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This easy Sushi Bake recipe is a delicious way to get all the flavors of sushi without having to roll up any seaweed. It’s a popular potluck dish and can be enjoyed by anyone as a family dinner, or as a party appetizer.
Table of Contents
What is a Sushi Bake?
Sushi bake is a casserole dish that combines sushi ingredients into one large, layered dish. It could also be called a sushi casserole. I like to think of it as a deconstructed California roll in casserole form. I assemble it in a baking dish, topped with a sauce, and then baked until it becomes hot, bubbly, and slightly golden. It has amazing flavor!
The term “sushi” is used because it incorporates similar ingredients found in sushi, like rice and seafood, and “bake” is added to describe the cooking method used. A sushi bake offers a convenient way to enjoy the flavors of sushi without the process of rolling and making a complicated presentation. I’m all for making things easy, especially when they still taste great! See below the recipe for helpful tips and more like this.
Key Ingredients
- Sushi Rice – A short-grain rice that becomes sticky when cooked, forming the perfect base for this layered bake.
- Rice Vinegar, Sugar, and Salt – Used to season the rice for that signature sushi flavor.
- Imitation Crab Meat – Adds a sweet, seafood flavor and is easy to shred and mix.
- Cream Cheese – Gives the topping a creamy, rich texture that pairs perfectly with the savory rice.
- Kewpie Mayonnaise – A Japanese-style mayo that’s slightly sweet and extra creamy—ideal for sushi-style dishes.
- Sriracha and Wasabi – Bring a touch of heat to balance the richness of the mayo and cream cheese.
- Green Onions – Add a fresh, slightly sharp flavor and a pop of color.
- Furikake – A Japanese seasoning blend that adds crunch, umami, and a hint of seaweed flavor.
- Seaweed Snacks (Nori Sheets) – Used for scooping or wrapping the sushi bake, giving that classic sushi bite.
How to Make a Sushi Bake
Prepare the rice in a rice cooker or saucepan. Finely shred the imitation crab into a bowl and add the sriracha sauce, wasabi, cream cheese, green onions, and Kewpie mayonnaise. Now put it all together by spreading the rice in the bottom of an 8×8 pan. Sprinkle the rice with Furikake seasoning. Then, spread the crab mixture evenly into the dish over the rice. Sprinkle with more Furikake seasoning. At this point, I like to drizzle on more sriracha sauce and kewpie mayonnaise.
Sushi Bake Variations
This is a great, basic sushi bake recipe, but you can change it up! Basically, if it can go in a sushi roll, it can go in your sushi bake.
- Try salmon, shrimp, or tuna instead of crab.
- Make it fancy and use lobster or scallops!
- You can also top your sushi bake with avocado slices or sliced cucumber.
- Make a miso salmon sushi bake by using salmon and adding a couple tablespoons of miso paste.
- Combine the kewpie mayo and sriracha to make a spicy mayo sauce.
- Use eel sauce or unagi sauce.
- Sprinkle some fish roe like tobiko or masago.
- You can also drizzle some sesame oil on top, then sprinkle on some Panko breadcrumbs before baking in the oven for a little added crunch.
5-Star Reviews
“This was so delicious! OMG! I never devoured something so quickly. I did at eel sauce on top for even more sweetness. I will definitely be making this again and thank you so much for this recipe!” – Sarah
“Made this for my husband and I since we are big sushi fans and we loved it! Loved that it was a spin on your typical sushi roll!” – Gina
Questions About Sushi Bake
Sushi bake is a popular dish that takes inspiration from traditional Japanese sushi but is prepared and presented differently. The exact ingredients and proportions can vary depending on the recipe and personal preferences. However, the basic make up is sushi rice, seasonings, and fish mixed with sauce.
The best storage option for leftover sushi bake is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will be good for a few days. Reheating is easy in the microwave or you can eat it cold.
I really encourage you to check out your local Asian supermarket, but if you absolutely can’t find it, then you can make a substitute. Mix together regular mayonnaise with a little splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will do in a pinch.
Yes! If you are cooking for a bigger group, then you can double this recipe and bake it in a 9×13 pan instead.
More Sushi Recipes
Sushi Bake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sushi rice Calrose rice works as well
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 pound imitation crab meat
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1/2 teaspoon wasabi
- 1 1/2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1/2 cup kewpie mayo
- furikake seasoning to taste
- seaweed snacks for serving
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions or in a rice cooker or saucepan. While rice is cooking, finely shred the imitation crab and add that to a bowl with sriracha, wasabi, green onion, cream cheese, and kewpie mayo. Stir to combine.
- Add rice vinegar, salt, and sugar to the cooked rice. Stir to combine.
- Press the rice into the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish. Sprinkle with furikake seasoning.
- For the next layer, spread the crab mixture on top of the rice and sprinkle with more furikake. Drizzle with extra sriracha and kewpie mayo if desired.
- Broil for 10 minutes.
- Serve with seaweed snacks and soy sauce. Place a scoop of the sushi bake on a seaweed sheet. Bring two opposite sides of the sheet together and eat it like a little taco.
Video
Notes
- Use sushi rice for best results – Short-grain or Calrose rice is essential for that sticky, chewy texture. Don’t skip seasoning it with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt—it really makes it taste like sushi!
- Press the rice firmly – When layering your sushi bake, press the rice down firmly in the pan to create a solid base that holds together when serving.
- Let the bake cool slightly before serving – Giving it 5–10 minutes to rest helps the layers settle and makes it easier to cut and scoop.
- Customize the spice level – Adjust the amount of sriracha and wasabi to suit your taste. Want it mild? Leave out the wasabi altogether.
- Try different proteins – Not a fan of imitation crab? You can use cooked shrimp, canned tuna, or even flaked salmon instead.
- Don’t skip the furikake – This seasoning adds savory, salty flavor and a nice crunch. It really ties everything together and gives it that authentic sushi taste.
- Serve with seaweed sheets or cucumber slices – Seaweed snacks are perfect for scooping, but for a lighter option, try sliced cucumber or even rice crackers.
- Make it ahead – You can assemble the sushi bake a few hours in advance, then bake just before serving. Great for entertaining!
Very interesting dish i must try! the video had the 2 hard kelp sheets (for flavoring soup) on the dish instead of the thin crunchy seaweed which showed on the photo (if i’m not wrong).
If it’s summer and you don’t have appetite you can prepare the vinegared rice and place raw salmon and or flavored tuna and eat it cold. Rice will get hard in the fridge but if you have to store until the next day, store in container and also wrap with saran wrap to keep rice soft as originally prepared — experiment.
Great tips, thanks!
Cant wait to try this!I want to add salmon would you use cooked or raw?
So easy and delicious – always a winner at any appey party.
First time making sushi bake tonight and this recipe is the absolute best. I skipped on the green onions but I feel like that was my mistake since they really could have added more flavor. Thank you for this recipe!
Regarding sushi rice measure regular cups or rice cooker cups(which is 3/4 cup)?
Linda
Regular cups!
are the nutrition facts for one serving or the entire dish?
It is for one serving – this dish makes 4 large servings.
This is the recipe I use as a base. I love cream cheese so I add a lot more then on recipe. I also don’t like too much spice so I skip the sriracha and wasabi. I love the way the rice tastes after being seasoned, might use it for other things just cause I find it so good, love that it’s slightly sweet but also very flavorful. Cooking one as I write this and decide to add cucumber in the imitation crab mix just to see how it tastes.
Tasty but i think theres a bit too much rice and the cream cheese didnt mix too well with the crab mixture. I would microwave the cream cheese so its easier to mix. for the rice add 2 cups instead of 3, id also save 2 or 3 crab legs, cut them into strips then place on top of rice and crab mixture. add snowfox sushi sauce and cut pickled jalapeños on top of the sushi bake and broil for 11 or 12 minutes.
I could eat this entire dish in one sitting. SO GOOD!
So good… We made for holiday party.
Big hit with the kids.
This was so delicious! OMG! I never devoured something so quickly. I did at eel sauce on top for even more sweetness. I will definitely be making this again and thank you so much for this recipe!
So glad you liked it! Love the idea of adding eel sauce, yum!
Does it really call for one tablespoon of salt? Or is that an error? Possible one teaspoon?
Thank you so much for catching that! It is one teaspoon!
So easy and really good! The whole family enjoyed it.
Made this sushi for my husband while the kids were over at grannies, and it was a great meal, he loved it, thanks!
Made this for my husband and I since we are big sushi fans and we loved it! Loved that it was a spin on your typical sushi roll!