Discover Taiwanese Salty Rice Roll
- Lyn Huang
- 9 minutes ago
- 3 min read
What Is a Taiwanese Salty Rice Roll — and Why Is It Suddenly Going Viral?
Recently, American food blogger Chef Danny shared on Instagram a giant Taiwanese Salty Rice Roll he bought from the Taiwanese restaurant “Yi Mei” in California. The basic price for one Rice Roll was USD $6.5, and Danny couldn’t stop praising it after taking a bite. Since then, more and more creators have started posting videos about this underrated Taiwanese food, making it increasingly well-known online.
In Taiwan, Rice Ball are actually a very common breakfast item. They are usually made with steamed sticky white rice or black rice, wrapped around fillings such as braised egg, pork floss, pickled mustard greens, youtiao, and peanut powder. One bite gives you a rich combination of savory and sweet flavors with multiple textures.
Depending on the shop, Rice Ball may be shaped into a round ball or rolled into a burrito-like cylinder. The fillings and prices vary from place to place, but they are generally affordable and surprisingly filling for something only about the size of a fist.
Where Can You Try Rice Rolls in Taiwan?
In Taiwan, Rice Ball usually cost around NTD $45–60. You can easily find them at traditional breakfast shops or convenience stores. Around schools and office buildings, mobile breakfast vendors also commonly sell Rice Ball during commuting hours.
Here are a few famous Rice Roll spots across Taiwan:
• Fu Hang Soy Milk (Taipei )
One of Taipei’s most famous breakfast restaurants. Besides its iconic sesame flatbread and fried dough sticks, its Rice Rolls are also highly popular — so popular that a convenience store version was later launched in collaboration with a convenience store chain.
• Qingdao Rice Roll (Taipei )
A small but famous Rice Roll shop near Taipei Main Station, offering more than 15 flavors at very affordable prices.
• Ri Zhan Rice Roll ( Taichung )
Located in Taichung’s Fifth Market, this long-standing shop has been operating for over 40 years. They only offer one flavor with different size options, and their signature ingredient is salted egg. It’s a breakfast spot beloved by locals.
• Chuan Xiang Rice Roll ( Kaohsiung )
A paradise for indecisive food lovers. Customers can choose from five different types of rice and over 60 toppings to create their perfect Rice Roll combination.
Fun Facts About Taiwanese Rice Rolls
Taiwanese people have a special way of eating Rice Rolls. After a few bites, the fillings usually start spilling out. At that point, we squeeze and reshape the Rice Roll with our hands, wrapping the fillings back inside the rice — creating a brand-new (but slightly smaller) Rice Roll.
There are two major “factions” among Rice Roll lovers: white rice fans and purple rice fans. Purple rice is often considered the healthier option because it contains anthocyanins, while others believe white sticky rice has the superior chewy texture. Both have loyal supporters.
The most common fillings are pickled mustard greens, preserved radish, pork floss, braised egg, and youtiao. If you want something more substantial, some shops also offer tuna, cabbage, or dried tofu fillings. There are even sweet versions filled with peanut powder or candied dried beans — but even sweet Rice Rolls must include youtiao. Youtiao is considered the soul of the Rice Roll.
Taiwanese people jokingly call Rice Rolls “sleeping pills” because they are mostly made of carbohydrates. After eating one, your blood sugar rises quickly, making you feel extremely sleepy.
Taiwan’s breakfast culture is incredibly diverse and vibrant. On your next trip to Taiwan, why not plan a north-to-south Rice Roll adventure? You can also explore more delicious experiences through our foodie trip itineraries.
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