imitation crab or fresh crab, Japanese mayo, green onion, sweet corn, and if you like it spicy, a little bit of Korean red chili paste.

I love adding sweet corn to give it a nice crunch, and it also adds sweetness to the creamy crab onigiri. You can customize your Onigiri to your liking; I have a super CREAMY tuna rice ball that is delicious and takes less than 15 minutes. 

To save time and make perfect Creamy Crab Onigiri every single time, I am using a Triangle Onigiri Mold.

Onigiri molds are affordable ($7) and are super convenient for quick and easy lunches.

Using a mold, you can ensure that the rice is tightly packed and doesn’t fall apart. If you don’t have a mold, you can also use your hands instead.

Quick tip – to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands, make sure to wet your hands with water first.  

It is OPTIONAL but HIGHLY recommended to pan-fry the Creamy Crab Onigiri in butter.

It gives the rice ball a crispy texture on the outside but soft and creamy on the inside.

I am using butter and a teaspoon of soy sauce to save time, but another delicious option is to use my homemade lemon Miso Butter to give it even more umami flavors! 

Do you want more EASY recipes that takes less than 20 minutes to make? Here are some of my go-to recipes! 

• Salmon with Miso Butter (20 Minutes)
• Shrimp and Egg Stir-fry (10 Minutes ONLY!)
• Agedashi Tofu (EXTRA Cripsy in 20 Minutes)
• Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders (20 Minutes!)

Ingredients 

• 2 cups of Cooked Rice 
• 2.5 tbsp of Furikake Seasoning 

Creamy Crab Filling 

• 1 cup of Imitation Crab (shredded) 
• ¼ cup of Sweet Corn
• 3.5 tbsp of Japanese Mayo 
• 1 tsp of Korean Chili Paste (optional) 
• 1 Green Onion (chopped) 
• Salt and Black Pepper (to season) 

Optional 

• 0.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce 
• 1.5 tbsp of Butter 

Roasted Seaweed

1. In a bowl mix, 1 imitation crab, 3.5 tbsp of Japanese mayo, chopped green onion, and 1 tsp of Black Pepper, a pinch of salt, and ¼ cup of sweet corn. If you like it spicy, you can also add in 1 tsp of Korean Chili Paste. 
2. Mix cooked rice and furikake seasoning 
3. Add 2 tbsp of rice to the bottom of the rice mold, add 1.5 tbsp of filling and add 2 more tbsp of rice on top. Put the mold on top and press it down for 3-5 seconds to ensure the rice is tightly packed. Push the back button to pop the rice ball up. Repeat the process (amount varies base on the size of your mold) 
4. In a pan, drizzle in 1 tsp of butter. Turn the heat to medium-low and add on the rice ball. Grill the rice ball for 1-2 minutes on each side. Keep an eye out as you don’t want to burn the rice ball. 
5. Add the butter and soy sauce to the pan. Once the butter is melted, brush on the sauce.
6. Serve with roasted seaweed and enjoy!

Print

Creamy Crab Onigiri

Crispy, buttery rice, creamy filling, this Creamy Crab Onigiri Rice Ball is the perfect recipe for summer picnics! Creamy Crab Onigiri is stuffed with creamy, sweet, and savory crab, and the rice is pan-fried till crispy with butter and soy sauce. It takes less than 15 minutes to make; my Creamy Crab Onigiri has been a favorite household lunch this summer.

Prep Time5 mins

Active Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Japanese

Keyword: 10 Minute Recipe, Asian Food, Asian Recipes, Easy, Easy Recipes, Japanese Food, onigiri, Picnic Food, QUICK RECIPES, rice ball, seafood, snack

Yield: 4 Rice Ball

Materials

• 2 cups of Cooked Rice
• 2.5 tbsp of Furikake Seasoning

Creamy Crab Filling

• 1 cup of Imitation Crab shredded
• ¼ cup of Sweet Corn
• 3.5 tbsp of Japanese Mayo
• 1 tsp of Korean Chili Paste optional
• 1 Green Onion chopped
• Salt and Black Pepper to season

Optional

• 0.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce
• 1.5 tbsp of Butter
• Roasted Seaweed

Instructions

• In a bowl mix, 1 imitation crab, 3.5 tbsp of Japanese mayo, chopped green onion, and 1 tsp of Black Pepper, a pinch of salt, and ¼ cup of sweet corn. If you like it spicy, you can also add in 1 tsp of Korean Chili Paste.
• Mix cooked rice and furikake seasoning
• Add 2 tbsp of rice to the bottom of the rice mold, add 1.5 tbsp of filling and add 2 more tbsp of rice on top. Put the mold on top and press it down for 3-5 seconds to ensure the rice is tightly packed. Push the back button to pop the rice ball up. Repeat the process (amount varies base on the size of your mold)
• In a pan, drizzle in 1 tsp of butter. Turn the heat to medium-low and add on the rice ball. Grill the rice ball for 1-2 minutes on each side. Keep an eye out as you don’t want to burn the rice ball.
• Add the butter and soy sauce to the pan. Once the butter is melted, brush on the sauce.
• Serve with roasted seaweed and enjoy!

Notes

Quick tip – to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands, make sure to wet your hands with water first.