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Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake Recipe | Easy Sushi Bake with Kewpie Mayo
Craving all the bold, savory flavors of a sushi roll without the hassle of a bamboo mat? This Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake is the ultimate crowd-pleasing comfort food. It features a perfectly seasoned bed of rice—use classic white rice or my favorite blend of brown and forbidden black rice for an amazing nutty texture. We top that with a rich, creamy mixture of tender cooked salmon, cream cheese, authentic Kewpie mayo, and a fiery kick of sriracha.
Sushi Night Made Easy
Finished with a generous sprinkle of umami-packed furikake, fresh scallions, and a gorgeous drizzle of okonomi sauce (or eel sauce!), this deconstructed sushi casserole is baked until bubbly and warm. To serve, simply scoop a hearty spoonful onto a crisp sheet of roasted seaweed and enjoy it like a customized hand roll. It is the absolute best dish for family dinners, potlucks, or meal-prepping your weekday lunches!
What’s in this sushi bake
- salmon
- rice (white or brown)
- cream cheese
- kewpie mayo
- sriracha
- okonomi sauce
- rice vinegar
- furikake
- seaweed
- scallions
Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake Casserole
This spicy salmon sushi bake is a warm, comforting, and easy sushi-inspired recipe made with salmon, cream cheese, Kewpie mayo, sriracha, and furikake. Layer it over white rice or a brown and forbidden rice blend, then serve it with roasted seaweed for an easy hand-roll style bite. Perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or sharing with friends.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of cooked rice (short grain sushi rice, short grain brown rice or brown and forbidden rice mix)
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 pound salmon
- 1/3 cup cream cheese
- 1/3 cup kewpie mayo (plus more for drizzle)
- 1/4 cup sriracha (more or less to depending on preference)
- 1/4 cup of okonomi sauce (or unagi sauce ) for drizzle
- 1/4 cup furikaka
- 2 scallions, sliced
Serve with:
- roasted seaweed
- cucumbers, sliced in thin strips ~ 2 inches long
- avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Cook the rice. Short grain white or brown rice both work great in this casserole. Season the cooked rice with rice vinegar and give it a mix to combine well.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Season salmon filet with salt, garlic and onion powder.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove the salmon after baking. This should be easy to peel off after cooking. Leave the oven on for baking the assembled casserole.
- In a bowl, mix together the salmon, cream cheese, kewpie mayo and sriracha. Add a pinch of salt to taste.
- In a 9×13 casserole dish, layer the rice on the bottom and spread that evenly across the dish. Press down gently to remove air pockets of space. Sprinkle half the furikake over the rice. Layer the salmon mixture on top and spread that into an even layer. Drizzle on kewpie mayo, sriracha and okonomi sauce. Sprinkle on the remaining furikake.
- Bake for 10 minutes then broil for 2 minutes for a toasty top.
- Sprinkle scallions on top and serve with roasted seaweed. Spoon a scoop of the casserole on a seaweed sheet and top with optional cucumbers and avocado.
Notes
Shop this recipe! Ingredients linked below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Sushi Bake
A sushi bake is a deconstructed, casserole-style version of a sushi roll. Instead of rolling individual pieces, the rice is layered in a baking dish, topped with a creamy seafood mixture (often spicy salmon, tuna, or crab), baked until warm and bubbly, then scooped onto sheets of roasted seaweed and eaten hand-roll style.
Traditional short-grain white sushi rice works beautifully and gives that authentic sticky texture. For a heartier, more nutritious twist, a brown rice and forbidden (black) rice blend is a fantastic alternative — it adds a nutty flavor, chewier bite, and gorgeous color contrast.
Absolutely! Eel sauce (unagi sauce) is the best swap — it has a similar sweet, savory, glossy finish. In a pinch, you can mix soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and a splash of Worcestershire for a quick homemade version.
Kewpie is a Japanese mayonnaise made with egg yolks (instead of whole eggs) and rice vinegar, giving it a richer, tangier, more umami flavor. Regular mayo will work in a pinch, but kewpie is worth seeking out for that authentic taste — add a tiny squeeze of rice vinegar and a pinch of MSG or sugar to mimic it.
Furikake is a Japanese rice seasoning blend, typically made with sesame seeds, dried seaweed, salt, sugar, and sometimes dried fish flakes. If you can’t find it, any garlic sesame seasoning blend works as a great substitute.
Yes! You can assemble the entire bake up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bake straight from the fridge — just add 5–10 extra minutes to the cook time.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven for 10–15 minutes or microwave individual portions for 1–2 minutes. The texture is best fresh, but it still tastes amazing the next day.
Sushi bake is meant to be served warm, straight from the oven. The contrast of the hot, creamy salmon mixture with the cool, crisp seaweed wrapper is what makes it so addictive.
Yes! Canned salmon is a budget-friendly shortcut. Just drain it well and skip the cooking step — mix it directly with the cream cheese, kewpie, and sriracha.
Pair it with a simple cucumber salad (sunomono), miso soup, edamame, or pickled ginger. A side of avocado slices or kimchi also complements the rich, creamy flavors beautifully.
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