If you’re looking for a fun and crispy twist on classic Spam musubi, this Hawaiian Style Crispy Spam Musubi with Caramelized Pineapple is the ultimate upgrade. It takes the nostalgic flavors of traditional musubi and transforms them with a crunchy rice paper wrap and a sweet, golden pineapple layer that makes every bite pop. This version gives you that irresistible street-food crunch while still keeping everything you love about the original: savory Spam, warm rice, and an iconic handheld shape.

The star of this recipe is the caramelized pineapple, which adds a rich sweetness that pairs perfectly with the salty, crispy Spam. Cooking the pineapple until lightly browned gives it that island-style smoky sweetness you find in Hawaiian barbecue. Layering it inside the musubi instantly elevates the flavor, balancing the richness of the Spam with a juicy, tropical bite.

It also taps into that iconic pineapple and ham pizza flavor combo, but in a way that feels completely non-debatable. Sweet pineapple and savory Spam just belong together here—the flavors work so naturally that there’s nothing controversial about it. Caramelized pineapple adds the perfect sweetness, Spam brings the salty bite, and once everything is wrapped and pan-fried until crispy, it delivers that same harmony people love on pizza, just reimagined in a fun, handheld musubi form.

Instead of wrapping everything in just nori, this version also uses rice paper, which pan-fries into a beautiful golden shell. The rice paper gets bubbly, crispy, and crunchy in just a few minutes, giving the musubi that viral “crispy rice paper” texture. It’s like a cross between a spring roll and a musubi, with a crackly outside and soft, juicy center.

This recipe is also incredibly accessible—you don’t need molds, special tools, or complicated prep. Just Spam, rice, pineapple, rice paper, and a pan. It comes together fast, making it perfect for quick lunches, potlucks, beach days, or late-night cravings. And because everything is wrapped tightly in rice paper, these musubis hold up well and reheat beautifully in the air fryer.

If you’re wanting a dish that tastes like a mini vacation to Hawaii with every crunchy bite, this Hawaiian Style Crispy Spam Musubi is the one to make. It hits that sweet-salty balance perfectly, it’s fun to assemble, and it brings a fresh twist to a beloved classic.

Substitutions & Variations

• Spam: Swap with turkey Spam, low-sodium Spam, or seasoned tofu slices for a lighter or vegetarian version.
• Pineapple: Use canned pineapple rings, fresh pineapple, or swap in mango slices for a different tropical sweetness.
• Rice Paper: Replace with just nori for a traditional musubi or use both for extra structure and crunch.
• Rice: Sushi rice works best, but jasmine rice or leftover rice mixed with a splash of rice vinegar can also be used.
• Seasoning: Add furikake to the rice, gochugaru for heat, or finish with spicy mayo or unagi sauce for extra flavor.

Print

Hawaiian Style Crispy Spam Musubi

Recipe by Julia Vuong

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: AppetizersCuisine: Hawaiian

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 can 1 low sodium spam

• 2 cups 2 cooked white rice

• 1 sheet 1 nori (seaweed)

• 8 8 rice papers

• 1 can 1 pineapple ring slices

• 2 tbsp 2 furikake

• 1 tbsp 1 sliced green onions

• 1 tsp 1 brown sugar

• 2 tbsp 2 neutral oil

• Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce

• 1/4 cup 1/4 soy sauce

• 1/4 cup 1/4 mirin

• 1/4 cup 1/4 pineapple juice from the pineapple can

• 2 tbsp 2 sugar

• 1 tbsp 1 sesame oil

• 1/2 tbsp 1/2 mined ginger

• Spicy Mayo

• 1 tbsp 1 sriracha

• 2 tbsp 2 mayo

Directions

• Make the Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce
  In a small saucepan, whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sugar, pineapple juice, minced ginger, and a splash of sesame oil. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Set aside.
• Prepare the Spam
  Slice the Spam into even pieces. Heat a nonstick pan over medium and sear the Spam on both sides until golden and crispy. Brush or spoon the Hawaiian teriyaki sauce over the Spam slices and let them caramelize for another 1–2 minutes. Remove from the pan.
• Caramelize the Pineapple
  In the same pan, add pineapple slices. Brush with more teriyaki sauce, sprinkle a bit of brown sugar, and cook until the edges are lightly browned and caramelized. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove and let cool slightly.
• Set Up the Rice Paper + Nori Wrap
  Fill a shallow plate or bowl with water. Dip a piece of rice paper into the water for a few seconds and while it’s still firm, lay it flat on your work surface (it will soften in the next few minutes). Place a small piece of nori in the center of the rice paper.
• Layer the Musubi Filling
  Add a small scoop of warm cooked rice on top of the nori and gently press it into a rectangular shape.
  Drizzle a little Hawaiian teriyaki sauce over the rice.
  Sprinkle a generous pinch of furikake.
  Lay one slice of caramelized Spam on top.
  Add one slice of caramelized pineapple over the Spam. (Cut the pineapple rings in half for a better fit.)
• Wrap Tightly
  Fold the sides of the rice paper inward, then roll it up tightly like a spring roll. Make sure the filling is snug so it fries evenly and stays intact.
• Pan-Fry Until Crispy
  Heat a thin layer of oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the wrapped musubis seam-side down and pan-fry until the rice paper turns golden, crispy, and bubbly. Flip and crisp all sides for 2–3 minutes each until evenly browned.
• Make the Spicy Mayo
  In a small bowl, mix mayo with sriracha to taste until smooth and creamy.
• Serve
  Serve the crispy Hawaiian Spam musubi hot with spicy mayo on the side. Cut the musubis in half, sprinkle on sliced green onions, add extra teriyaki glaze or furikake on top.
• Enjoy!