If you love sushi, you’re going to love Sushi Bake. A casserole-style dish featuring sushi rice, cooked seafood, various vegetables, and a variety of sauces and seasonings. It can be a popular alternative to traditional labor intensive sushi rolls especially for larger groups. Serve with a nice crisp Asian Slaw for great meal.
Ok, What is Sushi Bake?
Just think of Sushi Bake as a deconstructed California Roll (or any sushi roll you like) layered in a casserole dish and baked to caramel-y perfection!
To make sushi bake, you will be adding sushi roll layers into a casserole dish. Ingredients include seasoned sushi rice, Nori (seaweed sheets) for that unmistakable sushi taste, cooked seafood combined with a delicious cream cheese and mayonnaise mixture. Garnish with sriracha mayonnaise and unagi before baking in the oven. Top the sushi bake with a variety of fresh sushi vegetables. Anything you’ve seen on a sushi roll is fair game here, so use your imagination!
Feel free to use whatever seafood you enjoy. I chose imitation crab because California Roll is my favorite, but I also added some cooked shrimp. You could also use tuna or salmon here instead.
In this recipe you may have noticed a couple of ingredients you’re not familiar with…namely, Furikake and Unagi. These are nothing to be afraid of and can be easily found at just about any grocery store and of course online. Let me familiarize you!
What is Furikake?
Furikake is a Japanese seasoning that is a combination of seaweed, sesame seeds, and more. If you have a Kroger or Kroger affiliate store near you, Simple Truth Organic has a Japanese Inspired Sesame Seaweed Blend that will be perfect for this Sushi Bake! Take a look at your local grocery store seasonings and/or Asian food section. Walmart should have some form of furikake as well.
What is Unagi Sauce?
Sometimes referred to as eel sauce because it’s used as a sauce FOR grilled eel, Unagi is not made from eel at all. It’s a combination of soy sauce, sake, sugar and mirin. And it’s absolutely delicious drizzled and baked into this casserole and gives it its caramel-y finish so don’t skip it.
How to Make Sushi Bake
For full recipe details, including ingredients needed and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is step by step what you can expect when making this Sushi Bake:
Preheat Oven + Prep Baking Dish
Preheat oven to 425° F. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Make Sushi Rice
Place rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring just until sugar is dissolved.
Add rinsed rice to the pot and the amount of water the package instructions indicate. Cook according to package instructions.
Once rice is fully cooked, remove from heat and mix in the furikake and sesame seeds. Press rice mixture into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, spreading evenly. Set aside.
Make the Remainder of Sushi Bake + Assemble
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, crab, shrimp and mayo and mix until well combined.
Add the Nori in a single layer over the rice. Add the crab mixture over the nori, spreading out evenly with a rubber spatula.
Add asparagus pieces evenly over top crab mixture.
Drizzle sriracha mayo and unagi sushi sauce in a diagonal pattern all over top of casserole.
Bake + Add Toppings
Bake in oven at 425° F for 15-20 minutes or until hot and caramel-y, being careful not to burn.
Let rest for a few minutes before topping with avocado, cucumber, green onions, furikake and more sauce if desired. Serve warm.
What to Serve with Sushi Bake
Sushi bake can be served on its own as a complete meal or as part of a larger spread of appetizers or entrees. Here are some suggestions for what to serve with sushi bake:
- Salad: Because this dish can be quite rich, a light crisp salad is a great side dish to serve with sushi bake.
- Miso Soup: A traditional Japanese soup is a perfect complement to sushi bake.
- Edamame: Simple steamed young soybean pods would be another welcoming side dish for sushi bake.
- Pickled Vegetables: Add a refreshing addition to the meal like pickled cucumbers, carrots or daikon radish.
Storing Leftovers
Sushi bake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but it is best to eat it sooner than later for optimal taste and texture. Allow to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight container, then into the fridge.
To Reheat: cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. To reheat in the microwave, place a portion on a microwave-safe plate and heat on high for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
Note: I don’t recommend freezing Sushi bake. It is best consumed fresh, as the texture and taste may be compromised.
More Asian-inspired Recipes to Try!
- Asian Salmon
- Asian Lettuce Wraps
- Grilled Asian Sweet and Spicy Chicken Skewers
- Asian Tacos
- Orange Chicken
I hope you make this sushi bake recipe for your next party! If you do, I would love it if you would give me a star review and ;et me know in the comments what you think or what you like to add to your Sushi Bake. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends! 
Sushi Bake
Ingredients
for the rice
- 1 1/2 cups sushi rice rinsed well
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp furikake or japanese inspired sesame seaweed seasoning
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds toasted
for the remainder of sushi bake
- 1/2 cup cream cheese softened
- 8 oz crab meat finely chopped or shredded (or imitation crab meat)
- 8 oz shrimp cooked, finely chopped (or salmon, tuna, etc.)
- 1/4 cup mayo Japanese mayo preferred (Kewpie)
- 2 large sheets Nori aka seaweed wrap (or 3-4 small ones to cover baking dish)
- 4 stalks asparagus blanched in boiling water for about 3 minutes, chopped into about 1 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp sriracha mayo drizzled
- 2 tbsp unagi sushi sauce drizzled (or eel sauce)
for the topping/garnish
- 2 scallions white and green parts, diced
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1 large cucumber diced
- 1 tbsp furikake sprinkled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F and prepare a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
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Place rice vinegar, granulated sugar and salt in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring just until sugar is dissolved.
- Add rinsed rice to the pot and the amount of water the package instructions indicate. Cook according to package instructions.
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Once rice is fully cooked, remove from heat and mix in the furikake and sesame seeds. Press rice mixture into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, spreading evenly. Set aside.
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In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, crab, shrimp and Japanese mayo and mix until well combined.
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Add the Nori in a single layer over the rice.
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Add the crab mixture over the nori, spreading out evenly with a rubber spatula.
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Add asparagus pieces evenly over top crab mixture.
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Drizzle sriracha mayo and unagi sushi sauce in a diangle pattern all over top of casserole.
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Bake in oven at 425° F for 15-20 minutes or until hot and caramel-y, being careful not to burn.
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Let rest for a few minutes before topping with avocado, cucumber, green onions, furikake and more sauce if desired. Serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
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