Brown Rice Balls with Anchovies & Seaweed

These savory and salty anchovy and seaweed rice balls are great as a snack or as part of your meal. They are especially great for on the go or for a picnic. Stir-fried anchovies are mixed with steamed rice and a few other seasonings to create a savory rice ball.

Our anchovy and seaweed rice ball recipe

This recipe is so simple. You only need a total of 7 ingredients and about 10 minutes of your time to make these (if you already have the stir-fried anchovies made). These little rice balls are perfect for packed lunches/bento boxes, picnics, road trips, as a savory snack/appetizer, or a side dish to go with your meal. 

We shaped these rice balls into the same shape as Nigirizushi. It’s more of an oblong mound of rice or a hand-pressed oval-shaped ball. You can really shape your rice balls in any shape you’d prefer. You can make them the more traditional round/ball shape, or even a triangle shape. 

Ingredients needed for these easy rice balls

• Stir-fried Anchovies (Myulchi Bokkeum) – It takes no time at all to make these delicious stir-fried anchovies. Use our recipe to make these rice balls. 
• Roasted seaweed sheets – This gives it a bit of saltiness and a healthy dose of iodine to your diet. Make sure to get the roasted seaweed that is brushed with a bit of oil and salted. You do not want the sushi-style nori/seaweed. Mix this into the rice balls and you can also sprinkle crumbled seaweed on top of the rice balls.
• Brown rice – We used brown rice for our recipe, however, you can also use short-grained white rice. When it comes to the rice, you’ll want to go with a short grain kind. It will not stick well if you use long grain or basmati rice.
• Roasted sesame seeds – We love roasted sesame seeds and the nutty flavor. Mix this within the rice balls and also sprinkle a bit on top.
• Sesame oil – This gives the rice balls a delicious nutty flavor. Sesame oil is used in a lot of Asian cooking.
• Coconut aminos – Adding a little bit of this will give the rice balls saltiness and a bit of natural sweetness.
• Seasoning sauce – This will deepen the umami and give the rice balls a flavor bang. 

Tips for making these Korean rice balls

• Make sure to have the stir-fried anchovies ready to go. If you don’t have an Asian or Korean market near you, you may have to resort to ordering the small anchovies online. 
• Make sure you use short-grain rice for this recipe. It will not stick well if you use long grain or basmati rice.
• I recommend using cling film to help keep the rice from sticking to your hands when you’re molding it into shape. You could also use food preparation gloves.
• Do not sprinkle the garnish of crumbled roasted seaweed until you are ready to serve. This prevents the roasted seaweed from getting soggy.
• We actually shaped these into oval-shaped balls, however, feel free to shape these any way you’d prefer. 

How to serve these rice balls

These rice balls are typically eaten as a snack or on the go. They would also make a great appetizer. You could also serve these with your main meal, such as the main protein. It would make a different and flavorful way to add rice alongside your protein other than having just plain, steamed rice.

How long will the rice balls stay good?

You can store them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to two days.

More recipes you will like

• Easy Beef Stir-fry
• Easy and Quick Kimchi Fried Rice
• Salt and Pepper Shrimp
• Korean-Style Spinach Rice

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to our newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Brown Rice Balls with Anchovies & Seaweed

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

These savory and salty anchovy and seaweed rice balls are great as a snack or as part of your meal. They are especially great for on the go or for a picnic.

Print

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked brown rice (or short grain white rice)
• ½ cup stir-fried anchovies (see our recipe)
• 1 large sheet of roasted seaweed (or a small pack of the roasted seaweed snacks)
• 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon seasoning sauce

Instructions

1. Mix all of the ingredients together well.
2. Form the mixture into bite-sized pieces. We shaped them similar to Nigiri sushi bite-sized pieces.
3. Optional: Sprinkle extra roasted seaweed and sesame seeds on top right before serving.

Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall this website and the author(s) be responsible for any loss or damages resulting from the reliance of the given nutritional information or ingredient/product recommendations. Recommended ingredients/products can change their formula at any time without this website and author’s awareness. It is your responsibility (the reader’s) to check the label/ingredients of any product prior to purchasing and/or using. We greatly appreciate your support and understanding.