Salmon sushi bake is the perfect way to satisfy your sushi cravings without all the work; it's like deconstructed sushi in a casserole! The salmon is baked to perfection and is so delicious and easy to make! It's a creative dish that will impress everyone.
This salmon sushi bake recipe (or sushi casserole, as some may say) is perfect for those who love sushi because it has all the staple ingredients that regular sushi does. The difference is that you don't have all the work of rolling and cutting the sushis.
Another difference is that this casserole is made with baked salmon. It's really hard for me to find sushi-grade salmon where I live, so I can't eat raw salmon. For this reason, I decided to make this casserole with cooked salmon; so I could still enjoy the amazing sushi flavors without compromising my health.
By the way, if you like seafood, take a look at my Brazilian seafood stew and my shrimp stuffed pumpkin recipes. They're so delicious!!
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What is salmon sushi bake?
Sushi bake is a popular dish made with sushi rice and various toppings, mostly like a deconstructed sushi roll.
People believe it originated in the Philippines, where Filipino chefs put their spin on sushi rolls, but it gained popularity as it has been showcased on social media platforms like TikTok.
You can eat this casserole as a main dish or even as an appetizer. It can be great finger food if cut into small pieces and served on Nori sheets.
Ingredients
The ingredients for salmon sushi bake are very customizable. Here's the list.
For the rice
- Sushi rice: Short-grain Japanese rice or medium-grain rice like Calrose are perfect in this dish. They have a higher starch content, which gives them a sticky texture when cooked. Don't use long-grain rice since it won't give you the same texture, taste, and mouthfeel.
- Rice vinegar: It's a key ingredient in making sushi rice and is very traditional. However, if you cannot find rice vinegar, white wine vinegar could be an option.
- Sugar.
- Salt.
Salmon filling
- Salmon: It's the main ingredient in the salmon sushi bake, but if you needed to substitute it with another ingredient, I'd go with shrimp and/or crab meat.
- Soy sauce: For flavoring the salmon. Coco aminos is also a good option.
- Salt and pepper.
- Japanese mayo: The most popular brand is Kewpie, which can be found in many grocery stores in the Asian or International section. It's creamier and has a sweeter and less tangy flavor compared to the American mayo. If you can't find Japanese mayo, you can use regular mayo, although it'll alter the taste of the sushi bake a little.
- Cream cheese: Softened or whipped.
- Sriracha sauce: If you don't have it, you can use Tabasco (pepper sauce).
Toppings
- Avocado
- Cucumber
- Japanese Mayo (Kewpie)
- Furikake
- Green onions (optional)
- Eel sauce, also known as unagi or sushi sauce (optional)
*See recipe card for quantities.
How to make salmon sushi bake
Making this salmon sushi bake is very simple. Here are the photos with the step-by-step.
Cooking the sushi rice
Place rice in a fine-mesh sieve or colander and rinse it in cold water. Gently swish the rice around with your hand to remove any excess starch.
In a saucepan, combine the rinsed rice and water. Let it soak for about 15 minutes.
Bring rice and water to a soft boil over medium heat. Then, reduce heat to low, cover pan with the lid, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until moisture is absorbed. Remove pan from heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes.
Combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a separate small bowl. Gently heat the mixture until sugar and salt dissolve. Spread the rice on a baking sheet, and while rice is still hot, drizzle the seasoned vinegar over the rice and gently fold and mix it. Set aside.
Big tips: Don't skip soaking the rice; it helps it achieve a better texture.
Avoid removing the lid during resting time. Letting it rest allows the rice to fully absorb the remaining moisture and become fluffy.
Cooking the salmon
Season Salmon fillets with salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Bake in preheated oven at 400ºF (205ºC) for about 10 minutes or until the thermometer reads 125ºF (52ºC) in the thickest part of the salmon.
Remove fillets from oven, flake them with a fork, transfer to a bowl, and add softened cream cheese, Japanese mayo, and sriracha sauce. Mix to combine.
Assembling the sushi bake
In a 9"x13"(23cm x 33cm) casserole dish, add a layer of rice and sprinkle furikake on it.
Add the salmon mixture over the rice and furikake. Press down to compact everything. This will make it easier to cut and hold it together later.
Drizzle with Japanese mayo (kewpie) and eel (unagi) sauce.
Serve it on a small sheet of Nori (toasted seaweed) and top it with avocado, cucumber slices, toasted sesame seeds, and an extra Kewpie and eel sauce drizzle.
Variations
If you like this recipe and would like to try it in different ways too, here are a few more ideas:
- Different proteins - Try it with cooked shrimp, crab meat, octopus, or even mushrooms.
- Spicy - add more sriracha to the mayo to make it extra spicy.
- Colorful- I like using cucumber and avocado, but you could try adding shredded carrots, radishes, spinach, red cabbage, or red onions as well.
Storage
Salmon sushi bake is best eaten when freshly made for a better texture, but you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Top tips for cooking the rice
- Wash the rice. This will help remove excess starch, avoiding clumpy and gummy rice.
- Don't skip soaking the rice; it allows the grains to absorb moisture and soften. It also helps the rice cook more evenly and tender yet slightly chewy.
- Add the vinegar mixture while the rice is still hot. It's easier to mix and allows it to be absorbed more effectively.
Top tips for cooking the salmon
- Be careful not to overcook the salmon. Cooking it at 400ºF for about 10 minutes or until the salmon reaches 125ºF internally is the perfect way to eat moist cooked salmon instead of a tough, dried one. If you like cooking salmon, this article from Country Living talks about the ideal temperature to cook salmon and why; it's a great read!
- Add more or less sriracha to the salmon mixture according to your comfort level with spicy foods.
- Press the rice and salmon firmly into the pan to make it more compact and easier to cut and eat.
What is sushi rice?
Short-grain Japanese rice, also known as sushi rice, is a type of rice that is commonly used in Japanese cuisine, particularly in sushi. It is highly polished to remove the bran and germ, leaving behind a starchy, glutinous core. This core has a high percentage of amylopectin starch, giving the sushi rice its distinctively sticky and chewy texture, which is important for making sushi rolls or other Japanese-inspired dishes like this one. It also has a slightly sweet flavor that pairs well with the vinegar seasoning used to flavor it.
Long-grain rice, on the other hand, has a different starch composition and texture. It contains more amylose starch, which makes it drier, less sticky, and less able to hold together when molded.
FAQ
You can serve it hot, at room temperature, or cold. I like to serve this sushi bake at room temperature, slightly cold, over toasted seaweed (Nori). If your Nori sheets are too big, you can cut them with scissors. Serve smaller portions so it'll be easier to eat, and you won't even need utensils.
For an experience closer to sushi, sushi rice or Calrose rice are the best options because of their texture and flavor, but if you're dying to try this recipe and have no sushi rice at all, you can try it with arborio rice (risotto rice). Long-grain rice could be used, but the texture and mouthfeel would be totally different, making it hard to stick together once cut and served.
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📖 Recipe / Receita
Salmon Sushi Bake
Ingredients
For the rice
- 1½ cup Short-grain Japanese rice or Calrose rice
- 2 cups water
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Furikake
For the salmon
- 2 lbs salmon fillets (900 grams) (skinless or skin on)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or coco aminos)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup softened cream cheese (can also use whipped)
- ¼ cup Japanese mayoneise (Kewpie)
- splashes of Sriracha to your taste (or Tabasco)
Toppings
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ½ cucumber, sliced
- Japanese mayo (to drizzle)
- Eel sauce (also known as Unagi or sushi sauce) (optional but highly recommended)
- toasted sesame seeds, to sprinkle (optional)
- sliced green onion, to sprinkle (optional)
Instructions
For the rice
- Start by washing the rice. Place it in a fine-mesh sieve or colander and rinse it under cold water. Gently rub and swish the rice with your hands to remove any excess starch. Drain it.
- In a saucepan, combine the rinsed rice and water. Let it soak for about 15 minutes.
- Bring rice and water to a soft boil over medium heat. Once gently boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover it with the lid, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until moisture is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes.
- Combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a separate small bowl. Gently heat the mixture in a microwave or stovetop until the sugar and salt dissolve. After the rice is done resting and is still hot, spread it on a baking sheet and drizzle the seasoned vinegar over it, gently folding and mixing the rice. Set aside.
For the Salmon
- While the rice is cooking, season the salmon fillets with salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Bake it in preheated oven at 400ºF (205ºC) for about 10 minutes or until you can flake it with a fork. The thermometer should read 125ºF (52ºC) in the thickest part of the salmon.
- Remove fillets from the oven, flake them with a fork, transfer to a bowl, and add softened cream cheese, Japanese mayo, and sriracha sauce. Mix to combine and set aside.
Assembling the sushi bake
- In a 9in x 13in (23cm x 33cm) casserole dish, add a layer of rice and sprinkle the furikake.
- Add the salmon mixture over the rice and furikake. Press down to compact everything. This will make it easier to cut and hold together. Drizzle Japanese mayo (kewpie) and eel (unagi) sauce.
- Serve it on a small sheet of Nori (toasted seaweed) and top it with avocado, cucumber slices, and some toasted sesame seeds. If desired, add an extra drizzle of Kewpie and eel sauce and some green onions.
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Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional disclaimer
All nutritional information above is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Nutritional content may vary according to brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, substitutions, optional ingredients, etc. Simple Living Recipes is not responsible for any miscalculation or misinformation in the nutrition label.
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