My kids come home from school like they haven't eaten in a week. Backpacks on the floor, fridge open, asking what's for dinner at 3:30 in the afternoon.
This crab and salmon sushi bake is what I make when I need food on the table fast and I want it to actually hold them until bedtime. Fifteen minutes to put it together, fifteen in the oven, a few minutes under the broiler.
It's a full 9x13 pan of seasoned rice with baked salmon and crab folded into kewpie mayo and cream cheese, broiled until the top goes golden. You scoop it onto a small sheet of nori and eat it like a hand roll, so everyone builds their own.
The same thing that makes it work on a Tuesday makes it easy to bring to a potluck. One pan, travels well, and nothing to assemble once you get there.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Sushi Bake
- What Is a Sushi Bake?
- Ingredients
- How to Cook the Rice and Salmon
- How to Make Crab and Salmon Sushi Bake
- How to Serve It
- Favorite Toppings
- Variations
- What to Serve with Sushi Bake
- Make It Ahead
- How to Store and Reheat
- Rose's Top Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Asian-Inspired Recipes
- Did you try this recipe?
- Crab and Salmon Sushi Bake
Why You'll Love This Sushi Bake
- 35 minutes, one pan: Fifteen to assemble, fifteen to bake, a few minutes under the broiler. If you have cooked rice and salmon on hand, that timing is real.
- No rolling mat, no raw fish: The salmon gets baked, so you don't need sushi grade and you don't need to know how to roll anything. If raw fish is the reason you've never made sushi at home, this skips past it entirely.
- Everyone builds their own: You scoop it onto small nori sheets like a hand roll, so the picky one at the table can take rice and salmon and skip the rest. Nobody has to negotiate.
- Travels well: One 9x13 pan, nothing to assemble once you arrive, and it's just as good warm or at room temperature. Set the toppings out alongside and let people go.
What Is a Sushi Bake?
A sushi bake is a California roll turned into a casserole. Seasoned rice on the bottom, a creamy seafood layer on top, baked until golden. You scoop it onto a small sheet of nori and eat it like a hand roll.
The fish is cooked, not raw. That's the biggest departure from a traditional roll, and it's why this works for people who won't touch sashimi.
Where it came from depends on who you ask. In the Philippines, the dish is credited to Mimi Qui Reyes, a celebrity nail artist making sushi bakes as early as 2015, whose trays set off a nationwide craze during the 2020 lockdown. But Japanese American families in Hawaii have been making pan sushi for potlucks for decades, and at least one Japanese American food writer points to church cookbook recipes from 2009 to make that case.
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need:
Sushi Rice
- Short grain or medium grain rice: This is the one ingredient you can't swap. Short grain has the starch content that makes cooked rice cling to itself, which is what lets a scoop hold together on a piece of nori. Long grain rice cooks up separate and dry, and the whole thing falls apart in your hand.
- Rice vinegar: Seasons the rice and cuts through the cream cheese and mayo coming later. Use plain rice vinegar, not seasoned, since seasoned already has sugar and salt in it and you'll end up doubling both.
- Sugar and salt: Dissolved into the vinegar before it goes on the rice. Fold it in while the rice is still warm or it won't absorb evenly and you'll get salty patches.
Toppings
- Salmon: Gets cooked before it goes in, so you don't need sushi grade. Any fillet from the regular grocery store works, and leftover cooked salmon from the night before is what turns this into a 35 minute dinner. Canned salmon works too if you're in a hurry.
- Crab or imitation crab: Imitation crab is what most versions use and it's a fraction of the price. Real crab is sweeter and worth it if you have it, but the mayo and cream cheese are doing most of the flavor work either way. Defrost imitation crab fully before shredding it or it releases water into the mix.
- Japanese mayonnaise: Kewpie is made with egg yolks only, so it's richer and slightly tangier than American mayo. If you can't find it, use regular mayo with a splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar stirred in. It won't be identical but it's close.
- Cream cheese: Binds the seafood mixture and keeps it from going oily under the broiler. Let it soften on the counter first. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that never fully mix in.
- Furikake: A Japanese rice seasoning of seaweed, sesame seeds and salt. It goes between the rice and the seafood layer and it's what makes this taste like sushi rather than a seafood casserole. Skip it and you'll notice.
- Sriracha: Optional, and worth adding even if you don't want heat. A tablespoon in the mix balances the richness without registering as spicy.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitution and Addition
- Shrimp: Cook and chop it first, then fold it in the same way as the crab. Half shrimp and half crab is a good split if you want both, and it lands somewhere between a California roll and a shrimp tempura roll.
- Smoked salmon: Skip the baking step entirely and fold it in cold. The mixture goes saltier and smokier, so cut back on any soy sauce or salt elsewhere. Add it after baking rather than before if you want it to stay silky instead of firming up in the oven.
- Canned salmon: The shortcut version. Drain it well and flake it, and you skip the cook-and-cool step completely. Not as good as a fresh fillet, but it turns this into a genuinely 20 minute dinner.
- Vegetarian: Swap the seafood for mashed avocado and finely diced cucumber, or crumbled firm tofu if you want something with more body. Keep the kewpie, cream cheese and furikake, since those are carrying most of what makes it taste like sushi.
- Brown rice: Worth knowing the trade-off before you commit. Brown rice doesn't get sticky the way short grain white does, so scoops break apart on the nori and you end up eating it with a fork. Still good, just a different dish.
How to Cook the Rice and Salmon
Both can be done ahead, and that's what makes this a 35 minute dinner. If you have leftover rice and cooked salmon in the fridge, go straight to assembly.
- The rice. Rinse it in a fine mesh strainer under cold water until the water runs clear, four or five rinses. That washes off surface starch, and skipping it gives you gummy rice. Cook it however you normally would, then stir the vinegar, sugar and salt together and fold it into the rice while it's still warm. Warm rice absorbs the seasoning, cold rice just gets wet. Let it cool to room temperature before it goes in the pan.
- The salmon. Bake at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until it flakes when you press a fork into the thickest part. An air fryer at 400°F takes about 12. Cool it enough to handle, peel off the skin, and flake it. Don't overcook it, since it gets a second round of heat under the broiler later.
How to Make Crab and Salmon Sushi Bake
- Press the rice into the pan. Heat the oven to 375°F. Spread the seasoned rice in a 9x13 dish and press it into an even layer with damp hands. Damp hands keep it from sticking to you. Press firmly, since a loose rice layer won't hold together when you scoop it.
- Add the furikake. Sprinkle it generously over the entire rice layer. This sits between the rice and the seafood and it's what makes the finished bake taste like sushi rather than a seafood casserole.
- Mix the topping. Combine the flaked salmon, crab, kewpie mayo, softened cream cheese and sriracha in a bowl. Mix until it's evenly creamy with no streaks of cream cheese left.
- Spread and bake. Dollop the mixture over the rice and spread it to the edges so nothing dries out in the corners. Bake 15 minutes, until it's heated through and just starting to bubble.
- Broil 2 to 3 minutes. Switch to broil and stay at the oven. You want the top golden and lightly blistered in spots, and it goes from golden to burnt fast. Pull it as soon as the color is right and let it sit 5 minutes before serving.
How to Serve It
Scoop a spoonful onto a small sheet of nori, add whatever toppings you want, and eat it like a hand roll. That's the whole thing. It's less a casserole you slice than a build-your-own setup where the pan sits in the middle of the table.
Buy the snack-size roasted seaweed squares rather than full sheets. Full sheets are made for rolling and they're too big to fold around a spoonful. The small ones come in packs near the rice or the Asian section at most grocery stores.
Set the fresh toppings out in separate bowls instead of putting them on the pan. Avocado, cucumber, scallions and anything else raw goes on after baking, since heat turns avocado grey and cucumber watery. Sauces are the exception. Sriracha mayo or eel sauce can go on before it bakes or after, whichever you prefer.
Serve it warm or at room temperature. Both work, which is part of why it travels well.
Favorite Toppings
Set these out in bowls and let everyone build their own.
- Avocado: Sliced or cubed. The one topping I'd call non-negotiable, since the creaminess and the mild fat balance the salt and the sriracha.
- Cucumber: Thin slices or small dice. This is the crunch, and it's the only thing on the list that cuts the richness. If you want to turn it into a proper side instead, this Korean cucumber salad works with the same flavors.
- Scallions: Thinly sliced, green parts and all. Sharp enough to lift the whole bite without taking it over.
- Sesame seeds: Toasted, white or black. Mostly texture, and they look good against the broiled top.
- Tobiko: Fish roe, if you can find it. Adds a small pop and a hit of brine. Worth it for a potluck, skip it on a weeknight.
- Spicy mayo: A drizzle of sriracha mayo over the top after it comes out of the oven. Sweeter and milder than straight sriracha, so it adds heat without overwhelming the salmon.
- Jalapeños: Thinly sliced fresh, or pickled if you want acid along with the heat.
- Eel sauce: Sweet, thick and soy-based, closer to a glaze than a sauce. A light drizzle goes a long way, since the bake is already rich.
Variations
- Spicy tuna: Swap the salmon and crab for canned tuna mixed with sriracha and kewpie. Cheaper, faster, and no cooking step at all since the tuna comes ready. I have a full spicy tuna sushi bake if you want the version with proper measurements.
- Shrimp and avocado: Use cooked chopped shrimp in place of the crab and fold mashed avocado into the mixture. The avocado makes it richer and softer, so go lighter on the cream cheese or it gets heavy.
- Tempura crunch: Scatter tempura flakes over the top before it goes under the broiler. They toast rather than soften and give you the texture a crunchy roll has. Panko works if you can't find them, though it browns faster so watch it closely.
- Extra spicy: Double the sriracha in the mix and add sliced jalapeños on top after baking. Heat in the mixture spreads evenly, heat on top stays sharp, and you want both.
- Vegetarian: Crumbled firm tofu or sautéed mushrooms in place of the seafood. Mushrooms bring more savory depth than tofu does, so that's the one I'd pick if you're only making it once.
What to Serve with Sushi Bake
- Miso soup: The standard pairing and the easiest one. Something warm and thin next to a rich, creamy bake is the whole reason it works. Instant packets are fine here.
- Edamame: Steamed and salted, served in the pod. Adds protein without adding anything creamy, and it keeps hands busy while the bake cools.
- Cucumber salad: Sharp and acidic, which is what this meal is missing on its own. A Korean cucumber salad with sesame and vinegar cuts through the mayo and cream cheese better than anything else on this list.
- Pickled ginger: A small pile on the side. It resets your palate between hand rolls, which matters more than usual when every bite has the same creamy base.
- Green salad: If you want something simple. A green salad with a rice vinegar dressing rather than a creamy one, since the bake is already carrying all the richness this meal needs.
Make It Ahead
You can build the whole pan a day ahead. Assemble it through the seafood layer, cover it, and leave it in the fridge unbaked. Bake it straight from cold and give it about 5 extra minutes, then broil as usual.
The easier version is prepping just the slow parts. Seasoned rice keeps 2 to 3 days and cooked salmon keeps 3, so with both already done you're 10 minutes from having it in the oven.
Either way, hold the fresh toppings until you're serving. Avocado and cucumber sitting on a cold pan overnight won't be worth eating.
For a potluck, bake it at home and bring the nori and toppings in separate containers. It's good warm or at room temperature, so there's nothing to reheat when you get there.
How to Store and Reheat
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Be aware the rice firms up overnight, so it won't be quite what it was fresh out of the oven. Still good, just denser.
For reheating, the oven at 350°F beats the microwave. Give it 10 to 15 minutes and the top crisps back up instead of going soft. If you're only heating one portion, the microwave works in 30 second bursts with a stir between each one. Heat a whole pan in the microwave and the edges will be hot while the middle is still cold.
Add fresh toppings after reheating, not before.
I wouldn't freeze it. Rice goes grainy when it thaws and the cream cheese and mayo separate, so you'd be trading a decent leftover for a bad one.
Rose's Top Tips
- Wet your hands before pressing the rice. Sushi rice sticks to everything, including you. Damp hands let you press it into a firm, even layer without half of it coming back up with your fingers.
- Press harder than feels necessary. A loose rice layer falls apart the second someone tries to scoop it onto nori. You want it compact enough to hold its shape when you dig in with a spoon.
- Let the cream cheese sit out first. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that never fully mix into the seafood, and those lumps turn oily under the broiler. Twenty minutes on the counter is enough.
- Don't walk away during the broil. Two to three minutes is the whole window, and the top goes from golden to burnt inside about thirty seconds. Stay at the oven and pull it when the color looks right.
- Let it rest 5 minutes before serving. It needs time to set. Scoop it straight out of the oven and the first serving slumps off the spoon.
Recipe FAQs
No. The salmon gets baked before it goes into the pan, so any fillet from the regular grocery store works. Sushi grade only matters when the fish is served raw.
Yes, and most versions of this dish do. Imitation crab is a fraction of the price and the kewpie mayo and cream cheese carry most of the flavor either way. Defrost it fully and pat it dry before shredding, or it releases water into the mixture.
Regular mayo with a splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar stirred in. Kewpie is made with egg yolks only, so it's richer and slightly tangier, but the substitute gets you close enough that most people won't notice.
Yes. Use more kewpie mayo, or swap in sour cream for some of it. The bake will be looser and less rich, and it won't hold together on the nori quite as well, so press the rice layer extra firmly if you go this route.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
- Crab Rangoon: crab and cream cheese again, the same flavor base in a crispy wonton
- Shrimp and Avocado Spring Rolls: no cooking, no oven, good for the same potluck table
- Japanese Beef Curry: another one-pan Japanese dish for a night the kids are starving
- Thai Chicken Satay: skewers you can grill or broil, easy to scale up for a crowd
Did you try this recipe?
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Crab and Salmon Sushi Bake
Equipment
- 1 9x13 baking dish
- 1 MIxing Bowl
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 4 cups freshly cooked rice (sushi or japanese rice)
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Toppings
- ½ pound cooked salmon, flaked
- ½ pounds crab meat or imitation crab
- ½ cup Japanese Mayonnaise
- ¾ cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon furikake
- 2 tablespoon sriracha (optional)
- roasted seaweed/nori sheets for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Sushi Rice: In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt dissolve. While the rice is still warm, gently fold in the vinegar mixture, ensuring it’s evenly distributed.4 cups freshly cooked rice (sushi or japanese rice), 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
- Assemble the Base: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread the sushi rice evenly in a 9×13 baking dish, creating a compact base layer.
- Prepare the Topping: In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked salmon, crab (or imitation crab), Japanese mayonnaise, softened cream cheese, soy sauce, sesame oil and sriracha (if using). Mix until well combined.½ pound cooked salmon, flaked, ½ pounds crab meat or imitation crab, ½ cup Japanese Mayonnaise, ¾ cup cream cheese, softened, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tbsp sriracha, 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Assemble the Layers: Dollop the topping mixture over the sushi rice layer, ensuring even coverage. Sprinkle Furikake generously over the entire dish for added flavor and texture.2 tablespoon furikake
- Bake and Serve: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden and the edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with seaweed sheets for a sushi-like experience!roasted seaweed/nori sheets
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