Gusto TV Rainbow Roll Onigiri Recipe - Colorful Japanese Street Food

Rainbow Roll Onigiri Recipe

This Rainbow Roll Onigiri recipe transforms classic Japanese rice balls into vibrant, sushi-inspired street food packed with fresh sashimi-grade fish, crisp cucumber, and spicy mayo. Featured on Global Street Eats with Devan Rajkumar, these colorful onigiri combine perfectly seasoned sushi rice with a luxurious raw seafood filling wrapped in crisp nori—perfect for lunchboxes, picnics, or Japanese-inspired snacking.

The Inspiration

Onigiri are Japan’s ultimate portable street food, found everywhere from convenience store shelves (konbini) to festival stalls and bento boxes. This Rainbow Roll Onigiri recipe takes the traditional rice triangle and elevates it with sushi bar flair—finely minced salmon, tuna, and scallops mixed with panko, cucumber, and spicy Kewpie mayo create a filling that rivals your favorite sushi roll.

Devan Rajkumar discovered these modern onigiri during his Global Street Eats travels through Japan, where street vendors and home cooks are reinventing classic flavors with fresh, seasonal ingredients. The result is handheld sushi perfection: tender rice, luxurious raw fish filling, and that satisfying nori crunch—ideal for eating on the go or sharing at gatherings.

Ingredients

For the Rice:

2 cups (480ml) uncooked sushi rice, rinsed, soaked for 15 minutes, and drained
3 cups (720ml)water plus ¼ cup (60ml) water, divided
½ cup (120ml) rice vinegar
¼ cup (60ml) sugar
½ tsp (2.5ml) salt

For the Filling:

2 oz raw sushi-grade salmon
2 oz raw sushi-grade tuna
2 oz raw sushi-grade scallops
1 scallion
2 Persian cucumbers
½ cup (120ml) Panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp (29.6ml) Kewpie mayonnaise
1 tbsp (14.8ml) Sriracha sauce
Pinch of salt

For Shaping:

12 sheets nori
Furikake, optional

Methods

Make the Rice:

Heat the rice and 3 cups water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the water boils, cover the pot and turn the heat down to low. Cook the rice for about 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed. Remove the rice from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
Mix together the rice vinegar, ¼ cup water, sugar, and salt.
Transfer the rice to a large bowl and pour over the seasoning liquid. Fold in the liquid with a large spatula or spoon until it is evenly distributed, folding gently so as not to crush or break the rice kernels.

Make the Filling:

Finely mince the salmon, tuna, and scallops – there should be no large chunks left. Finely chop the scallion and peel and finely chop the cucumbers.
Mix together the Kewpie mayonnaise, Sriracha, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the salmon, tuna, scallops, scallion, cucumbers, and Panko and gently stir together to combine.

Shape the Onigiri:

Keep a bowl of cool water nearby while working to wet your hands and keep the rice from sticking. Wet your hands and place 1/3 cup of rice in your non-dominant hand. Use your other hand or a small spatula to shape the rice in the palm of your hand into two triangles attached on one side.
Scoop 2 tbsp of filling into the center of one rice triangle. Fold over the other rice triangle and seal them together.
Cut a piece of nori so it is slightly larger or slightly smaller than the rice triangle. Place the rice triangle in the center of the nori and pull it up on either side to form the onigiri. Top with a sprinkle of furikake, if desired.
Repeat to make the remaining onigiri.

Serving Suggestions

These Rainbow Roll Onigiri shine as portable street food, bento box stars, or party appetizers you can enjoy at room temperature—never straight from the fridge. They’re perfect for picnics, beach days, kids’ lunches, or even watching sumo matches, exactly how Japanese street food is meant to be enjoyed. Pair them with Japanese green tea, refreshing iced barley tea (mugicha), or chilled sake, and serve alongside miso soup, edamame, or seaweed salad for a complete Japanese meal experience.

For beautiful presentation, arrange them in bamboo steamer baskets to evoke market-stall authenticity, slice a few in half diagonally to reveal the colorful filling, or offer wasabi, pickled ginger, and soy sauce on the side for sushi-style dipping.

Final Thoughts

This Rainbow Roll Onigiri recipe transforms humble rice balls into sushi-shop-worthy street food that captures Japan’s genius for flavor-packed convenience. With luxurious raw seafood filling, perfectly seasoned rice, and crisp nori wrapping, Devan Rajkumar’s modern take on this Global Street Eats favorite delivers big flavor in every handheld bite.

Whether you’re packing lunch, hosting sushi night, or craving authentic Japanese street food, these colorful onigiri bring Tokyo convenience store magic to your kitchen.

Find more recipes from Global Street Eats here!