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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! If you ask any of my kids what their favorite 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!
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. We recommend just using a store-bought mold but it is a good Plan B if you are desperate.
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. 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.
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.
More Tasty Authentic Hawaiian Recipes
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
- 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.
I used reduced salt spam and cut it into 8 slices just because it’s easier to divide that way. Maybe I should have done 10 slices because it was SO. SALTY. I didn’t even marinate the spam because I noticed how salty the sauce was, so I just used it as a glaze. I used about an inch and a half of rice and the ratio looked like most of the spam musubi I’ve seen online. Maybe I just don’t have as high a tolerance for salty foods. I’m not knocking your recipe because it doesn’t seem to vary too much from others, and the other commenters here seem to love it!. But maybe a light warning to other people that if you aren’t into salty foods maybe navigate to another recipe on this website 🙂
Spam is a very salty meat and this generally is a salty food. If salty food isn’t your thing this recipe probably isn’t for you.
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I am going to take that as a compliment. 🙂
I have been wanting to make this forever and I have never even eaten spam. It was SO GOOD. My husband also loved it and he also had never tried spam before. Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you liked it!