✔ Updated · added real amounts, a 9×13 method, safe salmon temp and leftovers guide
This spicy salmon sushi bake is everything you love about a salmon roll, layered in a casserole dish and baked until bubbly. Scoop it onto crisp seaweed sheets and you've got DIY hand rolls without any rolling.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Season the rice while it's hot. Warm rice soaks up the vinegar mix evenly, and that tangy rice is what makes it taste like sushi instead of a casserole.
Why You'll Love This Sushi Bake
- No rolling, no bamboo mat, just layer, bake and scoop.
- Fully cooked salmon, so it's an easy sushi night for anyone wary of raw fish.
- Built for sharing, everyone makes their own bites at the table.
What Is a Salmon Sushi Bake?
A sushi bake takes the flavors of a spicy salmon roll and turns them into a casserole. Sushi rice goes on the bottom, then a layer of creamy, spicy salmon, and the whole dish bakes until it bubbles at the edges.
It's a party favorite because nobody has to roll anything. Set out the dish, a stack of seaweed sheets and the toppings, and everyone builds their own bites.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Use short-grain sushi rice. It's sticky enough to hold together on a seaweed sheet. Long-grain rice falls apart and tastes dry.
- Cook the salmon to 145°F first. The bake only warms the layers through, so the fish needs to be fully cooked before it goes in. It should flake easily with a fork.
- Taste the salmon mix before it goes on. Sriracha brands vary a lot in heat. I start with 1 tablespoon, taste and add more; my mum taught me to taste first, season second.
- Get the seaweed snack sheets. The small roasted seaweed snacks are crisp and lightly salted, the perfect size for one bite. Full nori sheets cut into squares work too.
- Top right before serving. Avocado and cucumber stay bright and crisp when they go on at the table, not before baking.
Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake
6
servings20
minutes35
minutes600
kcal55
minutesSushi rice seasoned with rice vinegar, pressed into a baking dish, sprinkled with furikake and topped with a creamy spicy salmon mixture, baked until bubbly and served scooped onto nori with avocado, cucumber and drizzles of spicy mayo and eel sauce.
Ingredients
- For the Sushi Rice
2 cups sushi rice (short-grain), uncooked
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons furikake seasoning
- For the Spicy Salmon
1 pound skinless salmon fillets
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup Japanese-style mayonnaise
1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha, to taste
- To Serve
for drizzling spicy mayo (2 tbsp mayo mixed with 1 tsp sriracha)
2 tablespoons unagi (eel) sauce
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
2 green onions, sliced
20 to 30 roasted seaweed snack sheets or nori squares
Directions
- Rice and Salmon
- Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs almost clear. Cook with the 2 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker or covered pot (simmer 18 minutes, then rest 10 minutes off the heat).
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F. Brush the salmon with soy sauce and bake on a lined sheet for 12 to 15 minutes, until it flakes easily and reaches 145°F. (Or air fry at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes.)
- Warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt just until dissolved. Fold into the hot rice with a spatula, cutting rather than stirring so the grains stay whole.
- Flake the salmon with a fork and mix it with the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sriracha until creamy.
- Assemble and Bake
- Raise the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish, press the rice in an even layer and sprinkle with the furikake.
- Spread the salmon mixture evenly over the rice.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until hot and bubbling at the edges. For a golden top, broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
- Drizzle with spicy mayo and eel sauce, then top with avocado, cucumber and green onions. Scoop onto seaweed sheets and eat like little hand rolls.
Notes
- Furikake seasoning can be replaced by sesame seeds and chopped seaweed.
- If you’re not a fan of heat, simply omit the sriracha sauce.
- Gluten free option: use tamari sauce, gluten-free soy sauce, or coconut aminos.
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Topping Ideas
- Crunch: crispy fried onions, tempura flakes or toasted sesame seeds.
- Fresh: avocado, cucumber, thinly sliced radish or shredded carrot.
- Heat: extra sriracha, chili crisp or thinly sliced jalapeño.
- Sides: pickled ginger, a little wasabi, edamame or miso soup.
More Sushi and Salmon Ideas
Craving a roll? Try my dynamite sushi roll, and see what to serve with sushi for a full spread. Got extra salmon? Here are my favorite leftover salmon recipes, including salmon fried rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sushi bake?
A sushi bake is a deconstructed sushi roll made as a casserole: seasoned sushi rice pressed into a dish, topped with a creamy seafood layer, baked until bubbly and then drizzled with spicy mayo and eel sauce. You scoop it onto seaweed sheets to eat.
Can I use leftover or canned salmon?
Yes. About 2 cups of flaked cooked salmon works, so leftover baked salmon is perfect. Drained canned salmon works too; pick out any large bones and skin first and go a little lighter on the soy sauce.
Can I make a sushi bake ahead?
You can cook the salmon mixture up to 1 day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Make the rice fresh the day you bake, because refrigerated sushi rice turns hard. Assemble, bake and top just before serving.
How long do sushi bake leftovers last?
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in an airtight container and eat them within 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F or in the microwave until hot, 165°F, and add fresh avocado and cucumber after reheating.
Can I use other fish in a sushi bake?
Yes. Imitation crab is the classic swap and needs no pre-cooking. Cooked shrimp works too, chopped small, or use half salmon and half crab. Cook any raw seafood to 145°F before mixing.
