We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
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!
🩷 Erica
Table of Contents
What is Spam Musubi?
Spam Musubi is a rice-based snack, usually served in a rectangular-shape topped with Spam and wrapped with nori seaweed. You also may be asking yourself what Spam is. Spam is a canned meat made with pork and ham. 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 store and cook. And it still is! It is actually still one of the staple foods in Hawaii today. It is so famous that even McDonald’s Hawaii breakfast platters includes Spam.
Ingredients
- 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. Use a sticky short- or medium-grain rice, such as Calrose or sushi rice. For this recipe, use the rice plain without adding the sushi vinegar mixture. Sushi rice is sticky and forms into a mold for easy hand-held eating.
- Furikake (optional) – Furikake is a seasoning made from seaweed, sesame seeds, salt, and spices. My kids literally put it on everything.
How to Make Spam Musubi
- Prepare the Spam: Marinate spam in our homemade marinade or a store-bought teriyaki sauce. Drain marinade and fry spam on both sides until slightly browned and crispy.
- Prepare the Sushi Rice: We have two methods for preparing sushi rice: Sushi rice on the stovetop and Instant Pot sushi rice. Both work great for this recipe.
- Layer Ingredients in Musubi Mold: Start by placing a strip of nori roasted seaweed on a cutting board with the shiny side down. Place the musubi mold in the middle of the seaweed (perpendicular to the seaweed). Use the mold top to press the sushi rice into the mold. Sprinkle the rice with furikake, then place the cooked spam on top.
- Wrap the Musubi: Remove the mold. Wrap one side of the nori and and stick it to the top of the Spam, the wrap the other side. Use a little water to get the ends of the nori to stick together if needed.
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. This makes the musubi crumbly. Avoid this by wrapping it VERY well. When I pack my kids lunchboxes, I wrap it up tight and it in a plastic container, pressing 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.
More Tasty Authentic Hawaiian Recipes
Spam Musubi Recipe
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
- 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. Place it 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 15 minutes.
- Drain off marinade and fry Spam on each side over medium heat until slightly crispy or until desired doneness.
- Place a strip of nori roasted seaweed on a cutting board (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 a slice of cooked Spam on top of the rice.
- 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.
Notes
Storing and Reheating
If not eating immediately, wrap each musubi very tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. 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. Refrigerate Spam musubi within 2 hours of making it (1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F). If you’re packing it for lunch, keep it cold in an insulated lunchbox with ice packs. 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.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
Do you need a dipping sauce for this?
No dipping sauce necessary! Although we will often give it a little dunk in some soy sauce 🙂
Delicious!!! It seemed like way too much sugar, but it balanced out the salt and since it was just a marinade, I guess you don’t actually eat most of it. I cooked the SPAM in the air fryer (400 degrees 10 minutes) because I like it crispy, and it was SO easy!
Oh I LOVE the idea of cooking up the spam in the air fryer, that is genius! I will have to try that next time!
Fell in love with this dish on my first trip to Hawaii with my late husband love making it at home for my grandchildren. This is the easiest recipe ever.
I am so sorry to hear about your husband. I am glad this recipe brings back fond memories for you and so glad that you are able to share it with your grandkids!
Making this with my 8 yr old grandson!
This came out perfect !!!
This spam musubi was really easy to make and very delishes.
Far too complicated as written here! No need for marinade, for furikake, or even for a mold. Fry spam, shape rice between hands as for flat musubi, wrap in nori and there you have it–enjoy!
I totally love this recipe! Have loved spam musubi ever since I was a little kid up until now and I’m all grown up!! lol Always adding new ingredients into a spam musubi gives it an extra KICK in flavor!!!
Love this! So easy and delicious. Make your rice sticky.
Thanks Karen 🙂 Glad you liked the musubi! – Erica
Spam Musubi is delicious and very easy to make. I prefer the 25% less sodium spam. Enjoy!
Same! I either use the 25% less sodium or the “Lite” version (they both have the same amount of sodium) and they both work great for this recipe!
Super Tasty!
So good! Fried spam is the only way I can eat it and I love finding new recipes with it! The sauce is very tasty!
DELICIOUS AND UNIQUE
Great snack anytime you are running around
I love musabi. This recipe is so yummy. A must make!
My family may never get to visit Hawaii, but we celebrate the state every year anyway! These recipes were the most authentic looking that we could find, and we look forward to making them. This musubi is such a tasty treat, easy to make, and goes really well with a side of fresh pinapple on your appetizer plate. And the leftovers are so good for lunch the next day!
I am so glad you are able to bring a little taste of Hawaii into your home with these recipes! What a cool tradition to celebrate it every year. I love that!
The best of Hawaii’s snacks. Great for cruising around the island!
Couldn’t agree more! It’s the best snack for on the go, especially on a drive around the island!
Easy and so flavorful. Very authentic @
Agreed!
Not huge fan of spam since we ate a lot if it as kids. That being said i think the recioe was ok.
This is the bomb. I lived in Lahaina for about 10 years before the fire. Will remember Lahaina
Oh, that fire was so horrible. I’m sorry. Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you like the musubi recipe!