Try this colorful Cute Octopus Sausage Bento with regular sausages cut to look like an octopus! In this guide, I’ll show you how to complete this quick and fun lunch box with onigiri rice balls, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and grapes for a nutritious lunch that children will love.
The weather has been really nice in the Bay Area and my children want to play outside in the park and go biking. My already-busy life has turned into super-hectic life and I find myself struggling to find time to do everything.
When I am too busy to make a full bento for my son’s lunch, I sometimes make this Cute Octopus Sausage Bento because it’s super quick and fun!
Okay…it’s not really “octopus sausage”, but these sausages are cut to shape like an octopus. Did you think they are really made of an octopus? 🙂
In Japan, moms try to feed their children nutritious food that is sometimes not popular with children by making the food look more interesting and fun. You have probably seen cute Japanese bento like these with animal shapes and character shapes. Octopus-shaped sausages are one of the easiest things you can make.
To learn how to make quick and easy Octopus-shaped Sausages, click HERE for the step by step pictures. I hope this easy octopus sausage dish will be helpful when you are busy. Have a nice weekend!
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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Cute Octopus Sausage Bento
Ingredients
- onigiri (rice ball) (see how to make Onigiri with steamed Japanese rice)
- octopus-shaped sausages (see my tutorial to make sausages look like an octopus)
- cherry tomatoes
- grapes
- broccoli (blanched; see my make-ahead tips for pre-blanching)
Instructions
- Make onigiri (rice ball) and let it cool before packing into the bento box.
- Make octopus-shaped sausages and let them cool before packing in the bento box. I used two sesame seeds for the octopus eyes.
- Make sure all the foods cool down completely before closing the bento box.
Hi Nami!, I pack lunches the night before school, would the sausages and onigiri stay fresh and keep their shape for the next day?
Hi, Lucia! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe.
We highly recommend warming the onigiri and sausages. Please see this blog for additional food safety tips.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/food-safety-tips-for-bento/
I love the spoon case with the Eiffel Tower on it, where did you get it?
Hi Rin! Check the link above the recipe area for more information (or here: http://www.lunchaporter.com/products/Eiffel-Tower-Fork-.html).
I’m not sure if 15% off coupon code is still available but you could give it a try? Email the owner of the site if it doesn’t work. She might give you discount coming from my site. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Hello Mrs. Nami, if i dont have japanese rice how do i make onigiri? btw i use the thailand rice. im from Malaysia 😀
Hi wawa! I headed some readers used basmati rice or jasmine rice to make onigiri so it’s possible. However when Japanese rice is cooked, each grain sticks to others. It is easier to make onigiri with Japanese rice but if you prefer other kinds that’s totally okay. 🙂
Oh, just too cute! Well done – another inspiring lunchbox!!!! Keep it up – I look forward to more of your lunchboxes.
Thank you so much for your kind feedback, Sandra! 🙂