All of those umami-rich flavors of your favorite sushi shop piled into a casserole dish and baked - it's a deconstructed sushi roll miracle in your very own kitchen!
This sushi bake recipe is inspired by two things - TikTok, and my remaining friends and family who still think they don't like sushi. I love preparing homemade sushi like spicy tuna crispy rice at home, but I always want to be sure I have an equally impressive main dish to offer anyone who doesn't care for raw fish. And this turned into a delicious and easy option.
Different versions of this sushi bake made their way to viral status on TikTok during the pandemic. As we've discussed previously, social media is not my favorite spot to hang out, so I was only vaguely aware of the furor. But then I made the popular dish at home and I completely understand the hysteria.
This salmon sushi bake is simply seasoned, easy to build and only takes 15 minutes in the oven. It also tastes sublime with all the same toppings you love with traditional sushi - avocado, cucumber, jalapenos, cilantro, sriracha sauce...so let's get the band back together and make this deconstructed version of sushi this week!
What you'll need to make this baked salmon sushi casserole:
- sushi rice + water
- cooked salmon
- rice vinegar
- sugar
- sea salt
- sriracha
- kewpie mayonnaise
- white miso
- furikake seasoning
- green onions, fresh cilantro, avocado, cucumber, jalapeno and sesame seeds, for topping
Step by step instructions for making homemade baked sushi recipe:
To begin, prepare the sushi rice. Rinse the rice 2-3 times, until the water runs clear. Then transfer the rice and 1 ½ cups of water to a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Place over medium-high heat until boiling, then cover the pan and lower the heat to low. Cook until all the water is absorbed and the short-grain white rice is tender. Remove from heat.
While the rice is still hot, mix the rice vinegar, sugar and salt and heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir well. Pour over the rice and use a plastic or wooden spoon to gently toss the cooked rice in the seasoned sushi vinegar.
Let the rice cool until it can be handled. Spray an 8 x 8 square pan or similar with nonstick cooking spray. Press the seasoned sushi rice into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Next, prepare the salmon layer. Flake the cooked salmon. Combine kewpie mayo, sriracha and white miso in a small bowl. Mix well to ensure the miso is fully incorporated into the mayonnaise dressing.
Pour the seasoned mayonnaise over the flaked salmon. Gently mix to coat the salmon.
Finally, assemble the sushi into casserole form.
Sprinkle furikake seasoning over the top of the rice in the casserole dish. (Season to taste)
Then layer the creamy salmon mixture over the seasoned rice and spread evenly. Lastly transfer the dish to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until heated through.
I like to turn on the broiler for the last 3 minutes to get the top of the sushi bake golden brown and bubbly.
To serve, slice avocado, jalapeño, cucumber, chives and cilantro. Cut and serve the baked sushi over sheets of nori with toppings on the side.
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
You can also use canned tuna for this recipe (you know I prefer tuna in olive oil, but you choose what works best for you!) Both are delicious in the spicy mayo sauce. You could also use surimi (imitation crab) for the topping.
Kewpie is a brand of Japanese mayo that is richer and more yellow than American mayo, thanks to the super-orange egg yolk magic famous in Japan. US mayo uses whole eggs to make mayo, Kewpie uses all egg yolks. It also brings a sweeter note due to using sweeter vinegars than regular mayo in the US, which mostly relies on white distilled vinegar. It really is a wonder and it's worth your time to track it down. If you can't find it in any of your local grocery stores or your Asian supermarket, you can make a similar mayonnaise substitute by combining 1 cup of regular mayonnaise with two tablespoons of rice vinegar and one tablespoon of sugar. Mix well and use for this recipe.
Furikake is a dried Japanese seasoning of seaweed, sesame seeds and delicious saltiness. It tastes savory and (like nori) a little like the ocean. If you have an Asian market in your community, you should find it there easily. If you prefer using nori sheets instead of furikake, just lay them over the seasoned rice layer before adding the salmon.
I've only used sushi rice, which is a Japanese short-grain rice, in this recipe. I wouldn't recommend basmati, jasmine rice or any other long grain rice.
When you pair this easy sushi bake recipe with an army of sliced veggie toppings, it really can be a one-dish meal for family dinner Fridays. If you're hosting a happy hour or casual dinner party, you could pair the sushi bake with spicy tuna crispy rice sushi, spicy crab salad sushi or even Korean veggie pancakes with shrimp. And if you do all three, be sure to send me an invite to that party.
To store the sushi bake, wrap tightly in plastic or transfer to an airtight container and later keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Check out these other seafood delights:
Print
Simple Homemade Baked Sushi Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
For the sushi rice:
1 ¼ cups sushi rice
1 ½ cups water
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the salmon mixture:
2 cups cooked salmon, fresh or canned
¾ cup kewpie mayo
3 tablespoons sriracha
2 teaspoons white miso
2 teaspoons furikake
For service and garnish:
1 pack nori sheets
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1 fresh jalapeño, sliced
Cucumber, julienned
Green onions, julienned
Cilantro leaves
Sesame seeds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
For the sushi rice: Rinse the sushi rice 2-3 times, until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice and 1 ½ cups of water to a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Place over medium-high heat until boiling, then cover the pan and lower the heat to low. Cook until all the water is absorbed and the short-grain white rice is tender. Remove from heat. While the rice is still hot, mix the rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Pour the vinegar mixture over the hot rice and use a plastic or wooden spoon to gently toss the cooked rice in the seasoned sushi vinegar. Let the rice cool until it can be handled. Spray an 8 x 8 square pan or similar with nonstick cooking spray. Press the seasoned sushi rice into the bottom of the pan.
For the salmon mixture: Flake the salmon. Combine kewpie mayo, sriracha and white miso. Mix well to ensure the miso is fully incorporated. Pour the seasoned mayonnaise over the flaked salmon. Gently mix to coat the salmon.
Assembly and baking: Sprinkle the seasoned rice in the casserole dish with 1 teaspoon of furikake seasoning. Layer the creamy salmon mixture over the seasoned rice and spread evenly. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until heated through. I like to turn on the broiler for the last 3 minutes to get the top of the sushi bake golden brown and bubbly.
For service: Slice avocado, jalapeño, cucumber, chives and cilantro. Cut and serve the baked sushi over sheets of nori with toppings on the side.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Oven and Stove Top
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: Baked Sushi, Spicy salmon baked sushi
[…] I love this sauce on a veggie stir fry over steamed basmati. Throw some shrimp in the veggie mix and you’ve got a takeout quality meal in literal minutes. Of course, it’s delicious on pan seared or baked salmon, or on crispy tofu. (If you’re not doing the pescatarian thing, chicken thighs, chicken breasts, teriyaki chicken wings and teriyaki beef are all classic teriyaki sauce vehicles!) It can be used as a dipping sauce for dumplings and wontons, or as a condiment for baked sushi. […]