An easy snack or favorite picnic food item: Korean Rice Balls! Also known as Jumeok Bap, these savory balls of rice are flavored with canned tuna, roasted seaweed (gim), fish roe, and sesame seeds. A great leftover rice recipe for the whole family. Good for a quick meal, delicious snack, or side dish with dinner. Jazz up regular white rice with a few ingredients and put these simple rice balls on the table in 15 minutes!

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What is Jumeok Bap?

Jumeok Bap, or Korean Rice Balls, are a popular snack or side dish in Korean cuisine. They are hand-shaped rice balls that are seasoned with a variety of fillings. Similar to Japanese Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls), they are easy to make and eat. Differently, the fillings are evenly distributed throughout the rice.

In Korean, Jumeok Bap means “Fist Rice.” The size can vary and they can be shaped as big as a fist! In K Dramas, they are as large as a softball. But in reality, they are easier to eat when shaped into small, compact balls of rice.

The delicious fillings range depending on your mood and what’s in your fridge. Anything from carrot, ground beef, kimchi, zucchini, Spam, corn, canned tuna, mushrooms, etc.

If you have leftover rice, no cooking is required. Simply reheat rice in the microwave until the rice grains are steaming hot. The texture will be virtually the same.

More Jumeok Bap recipes: Kimchi Jumeok Bap and Triangle Kimchi Cheese Jumeok Bap.

My favorite non-spicy flavor is canned tuna. Tuna Mayo Rice Balls are savory, delicious, and protein-packed. They are also filling enough to make a quick meal. To complement the briny, fishy flavor — I like to add masago or capellini fish roe. They add a tiny crunchy pop of flavor. Green onion, sesame seeds, and crumbled seaweed flakes add even more flavor and crunch!

I often turn to this delicious rice ball recipe for lunch or a fun snack with the kids. Instead of regular white rice, it’s so much more fun to eat Korean Rice Balls!

Ingredients:

• Short Grain Rice. Also called Sushi Rice. The short grains are plump and sticky. They will cling and stick to each other better. Popular brands: Botan, Calrose, Sekka Select, or Shirakiku.
• Canned Tuna. Adds flavor and protein. Look for Korean canned tuna packed in oil. I recommend Dongwon Tuna, as Korean tuna doesn’t smell or taste overly fishy. Italian tuna packed in oil is also very good.
• Masago. Also called fish roe, fish eggs, or capellini roe. They add a salty crunch. Look for them in the frozen food section at Asian grocery stores.
• Kewpie Mayo. Acts as a binding agent to keep everything together. Adds flavor.
• Green Onion. Adds freshness. Mince as finely as possible to avoid big chunks when eating.
• Sesame seeds (not pictured). Adds nutty crunch.
• Roasted Seaweed Snack (Gim). Adds flavor. *My minimal recommendation is two packages, but feel free to add more seaweed if you’d like.
• Furikake. *Optional.* Sprinkle the tops of the rice balls with furikake before serving.

How to make Tuna Mayo Korean Rice Balls

1. Season the rice. In a large bowl, add the rice. Drain the canned tuna and add to the rice. Add green onion, capellini fish roe (masago), sesame seeds, and Kewpie mayo. Using food service gloves, crumble the packages of roasted seaweed snack (gim) with your hands; make sure they are crumbled into small, uniform pieces. Mix everything together with your hands until all the ingredients are evenly distributed in the rice.
2. Shape into balls. Grab about 2-3 Tbsp of seasoned rice with your hands and shape into a ball. Roll evenly between your two hands and press the rice mixture together tightly, so it sticks together. The goal is a smooth-shaped ball that holds together when placed onto a plate. Set aside on a clean plate. Continue shaping into balls until there is no rice left.
3. Serve. Sprinkle furikake on top of the rice balls. Or, roll the rice balls into furikake. Serve and enjoy!

PRO Tips

• Break apart the tuna chunks. Make sure to flake the tuna into small pieces, as biting into large chunks can be unappetizing.
• Use leftover rice. A great recipe for leftover rice. If using, make sure to reheat until steaming hot. The heat will help the rice stick together better.
• Use food service gloves. Plastic food service gloves make rolling into balls easier. If you have them, use them! If not, clean hands also work well. If using hands, keep a small bowl filled with cold water nearby. If the rice gets too sticky, dip hands into the water to prevent sticking.
• Use a cookie scoop for uniform rice balls. To achieve uniform same-sized rice balls, use a large cookie scoop.

FAQ

More recipes with canned tuna

• Korean Tuna Rice Bowl (Chamchi Deopbap)
• Spicy Tuna Gimbap (Korean Seaweed Rice Roll)
• Tuna Kimchi Stew (Chamchi Kimchi Jjigae)