This sushi bake consists of flaky salmon, fluffy sushi rice, and a creamy sauce that has a punch of spice. Let your creativity shine and load up on all your favorite sushi toppings!
In my teens, my family and I moved from our village in Ukraine to Seattle, Washington. In the northern West Coast, fresh seafood was so easy to find — which meant great sushi and poke. Now, my family and I live in Nashville where fresh seafood isn’t as readily available, so I like to cook my seafood fully — which brings me to this sushi bake.
One of my hot tips for making sushi bake is to use leftover salmon from dinner the night before. It’s a great way to prep two meals at once while saving time (and you know I love saving time). Sounds like wins all around!
What Is a Sushi Bake?
A sushi bake is a casserole filled with sushi ingredients like fish and rice. It may be a departure from the traditional serving style of sushi rolls, but this deconstructed version is just as delicious. The heat of the oven gives the fish and rice a slight crisp and intensifies their flavor. Then, the fresh toppings add a light, refreshing taste. Sushi bakes are easy and quick to prepare, incredibly delicious, and customizable to each individual palate!
Sushi Bake Video
How To Make A Salmon Sushi Bake
This salmon sushi bake comes together in less than an hour — no lengthy prep times or growling stomachs here! Satisfy your hunger with these few simple steps.
- Prepare the oven and dish: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 9×13 inch casserole dish and set it aside.
- Cook the sushi rice: In a medium pot, cook 1 1/2 cups of sushi rice according to package instructions and season with one teaspoon of salt. After the rice is cooked, add 1/4 cup of rice vinegar and three tablespoons of furikake. Mix until well combined.
- Make the salmon mixture: In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sriracha mayo until smooth. Flake the cooked salmon with a fork, then fold it into the mayo mixture.
- Assemble the dish: Transfer the sushi rice to the prepared baking dish and use a spatula to lightly flatten it down. Spread the salmon mixture evenly over the rice.
- Bake the dish: Transfer the dish to the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until everything is heated through and the top is slightly golden in color.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the remaining one tablespoon of furikake over the salmon. Garnish the sushi bake with roasted seaweed and any of your favorite sushi toppings. Enjoy!
Hot tip: Can’t find sriracha mayo? Make your own by combining one cup of regular mayonnaise with three tablespoons of sriracha.
Ingredient Variations
Who doesn’t love the customizability of sushi? Try any of these ingredient swaps for an irresistible sushi bake.
- Rice: Short-grain Japanese white rice is the best kind of rice to use for sushi. However, any other variety of short grain rice works — it may not be as sticky, though.
- Protein: Swap the salmon for real crab meat, imitation crab meat, cooked shrimp, shrimp tempura, tuna, or scallops. Are you having trouble choosing just one? Go half-and-half to get the best of both worlds, or double up the protein by making two separate layers of your favorites.
- Sauce: For heat-lovers, add more sriracha. If you prefer a milder taste, use regular mayo and add unagi (eel sauce), Japanese BBQ sauce, or a touch of soy sauce. Do you love umami flavors? Then kewpie mayo is the choice for you — it’s sweeter, tangier, and saltier than regular mayo.
Topping Ideas
We kept this sushi bake recipe fairly simple to allow for more creativity when it comes to toppings. Get saucy, add a crunch, or load up on veggies!
- Sauces: Drizzle sriracha mayo, unagi sauce, or soy sauce over your sushi bake for more flavor in every bite. Or, add a dollop of wasabi to turn up the heat!
- Veggies: Get your veggies in with chopped green onions, diced avocado, sliced cucumbers, or grated carrots or cabbage.
- Fish roe: Garnish with tobiko (flying fish eggs) or masago (smelt fish eggs) for a savory burst.
- Sesame seeds: Add a crunchy sprinkle of toasted or black sesame seeds.
- Nori: Top the bake with crushed nori (roasted seaweed sheets) for a classic sushi flavor and a hit of umami.
Tips From the Kitchen
Do you want to know how to elevate your sushi bake from bland and boring to piquant and exciting? Listen up to these tips to maximize flavor and texture.
- Use sushi rice. Japanese sushi rice (koshihikari) is uniquely sticky and fluffy when cooked properly, giving this sushi bake the perfect texture. Add seasoned rice vinegar for even more flavor.
- Add furikake seasoning. Furikake is a dry Japanese condiment made with nori, sesame seeds, bonito flakes, sugar, and salt. It is the best way to add a punch of toasted, umami flavor!
- Experiment with the texture of the salmon. For a smoothly blended texture, beat the cooked salmon into the cream cheese and mayo with an electric hand mixer. If you want to preserve the flaky, delicate texture of the salmon, use a fork to gently break it up then fold it into the creamy mixture.
- Get creative with toppings. This is your opportunity to make this sushi bake your own. The more personalized toppings you add, the more you’ll fall in love with this dish.
Ways To Serve
Are you wondering how to serve this salmon sushi bake? Think of it like a taco… grab a piece of nori, scoop a portion of the sushi bake onto it, fold the nori to enclose the filling, and enjoy as a delicious hand-held snack!
Now it’s time to add more to the table. Bring out Asian cucumber salad as an appetizer, then indulge with a plate of yakisoba noodles and pepper steak stir fry. Still hungry? Wonton soup and smoked miso oysters are the *chef’s kiss* finishers.
Storage & Reheating
Although this salmon sushi bake is mouthwatering, this recipe makes a generous portion and you’re likely to have leftovers. Enjoy your leftovers for days to come with these storage and reheating tips.
- Storing: To store for up to four days, transfer the baked and cooled leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover sushi bake in the microwave or oven until warmed through, then add your preferred toppings.
Hot tip: Add a splash of water to the leftover sushi bake before reheating to help retain moisture and soften the chilled rice.
More Salmon Recipes
- Garlic Herb Roasted Salmon — Flaky baked salmon with fresh parsley, dill, and garlic
- Cold Smoked Salmon — Cured salmon smoked with an easy liquid smoke hack
- Salmon Cakes — Juicy and flavorful patties made with canned salmon
- Salmon Spring Rolls — Spring rolls stuffed with smoked salmon and crunchy veggies
- Salmon Stir Fry — Bits of salmon and veggie in a savory sauce
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sushi rice uncooked
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 4 tbsp Furikake divided
- 1 1/2 lbs cooked salmon boneless & skinless
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1/4 cup sriracha mayo
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a medium pot, cook one and a half cups of sushi rice according to package instructions and season with one teaspoon of salt. After the rice has cooked, add 1/4 cup of rice vinegar and three tablespoons of furikake. Mix until well combined.
- Transfer the rice mixture to the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to evenly spread the rice and flatten it down.
- In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sriracha mayo until smooth. Flake the salmon with a fork, then fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
- Spread the salmon mixture evenly over the rice.
- Transfer the dish to the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until everything is heated through and the top is slightly golden in color.
- Sprinkle the remaining one tablespoon of furikake over the salmon. Garnish the sushi bake with roasted seaweed and any other of your favorite sushi toppings. Enjoy!
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