If you're a fan of sushi, you'll love this easy and delicious Salmon Sushi Bake. This recipe combines all the flavors and textures of sushi in a convenient and satisfying casserole. The dish combines tender and flaky salmon, creamy mayo and imitation crab meat, and seasoned sushi rice.
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Salmon Sushi Bake Recipe
This Salmon Sushi Bake is the perfect dish for sushi lovers who want to enjoy all the flavors of their favorite sushi rolls without the hassle of rolling them up. It's easy to make with simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store. Plus, it's a great way to use up leftover rice and seafood.
- Easy and delicious crowd-pleasing dish
- Perfect for parties and gatherings
- Way less work than traditional sushi rolls
- All the sushi flavors in casserole form
- Deconstructed sushi roll - no need for pricey takeout!
Try this Smoked Salmon Poke Bowl or this Salmon Buddha Bowl for more salmon ideas.
Ingredient Notes
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Sushi Rice: sushi rice is a short-grain rice that becomes sticky when cooked, making it perfect for sushi. Be sure to rinse the rice thoroughly on a fine mesh strainer before cooking to remove excess starch.
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Salmon: fresh salmon is best for this recipe, but you can also use frozen salmon that has been thawed. Be sure to remove the skin before dicing the salmon.
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Imitation Crab Meat: a budget-friendly alternative to real crab meat. It has a similar texture and flavor and is widely available at most grocery stores. You can also use real crab meat, if you have access to it.
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Rice Vinegar: rice vinegar is milder and sweeter than other vinegars, with a delicate flavor that complements the other ingredients in a dish. You can get it at most grocery stores in the Asian foods section.
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Soy Sauce: I like low-sodium soy sauce in this recipe but you can also use coconut aminos or tamari.
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Sriracha: for a bit of spice. Skip it if you prefer a milder dish.
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Japanese Mayo: Japanese mayo, also known as Kewpie mayonnaise, is a type of mayonnaise that is popular in Japan and other parts of Asia. It is made with rice vinegar instead of distilled vinegar, which gives it a milder and slightly sweeter taste than traditional mayonnaise. Kewpie mayo also contains egg yolks instead of whole eggs, which gives it a creamier and richer texture. If you don't have Kewpie, regular mayo will also work!
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Furikake seasoning: furikake is a Japanese seasoning made of dried fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar and salt. It adds a delicious umami flavor to this dish. I buy mine at Trader Joe's.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and substitutions.
How to Make Salmon Sushi Bake
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make this delicious Salmon Sushi Bake:
- Cook and season rice. I recommend following the package directions. Let the rice cool for 10 minutes, then season with rice vinegar, salt and sugar. Mix gently and set aside.
- Prepare salmon mixture: in a large or medium bowl mix together diced up salmon, imitation crab, Japanese (or regular) mayo, soy sauce (or coconut aminos) and sriracha.
- Assemble. Transfer the seasoned rice into the prepared baking dish and press down into a single layer.
- Sprinkle evenly with furikake, top with the salmon mixture and spread evenly pressing lightly.
- Bake for 17 to 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit in a preheated oven.
- Serve! Let the casserole cool slightly, drizzle with sriracha mayo and sprinkle with scallions or green onions. Then cut into squares and serve with your favorite toppings.
Serving Suggestions and Toppings
This spicy Salmon Sushi Bake is delicious on its own, but it's even better with some tasty toppings. Here are a few ideas to try:
- Avocado Slices: Add some healthy fats and creamy texture by topping each slice with some fresh avocado.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over the top for added crunch and nutty flavor.
- Spicy Sriracha Mayo: Mix together some mayo, Sriracha, and soy sauce until smooth for a delicious and spicy dipping sauce.
- Eel sauce: also known as unagi sauce, this sweet and savory sauce doesn't actually contain eel but it is often served with eel. You can find it at an Asian market or online.
- Scallions or spring onions: sprinkled on top of the sushi bake, they add zesty freshness to the dish.
My favorite way to serve Salmon Sushi Bake is cutting it up into small squares or rectangles and placing them on nori squares (roasted seaweed sheets cut into squares). Add your favorite toppings and eat like a little taco. You can also use seaweed snacks in place of nori.
Storage and freezing tips
This Salmon Sushi Bake is best served fresh out of the oven, but it can also be stored in the refrigerator in airtight containers for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply microwave for a few seconds or pop in the oven for a few minutes.
To freeze, allow it to cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven.
More tips for success
- Look for "sushi rice", "Japanese rice" or "short grain rice" on the label
- Make sure to rinse the rice thoroughly under cold water
- If you have a rice cooker, feel free to use it to cook your sushi rice
- Seaweed snacks can be used in place of nori sheets
- If you don't have sriracha, swap it for sambal oelek or your favorite hot sauce
- I like the mix of fresh salmon and crab but you can also use all salmon and skip the crab
Recipe FAQs
While regular rice can be used, sushi rice is specifically designed for making sushi and has a stickier texture that holds the ingredients together better.
Yes, fresh crab meat can be used instead of imitation crab meat, but it may change the flavor and texture of the dish.
Yes, the Salmon Sushi Bake can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Simply reheat in the oven before serving.
Yes, you can freeze the Salmon Sushi Bake. Allow it to cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven.
To make the sushi bake gluten free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
A lot of sushi bake recipes include cream cheese but I tested it with and without and I like the version with mayo only the best.
Recipe
Salmon Sushi Bake
Ingredients
- 1 cup sushi rice uncooked
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 ⅓ cup cold water
- 10 oz salmon fillet skin removed
- 4 oz imitation crab meat
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise Japanese or regular
- 2 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos or tamri for GF
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 2 tablespoon furikake
Sriracha mayo
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
Optional toppings
- scallions
- toasted sesame seeds
- avocado slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 7 x 11'' casserole dish with parchment paper.
- Rinse the rice thoroughly on a sieve under cold water.
- Cook rice in water according to package instructions. I cooked mine in 1 ⅓ cups water for 20 minutes.
- Let the rice cool for 10 minutes, then season with rice vinegar, salt and sugar. Mix with a rubber spatula.
- While the rice is cooling, prepare the salmon topping. Dice the raw salmon and imitation crab into small pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix together with mayo, sriracha and soy sauce.
- Transfer the seasoned rice into the prepared casserole dish and press down into a single layer.
- Sprinkle evenly with furikake.
- Top with the salmon mixture and spread evenly pressing lightly.
- Bake in preheated oven for 17-20 minutes.
- Let cool for a few minutes, then sprinkle with chopped scallions and cut into squares.
- Serve on its own with a fork or wrapped in roasted seaweed with avocado slices and spicy sriracha mayo, if desired (mix together mayo, sriracha and soy sauce until smooth).
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Gretchen says
This is perfect! I've tried and failed to make decent maki rolls on the past. This is just as good --maybe better-- without the production and mess. Great idea!
Greg says
It looks great, I like how you use raw salmon instead of cooked like other recipes. I imagine the salmon will cook up just fine when baking. I noticed some other recipes also use cream cheese. Any reason why you didn't? Thanks, cant wait to try it!
Agnieszka says
Hi Greg. Thanks for your questions! This recipe is my version of sushi bake so I don't necessarily follow other recipes. I don't think this bake needs cream cheese. And yes, the salmon cooks in the oven. I like using raw fish over already cooked to avoid overcooking.
Amanda says
So easy and so delicious! This is now a family favorite!
Agnieszka says
lad you liked it, Amanda. Our family loves this bake, too!
Kate S says
So delicious! This has become my go to when i need to make a dish for many people. Always a hit!!
Agnieszka says
Awesome! Thank you, Kate.