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Sushi Bake with creamy wasabi mayo has all the elements of sushi but in a convenient casserole form that makes it great to bring to a gathering or just a fun weeknight meal.
This dish brings together the sweetness of imitation crab, the richness of salmon, and the bold kick of wasabi. The combination of rice, seafood, and a crunchy panko will leave you wanting another bite and then another.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
It’s easy! Don’t let the long list of ingredients discourage you from making this easy sushi bake. You don’t have to try making sushi rolls with this recipe. Everything goes in one dish, which is also great for cleanup.
It’s appealing to a wider audience! Many people find eating raw sushi intimidating, so this dish is a great way to introduce sushi with baked fish.
It’s fun to eat! On a piece of seaweed with chopsticks or your fingers, on crackers as an appetizer, or just in a bowl with a spoon, you can enjoy this recipe any way you like.
Sushi Bake Ingredients
To make sushi recipe, you will need the following ingredients (go to the recipe below for exact quantities and instructions):
- Medium grain rice: I recommend using a medium grain rice for a sushi rice for this recipe. It best imitates the texture of sushi.
- Japanese mayonnaise: The brand of Japanese mayonnaise that I use is Kewpie. It’s the easiest to find in my opinion and tastes the best. It is richer and smoother than regular mayo. If you want to substitute regular mayo for the Japanese mayo, that should work just fine. Kewpie mayo can be found at Asian grocery stores.
- Toasted sesame oil
- Rice vinegar
- Imitation crab meat
- Salmon: You can use canned salmon if that is what you have on hand but I strongly recommend grilled or roasted salmon. It will taste much fresher.
- Soy sauce
- Sriracha sauce
- Lime
- Salt and pepper
- Wasabi paste
- Honey
- Panko crumbs
- Salted butter
- Green onions
- Cucumbers
- Sesame seeds
- Furikake seasoning
- Nori strips (seaweed)
Special Tools Needed
You will need the following supplies: A rice cooker or large saucepan with lid, 9×13 baking dish, mixing bowls, mixing spoons.
How to Make Salmon Sushi Bake
This recipe does require some ingredient prep before you get started. Cook rice according to the package instructions. If using fresh salmon, roast your salmon.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, combine the cooked rice with Japanese mayonnaise, toasted sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Mix well until the rice is creamy and well-coated.
- Press the seasoned rice into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish to form an even layer. Take the time to make the rice compact and even.
- In another bowl, mix together the shredded imitation crab meat and cooked flaked salmon. Add the soy sauce, sriracha sauce, lime juice, salt, and pepper to the seafood mixture. Gently toss to combine and coat the seafood.
- Spread the crab and salmon mixture evenly over the rice layer in the baking dish.
- Mix the melted butter with the Panko to create small clumps. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the fish layer.
- Bake sushi bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the seafood is heated through and the Panko is browned.
- Prepare the creamy wasabi mayo topping by combining Japanese mayonnaise, wasabi paste, soy sauce, and honey in a bowl. Adjust the amount of wasabi according to your desired level of spiciness.
- Once the sushi bake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly.
- Drizzle the spicy mayo over the top of the baked seafood and rice.
- Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, sesame seeds, sliced cucumbers and Furikake. Serve warm and with Nori for added texture.
Storage Instructions
This sushi casserole can be kept in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave and top with extra sauce and garnish.
Recipe Tips
- When adding the rice layer to the dish, make sure to really pack it tight and even. This will give the whole thing a little more structure and it won’t wall apart as easily if you want to eat it with nori strips.
- Make sure you are tasting each component for seasoning. Especially if you want a little bit more heat in certain layers.
- I love a seafood mixture with the salmon and imitation crab but you can use just one or the other if you would like.
Serving Suggestions
You can garnish the Sushi Bake with almost anything you would like. Add avocado or extra sauces. I love the taste of the wash mayo because it adds some heat without being totally overwhelming.
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Sushi Bake
Ingredients
For the Rice Layer:
- 4 cups medium grain rice cooked and seasoned with salt
- 3 Tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie)
- 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
For the Seafood Layer:
- 2 cups imitation crab meat shredded
- 2 cups cooked and flaked salmon can use canned salmon or roasted salmon
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 teaspoons sriracha sauce adjust to taste
- 1 lime juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup Japanese mayonnaise
- 1-2 teaspoons wasabi paste adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey
For the Topping:
- 3/4 cup panko crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter melted
For Garnish:
- green onions thinly sliced
- cucumbers
- sesame seeds
- furikake seasoning
- nori (seaweed) strips for added flavor and presentation
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, combine the cooked rice with Japanese mayonnaise, toasted sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Mix well until the rice is creamy and well-coated.
- Press the seasoned rice into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish to form an even layer. Take the time to make the rice compact and even.
- In another bowl, mix together the shredded imitation crab meat and cooked flaked salmon. Add the soy sauce, sriracha sauce, lime juice, salt, and pepper to the seafood mixture. Gently toss to combine and coat the seafood.
- Spread the crab and salmon mixture evenly over the rice layer in the baking dish.
- Mix the melted butter with the Panko to create small clumps. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the fish layer.
- Bake the sushi bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the seafood is heated through and the Panko is browned.
- Prepare the creamy wasabi mayo topping by combining Japanese mayonnaise, wasabi paste, soy sauce, and honey in a bowl. Adjust the amount of wasabi according to your desired level of spiciness.
- Once the sushi bake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly.
- Drizzle the creamy wasabi mayo topping over the top of the baked seafood and rice.
- Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, sesame seeds, sliced cucumbers and Furikake. Serve warm and with Nori for added texture.
Nutrition
The nutrition information is calculated using online nutrition calculators and may not be accurate. It is provided as a general guide only.
The recipe and photos contained herein are the property of Emily Enchanted© and may not be copied.
Emily Enchanted
Saturday 19th of August 2023
I love this recipe because it is bursting with flavor and is an easy way to make sushi for the whole family.