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Spam Musubi is rapidly growing in popularity and for good reason! It’s so good! No need to book a flight to Hawaii to enjoy it, this local favorite can easily be made in the comfort of your own home.
When I lived in Hawaii, Musubi was an actual staple in my day-to-day life. I lived across the street from a Foodland (a popular grocery store in Hawaii) and I would try to get there as early as I could to get some Musubi before it sold out for the day. I would usually buy one for breakfast and pack another one away for lunch. It is such a convenient “starving college student” meal because it is filling and also super cheap. Back in the day, you could find them for under $2, so for a poor college student living in Hawaii where everything is ridiculously expensive, it was a no-brainer. This recipe is as local and authentic as it gets. You are going to love it!
What is Spam Musubi?
Now, you may be wondering what Musubi is. You also may be asking yourself why I want you to try Spam. Well, a little history, Spam became increasingly popular in Hawaii after WWII, it was sent to the troops stationed in Hawaii and kind of spread from there. It was cheap. It was easy to cook. And it still is! It is actually still one of the staple foods there today. It is so famous that even McDonald’s Hawaii breakfast platters includes Spam.
Ingredients in Spam Musubi
- Spam – Regular or “Lite” Spam will work great for this recipe
- Marinade / Glaze – I like to make a marinade with Oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar but any kind of teriyaki sauce will work great as a marinade.
- Nori roasted seaweed – This can be found at most Asian markets. I am seeing it pop up more in local grocery stores too, which makes shopping even easier.
- Sushi Rice – This is key ingredient. Regular rice won’t work for Spam Musubi. Sushi rice is sticky and forms into a mold for easy hand-held eating. We have two methods for preparing sushi rice: Sushi rice on the stovetop and Instant Pot sushi rice. Both work great for this recipe.
- Furikake (optional) – Furikake is a seasoning made from seaweed, sesame seeds, salt, and spices. My kids literally put it on everything.
What is Spam?
Spam is a canned meat made mostly with ham. When I lived in Hawaii, I had Spam all the time, mainly because it was pretty much all I could afford. I had it for breakfast with eggs and rice and dinner with noodles and rice. And for lunch, I made this Spam Musubi. You can buy Spam Musubi in Hawaii at any grocery store or gas station but on the mainland it’s a bit harder to find. Luckily, it’s super easy to make and the ingredients can be found at most grocery stores.
You may be skeptical (I know Spam has a bit of a reputation), I was too until I tried it. Even if you aren’t the biggest fan of Spam, this is worth a try! No joke, if you ask any of my kids what their favorite snack or school lunch is, they will all tell you it’s Spam musubi. Last time we went to Hawaii it was all they wanted to eat (especially when it was Mickey shaped). Don’t knock it ’til you try it!
Is Musubi Best Hot or Cold?
This is a question I get asked all the time. In short, musubi is best when it is served hot or warm. If musubi cools too much or if it is refrigerated, the rice can dry out and get too hard making it crumbly. This can be avoided if it is wrapped up VERY well. When I pack my kids lunchboxes, I not only wrap it up tight, I also put it in a plastic container and press out as much air as I can. My kids will eat it cold for lunch and haven’t complained so that being said, it’s not bad cold, it’s just best when it’s warm.
Storing and Reheating
If not eating immediately, wrap each musubi very tightly in plastic wrap. Wrapping the musubi will help keep it all together and also help the rice to not dry out so quickly. I wrap it while it is still very hot so all that steam stays inside. Musubi can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours but I like to play it on the safe side and usually don’t keep it out past 2 hours. To refrigerate, place the wrapped musubi pieces in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To re-heat, remove the plastic wrap, then wrap the in a damp paper towel and microwave for 45 seconds or until heated through.
Make Your Own Musubi Mold
To make musubi, you will need a Musubi mold. If you don’t have one on hand, you can make your own. First, you will need to get a Spam can (you will need Spam anyway to make the Musubi). Next, clean it out well with soap and water. CAREFULLY cut off the bottom with a utility knife or an exact-o knife, then cover the sharp edges with electrical tape or duct tape (make sure the tape you use non-lead based). This can be tricky to do and we recommend just using a store-bought mold but it is a good Plan B if you are desperate.
More Tasty Authentic Hawaiian Recipes:
Loco Moco
Chicken Long Rice
Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken
Hawaiian Beef Teriyaki
Authentic Hawaiian Mac Salad
Haupia
Malasadas
Chocolate Haupia Pie
How to Make Spam Musubi
Spam Musubi
Video
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Spam
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Nori roasted seaweed used for sushi, cut into halves or thirds (I cut it into thirds to make it go further)
- 6 cups cooked sushi rice WITHOUT the vinegar mixture added –Click HERE for the Sushi Rice Recipe
- furikake (optional)
Instructions
- Slice the SPAM into about 8-10 slices (depending on how thick you like it) and put in a Ziplock bag. Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar until sugar is dissolved and add to the bag with the SPAM. Marinate for about 15 minutes.
- Drain off marinade and fry SPAM on each side over medium heat until slightly crispy or until desired doneness. Some people like to glaze the SPAM with the marinade/sauce AFTER frying, either way tastes great!
- Place a strip of nori on a cutting board or clean surface (shiny side down). Place your Musubi mold across the middle of the nori.
- Add Sushi Rice to the mold, pressing down firmly and evenly so there is about 1-1 ½ inches of rice. Dip the mold and your fingers in water as you go to prevent sticking.
- Optional: Add a sprinkling of furikake (a mixture of sesame seeds and little bits of nori) for extra flavor.
- Next, remove the mold from the rice. Now you will have a nice little block of rice right on the nori. Add some of the cooked SPAM to the top. Wrap up one side of the nori and stick it to the top of the SPAM, then wrap up the other side. Just like you are wrapping a nice little package. Use a little water on your finger to seal if needed. Serve warm.
- Some like it dipped in soy sauce, some like it with ketchup, and some like it as is.
Is the rice hot or cold when you mold it? Can’t wait to try these!
I usually mold it while it is still quite warm. That way when you wrap it, it keeps the rice from drying out so much. If it cools too much the rice will get dry. Hope this helps!
this is the best recipe
Thanks!
nice
How can you go wrong with Musubi?! It is soooooo good! I started making it about ten years ago. I have a recipe from a Korean friend, whose parents had a restaurant in Hawaii where they made millions of these! (Maybe not millions!!) They taught me to use the can the spam came in. Instead of the dangerous as mentioned way of cutting the can and making a Spam shaped cookie cutter, they would just take a piece of Saran Wrap and tuck it into the bottom of the can. Then you scoop the amount of rice you want for the base and press it into the bottom of the can with the top of a small, flat topped, tenderizer mallet. You can use your fingers to pass it down too, but then only have the Saran Wrap protecting your fingers. 🤷♂️ Once the rice “cake” is firmly pressed you pull out the plastic wrap with a nice rice base!
Also, try adding a half cup of pineapple juice or a pureed kiwi to replace some or all of the sugar!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe ideas Erica!
I love all these ideas. And great suggestion about adding saran wrap to protect your fingers. I also love the idea of using pineapple juice or kiwi to replace the sugar, I have never heard that one before!
I subbed quite a few things, but the recipe still turned out amazing. Next time I hope to make it with the right ingredients.
So glad you liked it!
Made this but added tamagoyaki in between the spam and rice, and subbed fish sauce for oyster sauce (allergy). Also instead of using a spam musubi mold we did it the old fashioned way and just used the spam can! This was good.
Great ideas for substitutions, thanks!
I’ve made it a couple times now and it’s amazing!
Hello fellow Boisean. I love plain spam musubi but I love to jazz it up a bit. I put a smaller layer of rice on the bottom, then sprinkle some chopped onion and a couple of thinly slice jalapeno peppers on top of that layer. Then comes the spam and a sprinkle of furikake. Finally top with another layer of rice. I do a full wrap on these since it doesn’t have the traditional “look.” Another interesting variation is to use black rice, also known as “forbidden rice” which changes the appearance, but not really the taste. Cheers!
Yay for Boise! I’m excited you found us! Wow, these variations sound delicious. I love the variation of doing rice, spam, rice in layers. We have done that before too and it’s so tasty! I love the idea of jalapeños though. I am always down for a little spice! I am also excited to try it with the “forbidden rice”, thanks for the suggestion!
Love this
Thank you, Julie 🙂
Sceptical; it turned out delicious!
I just want to clarify – the rice used is just the cooked sushi rice without the vinegar mixture? Not the recipe that you linked to?
Yes, you can just use sushi rice without adding the vinegar mixture. If I am making sushi rice with the vinegar mixture added and I have leftovers for Musubi, I have used the flavored sushi rice with no issues. The rice just tastes a little more tangy, which isn’t a bad thing. Either way, the texture will be on-point. It really just comes down to whether you prefer flavored or plain rice with it. No matter how you make the rice, you won’t ruin the musubi 🙂
This Spam musubi recipe looks amazing! I love how simple yet flavorful it is, and your instructions make it so easy to follow. The combination of sweet and salty flavors with the perfect sticky rice is just irresistible. I appreciate the tips on how to get the rice just right and how to assemble the musubi so neatly. This is such a great go-to recipe for a fun snack or even a meal. I can’t wait to try making it at home—it’s sure to be a hit with my family! Thanks for sharing this delicious and authentic Hawaiian treat! Keep reading to discover tips that will make your cooking easier and more enjoyable!
I came across the recipe and tried it out this morning. My co-workers and I raved of how flavorful it was. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
So glad you liked it! Thanks for the comment!
I marinated the Spam overnight and the meat was fabulous!
Great job. Made it easy for us new bee’s to follow. Thanks Much
WonTonJon AC New Jersey