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Sushi Bake is a crowd-pleasing dish that’s a twist on the sushi roll. Think of it as a deconstructed sushi roll that’s easier to put together. This baked sushi contains salmon and has similar flavors to a Lion King roll. Serve it up with roasted seaweed, cucumber, or avocado. It’s a super delicious and satisfying dish that’s fun to eat!
What is Sushi Bake?
Sushi bake is a popular dish for potlucks, and it’s so easy to see why. It’s simple to assemble, you can easily make a large portion, and it’s fun to put together and eat.
This salmon sushi bake recipe combines all the wonderful flavors of sushi, but without the hassle and skill of rolling up sushi rolls. You just scoop out a portion with a spoon and put it on a piece of roasted seaweed with your favorite toppings. I chose to use salmon here to mimic the flavors of a Lion King roll. This roll usually comes baked, so it was a perfect choice!
Sushi Bake is very customizable. This recipe uses salmon, but you can change it up with tuna, shrimp, or unagi. Lots of possibilities!
Baked Sushi Ingredients
Sushi rice – You’ll combine Japanese rice with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. This is a popular brand. The rice should have a lovely fluffy, slightly sticky texture.
Furikake – This is a Japanese condiment used to flavor rice. There are many different flavors, but the one I use has seaweed, sugar, sesame seeds, and salt. I always have this on hand to flavor up plain rice, or even sprinkle it over popcorn.
Kewpie mayo – This Japanese mayo differs from mayonnaise from the United States. It’s a little richer (Kewpie mayo is made with only egg yolks instead of whole eggs) and slightly sweet. You can use regular mayo if you want, but the Kewpie mayonnaise definitely has more umami flavor.
Imitation crab – Also called surimi or Kani, this ingredient is a paste actually made from fish. You can find packs of this at the grocery store near the seafood counter or in the freezer section at an Asian market.
Salmon – I used one skinless salmon filet for this recipe. You can omit this or substitute it with shrimp, tuna, or unagi instead.
Roasted Seaweed – You’ll take a spoonful of rice and put it on top of roasted seaweed. You can get a full sheet and cut it into squares, or buy pre-cut roasted seaweed.
How To Make Salmon Sushi Bake
Make the sushi rice – Rinse and wash the sushi rice. I cooked mine in the Instant Pot, but you also use a rice cooker or stovetop method. Once the rice is done cooking, you’ll combine it with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
Assemble the ingredients – Combine chopped imitation crab and salmon with the mayo and seasonings.
Layer – Spread the sushi rice into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with furikake. Layer the salmon and imitation crab mixture on top.
Bake – Pop the casserole dish into the oven to cook the salmon and ensure the entire dish is heated through.
Toppings – When the sushi bake is cooked, remove from the oven and drizzle unagi sauce, mayo, and extra furikake. Serve it with roasted seaweed, avocado, cucumbers, or jalapenos. Yum!
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Salmon Sushi Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups sushi rice
- 1.5 cups water
- 2.5 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 0.5 teaspoons salt
- 6 ounces imitation crab
- 6-8 ounces skinless salmon
- 0.25 cups Kewpie mayonnaise (can substitute regular mayonnaise)
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 2 chopped green onions, whites and greens separated
- 0.25 cup Unagi sauce
- 2 tablespoons furikake
- 4 sheets roasted seaweed
Optional toppings
- sliced avocado
- diced cucumber
- sliced jalapeno
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Begin with cooking the sushi rice. Rinse the rice in cold water, mix it up with your hands, and drain the water. Do this three times. You want the water to run clear after rinsing. See below for methods for how to cook sushi rice: Instant Pot Method: Combine the rice with 1.5 cups of water in the bowl of the Instant Pot. Cover and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. All the pot to natural release for 10 minutes, and then quick release. When done, fluff with a fork. Stovetop Method: Combine the rice with 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Allow the rice to soak for 15 minutes before cooking. Turn the stove on to medium heat and let the rice come to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.
- When rice is finished cooking, add rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Gently fold the rice to mix all the ingredients together. Set aside and allow to cool as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Next, chop the imitation crab into small pieces. Place in a medium bowl.
- Chop the salmon into small chunks and add it into the same bowl.
- Next, add the Kewpie mayonnaise, Sriracha, and the whites of the chopped green onion into the bowl. Gently stir to combine all the ingredients. Set aside.
- Now it's time to layer the sushi bake. In an 8×8 dish, take all the sushi rice and spread it onto the bottom of the dish. You can make this easier by wetting your fingers before using them to spread an even layer of rice in the pan.
- Next, sprinkle over the furikake so there's an even layer on top of the rice.
- Lastly, evenly spread a layer of the salmon mixture over the rice. Pop the dish onto the middle rack of the oven at 400°F for 15 minutes, or until the salmon is fully cooked.
- Remove the dish from the oven. Drizzle unagi sauce and additional Kewpie mayonnaise if desired. Then top with green onions and more furikake. Serve with roasted seaweed and/or optional toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you have leftovers, you can keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- This dish is great for sharing, making it an awesome potluck dish. Or serve it for dinner for a fun and interactive meal.
- Try substituting shrimp, tuna, or unagi for the salmon for variations on this dish.
I do not like Sushi. The idea of eating any raw meat or fish 🐟 turns me off. This is the closest i will come to eating sushi 🍣- the mayonnaise. This is a creative recipe Lulu. Thanks for sharing. I eat salmon alot and I may try it.
Yes, I have friends that don’t really like sushi, but they like this. I hope you try it!
I’m going to the wrong parties because I’ve never seen anything like this on the table! I can’t wait to try this dish, especially since our whole family loves sushi/salmon, including the kids!
Haha, you’re so funny. Really, this is a crowd pleaser, you will love it!
This sounds super delish and looks healthy! I might add it to my dinner menu for next week.
Thank you for checking out my recipe!
Quick question, it says it keeps for 1-2 days. Can I keep it a but longer or does it go bad at this point? Just wondering if it was a quality or safety thing. Let me know!