Description
Sushi bake brings Hawaiian-style comfort straight to your dinner table with a delightful twist on classic sushi rolls. Crispy panko topping and creamy seasoned fish make this shareable casserole a total crowd-pleaser that disappears faster than you can grab a serving spoon.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups short-grain sushi rice
- 8–10 oz crab meat or imitation crab
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 ¼ cups water
Rice Components:
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Finishing and Topping Components:
- ½ cup Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 2 to 3 tablespoons furikake
- 4 to 6 nori sheets
Instructions
- Rinse 2 cups of short-grain sushi rice thoroughly under cold water until water runs clear. Drain completely.
- Combine rice with 2 ¼ cups water in a rice cooker. Cook for 20-25 minutes until tender and fluffy.
- Mix ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl until dissolved.
- Fold vinegar mixture into warm rice gently. Spread rice evenly across a 9×13-inch baking dish, pressing down firmly.
- Shred 8-10 oz of crab meat into small, uniform pieces in a large mixing bowl.
- Add 4 oz softened cream cheese and ½ cup Japanese mayonnaise to the crab. Mix until completely smooth.
- Optional: Stir 1-2 tbsp sriracha into the crab mixture for a spicy kick.
- Spread crab mixture across rice base in an even, consistent layer reaching all corners.
- Sprinkle 2-3 tbsp furikake generously over the entire surface.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for 15-20 minutes until top turns light golden and edges crisp.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- Cut into squares. Serve with nori sheet squares for wrapping.
Notes
- Opt for high-quality sushi rice to achieve the authentic sticky texture that makes this dish special.
- Toast your furikake briefly in a dry pan before sprinkling to enhance its nutty, complex flavor profile.
- When mixing the crab mixture, let cream cheese soften at room temperature for smoother blending and easier spreading.
- Consider gluten-free adaptations by using tamari instead of traditional soy sauce and checking that your furikake is gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 322 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg