Sushi Bake Recipe {Best Sushi Casserole!} - Belly Full (2024)

Sushi Bake is your favorite sushi roll transformed into a baked casserole. Easy, customizable, and every bite is delectable! Great for a family dinner or friendly get together.

And don’t miss our deconstructed California Roll Sushi Bowls – everyone can build their own!

Easy Sushi Roll Casserole

Sushi Bake, you guys! My family is obsessed with this dish. It has all the scrumptious parts of a sushi roll, but baked into casserole form. Obviously this is not traditional sushi, but if you love a California Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, Spider Roll (you name it!), but intimidated to make them, don’t have the tools, or lack time (or patience), you will be hooked on this fun twist. You simply build the layers, bake, cut out portions and place on a small piece of roasted seaweed.

Sushi Bake is easy to make and super customizable, so it’s great for a weeknight dinner and definitely tailor-made for a get together with others who love sushi, as well. Your guests will be delighted and fascinated, and beg for the recipe.

Sushi Bake Recipe

Sushi Bake ingredients can usually be found in the International section of common grocery stores. If you can’t locate them, they are all sold at Asian markets and also sold online. Here’s what you’ll need to make our version:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

• Sushi Rice: Calrose sushi rice is a specific type of Japanese rice that’s short and stubby, which becomes sticky as it cooks. Koshihikari, Botan, Nishiki are all popular brands, but another brand is fine as long as it’s sushi rice.
• Seasoned rice vinegar: This type of vinegar is made with added salt and sugar. It’s folded into the cooked rice to give it delicious flavor.
• Imitation crab: This crab isn’t crab at all – it’s actually fish that’s been shaped and kind of flavored to seem like crab. But my family loves it. We think it’s sort of sweet, and it’s definitely cheaper than real crab meat. But by all means, feel free to use real crab if you prefer.
• {Kewpie} Japanese mayonnaise: Kewpie mayo is thicker, creamier, sweeter, and tangier then traditional mayo. It adds a subtle rich and sweet flavor.
• Cream cheese: The sweet and tangy creaminess of the mayonnaise and cream cheese soaks into the rice as it bakes, making each bite super indulgent and amazing.
• Furikake seasoning: This is a mixture of toasted sesame seeds, seaweed flakes, sugar, salt, and other seasonings…and pretty much tastes awesome on more than just rice. We’ve sprinkled it on sesame noodles, popcorn, and scrambled eggs. There is no substitute.
• Scallions: We love these sweet peppery onions. They add a nice flavor and hint of color to any Asian dish.
• Sriracha: This is a sweet and spicy chili sauce. It’s not spicy like Tabasco, but it does have some heat, and adds great bold flavor.

How to Serve Sushi Bake

• Toasted seaweed: This acts as the holder for your sushi bites, like a taco shell for tacos. We prefer the toasted, seasoned Korean snack packs because they have flavor and their pre-cut size are perfect for individual portions of sushi bake. Nori sheets are fine, too. Just cut them to size.
• Toppings: We top our sushi with thin sliced rounds of English cucumber, ripe buttery avocado, and chopped scallions – all the ingredients you typically find in a California Roll.
• Enjoy warm, room temperature, or cold: This is one of those dishes that’s really good warm, room temperature, or cold! We actually prefer it most at room temperature. Try it all the ways and decide for yourself.

Recipe Variations

If this is your first time making sushi bake, I recommend following our version without changes. After that, customize it to your heart’s desire. Here are some ideas:

• Include different seafood: If you’re not a fan of crab, swap it out for salmon, tuna, or cooked, chopped shrimp. Or a combination of all of them.
• Add in other vegetables: Carrots and asparagus are delicious additions.
• Change the toppings: Sprinkle the top with Masago (smelt roe), which is that orange coating on California rolls, or try toasted sesame seeds.
• Drizzle with eel sauce: Eel sauce (Unagi in Japanese) is a thick and sweetened soy sauce and so delish!
• Make your own seasoned rice vinegar: If for some reason you can’t find seasoned rice vinegar, you can make it. For the recipe we’re sharing today, you would combine 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Microwave that mixture for 30-60 seconds until the sugar is dissolved.

How to Make Sushi Bake

This dish is super easy to make, but here are a few tips to make sure your sushi bake comes out perfectly:

• Wash the rice well: Before cooking the rice, you want to wash it and remove surface starch until the water runs clear. Otherwise, the cooked rice will be gummy.
• Mix the vinegar with hot rice: Mix in the vinegar right when the rice is finished cooking, which allows it to absorb better.
• Gently mix: When combining the rice and vinegar, be gentle, do not stir or mash it up. Make a slicing motion using a rice paddle/spoon.
• Butter a rimmed baking sheet: Transfer cooked rice to a buttered rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. Butter not only adds flavor, but greasing the baking sheet prevents the rice from sticking and burning as the casserole bakes.
• Cool then compress: Allow the rice to cool, then compress it into the baking sheet. This will help it all hold together once baked, instead of crumbling.

Storing Leftovers

To store: Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep up to 3 days. We recommend not storing with toppings or garnishes and adding those fresh when serving again. We do not recommend freezing this.
To reheat: If you wish to reheat the casserole, warm it in a preheated 325 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

More Asian-Inspired Recipes:

• Stir Fry Sauce
• Sweet Chili Sauce
• Fresh Spring Rolls
• Turon(Banana Spring Rolls)
• Crab Rangoon

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onFacebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!