How to Make An Easy Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake Recipe
This easy salmon sushi bake is everything you love about traditional sushi rolls, in casserole form! It’s fun to make, delicious to eat, and makes a super easy weeknight meal that doesn’t require the labor (or cost!) of individual rolls!
Why You'll Love This Easy Sushi Bake Recipe
This Salmon Sushi Bake is a viral trend I am LOVING! It’s fun, easy, adaptable and so much cheaper than going out for sushi! Think deconstructed sushi roll bowls meets sushi casserole– YUM! Not only is this a great dinner paired with a simple salad (I would do one with a miso dressing), but it’s also fabulous for serving to friends. I use canned wild salmon which I always keep in the pantry. But you can use canned tuna or even boneless, skinless sardines.
If you can get sushi-grade fish like Ahi tuna or salmon, go ahead and use that if you like, or leftover cooked salmon from last night’s dinner. Furikake is a savory Japanese condiment sprinkled on rice, fish, and vegetables that you can find at your local Asian market. While there are many different types of furikake available, typical blends include ingredients like dried nori (seaweed), toasted sesame seeds, dried fish, dried egg, dried herbs, salt, and sugar. I love it just to add extra flavor to simple baked fish or a rice bowl (or even this Veggie Sushi).
Recipe Highlights
- It’s fun to make and eat
It’s a great DIY meal
Very budget-friendly if you use canned fish
You can make it even easier by buying cooked sushi rice from your local restaurant
It’s incredibly delicious!
Ingredient Notes
- Sushi rice or short grain rice – Sushi rice is a specific type of rice that is a bit stickier.
- Unseasoned rice vinegar – it has a light flavor and has no added sugar or salt; if yours contains sugar and salt, omit those ingredients when seasoning the rice.
- Cane sugar or agave (you can omit but it’s very traditional to have it) – sushi rice is traditionally seasoned with a sweetener
- High quality mayonnaise or Vegenaise – my taste buds prefer soy-free Vegenaise, but use your favorite. A lot of people like Kewpie mayo (Japanese mayo) for this recipe.
- Sriracha, or to taste (the more you use, the spicier it is) – I love the tangy flavor of sriracha and I like this on the spicy side, but you can adjust.
- Toasted sesame oil – this is the darker sesame oil which has a richer flavor and aroma. I buy small bottles and store it in the fridge.
- Canned wild salmon packed in water – I love all canned fish from salmon to tuna to sardines and more. In these photos, I used Alaskan canned salmon rom Trader Joe’s. “Alaskan” implies wild. Alternatively, you can use salmon fillets, but I find canned salmon to be easier–and still delicious!
- Shoyu, tamari, or coconut aminos – they are usually interchangeable. Shoyu is a high quality soy sauce.
- Honey or pure maple syrup (skip if you use coconut aminos)
- Garlic
- Plain cream cheese (or you can use more regular mayo).
- Scallions/Green onions
- Toasted nori sheets or roasted sea snacks
- Avocado slices for garnish
Please see the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the sticky rice according to the directions on the bag for best results. Rinse the sushi rice in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear. Transfer to a medium pot and add the water. Let the sushi soak in rice for 30 minutes before cooking it (if you have time). Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 18 minutes or until all the water is evaporated.
Step 2: While the rice cooks, warm the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and stir just until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Stir into the cooked rice. Set aside and keep covered.
Step 3: Make the spicy mayo by combining mayo, sriracha, and sesame oil in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 5: In a medium bowl, break the salmon with a fork. Add shoyu, honey, garlic, 2 Tablespoons spicy mayo made in Step 3, cream cheese, and scallions, and stir until combined. Taste for seasoning and add salt if it needs it.
Step 6: Flatten the rice into an 8 x 8-inch baking dish or 9-inch round (no need to grease it). Sprinkle evenly with furikake seasoning.
Step 7: Spread the salmon mixture in an even layer over the top of the rice.
Step 8: Top the salmon with more furikake. Drizzle the top with sweet sauce and/or spicy mayo (I tend to use more spicy mayo), if desired.
Step 9: Bake the dish for 10 minutes, then set it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the top has some brown spots.
Step 10: Top your salmon sushi bake with a drizzle of spicy mayo and suggested accompaniments or any of your favorite toppings! It’s fun to take a piece of nori and scoop the rice/salmon mixture in and top with toppings (see recipe for suggestions.)
Recipe Tips
- Use a little sriracha to start. You can always add more.
- Use any kind of cooked fish you have or like or if you have access to sushi-grade fish, that works too.
- The toppings are the fun part so don’t skimp.
- It’s definitely better warm, but room temp is fine too.
- Make it vegan: take an equivalent amount of hearts of palm pulsed in a food processor until it’s shredded like cooked crab. Serve a salad on the side with crispy tofu or shelled edamame.
Recipe Substitutions
- Sweeteners – your favorite non-glycemic sweeteners like Lakanto
- Cream cheese – mascarpone, dairy-free cream cheese or more mayo (can be vegan)
- Sriracha – hot sauce with a drop of rice vinegar
- Sushi rice – short grain brown rice or skip the rice and serve just the fish
- Fish – pulsed hearts of palm
Storage Tips
To make in advance: You can assemble the salmon sushi bake up to the point of baking, refrigerate, and bake before serving. I recommend storing for no more than 2-3 days before baking and serving.
Store leftover sushi bake in an airtight container for 3-4 days and warm in the oven or microwave.
More Delicious Recipes
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How to Make An Easy Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- Sushi Rice*
- 1 cup sushi rice or short grain rice
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon cane sugar or agave you can omit but it’s very traditional to have it
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Spicy Mayo if you don’t want extra spicy mayo to serve on the side, cut this in half
- 1/2 cup high quality mayonnaise or Vegenaise
- 2-5 Tablespoons sriracha or to taste (the more you use, the spicier it is)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Spicy Salmon
- 2 6- ounce cans wild salmon packed in water drained
- 2 Tablespoons shoyu tamari, or coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon honey or pure maple syrup skip if you use coconut aminos
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons spicy mayo made above
- 2 Tablespoons plain cream cheese Or you can use more regular mayo
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Toasted nori or roasted sea snacks
- Suggested Toppings
- Eel sauce or other sweet sauce like unagi sauce
- Furikake**
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Chopped scallions
- Sliced Jalapeños
- Sliced avocado
- Thinly sliced or julienned cucumbers
Instructions
- Make the rice: I follow the directions on the bag for best results. Rinse the sushi rice in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear. Transfer to a medium pot and add the water. Let the sushi soak in rice for 30 minutes before cooking it (if you have time). Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 18 minutes or until all the water is evaporated.
- While the rice cooks, warm the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and stir just until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Stir into the cooked rice. Set aside and keep covered.
- Make the spicy mayo by combining mayo, sriracha, and sesame oil in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees.
- In a medium bowl, break the salmon with a fork. Add shoyu, honey, garlic, 2 Tablespoons spicy mayo made in Step 3, cream cheese, and scallions, and stir until combined. Taste for seasoning and add salt if it needs it.
- Flatten the rice into an 8 x 8-inch baking dish or 9-inch round (no need to grease it). Sprinkle evenly with furikake seasoning.
- Spread the salmon mixture in an even layer over the rice.
- Top the salmon with more furikake. Drizzle the top with sweet sauce and/or spicy mayo (I tend to use more spicy mayo), if desired.
- Bake the dish for 10 minutes, then set it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the top has some brown spots.
- Top with suggested accompaniments or as you like! It’s fun to take a piece of nori and scoop the rice/salmon mixture in and top with toppings.
Notes
**I found a good one at Trader Joe’s but you can also swap in a combination of crushed nori and sesame seeds. To make in advance: You can assemble up to the point of baking, refrigerate and bake before serving.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and warmed in the oven or microwave. Make it vegan: take an equivalent amount of hearts of palm pulsed in a food processor until it’s shredded like cooked crab. Serve a salad on the side with crispy tofu or shelled edamame.
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I served this gratin at a dinner party and everyone went back for seconds and thirds and then asked me for the recipe. That’s how I knew I needed to teach it in a cooking class, which I did last year! It is heartier than creamed spinach or a spinach gratin and very flavorful. I love it for Thanksgiving because it tastes amazing with turkey and it’s so savory. The one thing I would say not to skip in this recipe is the garlic breadcrumbs. Use GF bread if you like, but the breadcrumbs make the dish!