Creamy Salmon Sushi Bake (Printable)

Tender salmon melded with creamy sauce and cheese in a comforting, baked Japanese-American dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 14 oz skinless salmon fillet, cooked and flaked
02 - 4 oz imitation crab sticks, shredded (optional)

→ Rice

03 - 2 cups sushi rice, uncooked
04 - 2 1/2 cups water
05 - 3 tbsp rice vinegar
06 - 1 tbsp sugar
07 - 1 tsp salt

→ Creamy Sauce

08 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
09 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise (preferably Japanese Kewpie)
10 - 2 tbsp Sriracha or chili sauce (adjust to taste)
11 - 1 tbsp soy sauce

→ Toppings

12 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
14 - 2 scallion stalks, finely sliced
15 - 1 sheet nori, cut into small strips or nori snack packs for serving
16 - Optional: sliced avocado, cucumber, pickled ginger

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Rinse sushi rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam for 10 minutes.
03 - In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Gently fold this mixture into the cooked rice. Spread rice evenly in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
04 - In a mixing bowl, combine flaked salmon, shredded imitation crab (if using), softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, Sriracha, and soy sauce. Mix until creamy and thoroughly incorporated.
05 - Spread the seafood mixture evenly over the rice layer. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
06 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
07 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds, scallions, and nori strips over the baked dish. Serve warm, optionally accompanied by sliced avocado, cucumber, and pickled ginger.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Tastes like you spent hours perfecting sushi rolls but only took 45 minutes from fridge to table.
  • One baking dish means minimal cleanup while everyone's too busy asking for seconds.
  • Naturally feeds a crowd and actually gets better as people share it family-style.
02 -
  • Don't use cold cream cheese or it won't mix smoothly; soften it on the counter first or you'll spend forever stirring and still have lumps.
  • The salmon layer needs to stay moist and creamy, so mixing it with mayo before baking keeps it from drying out under the cheese.
03 -
  • Have your oven preheated before you even start the rice so you're not sitting around waiting—timing flows much smoother this way.
  • Shredded nori on top stays crisper if you add it just after pulling the dish from the oven rather than mixing it in beforehand.
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