Sushi Bake For One

One of my favorite single-serve meals EVER! This easy sushi bake recipe is designed to serve one and comes together super quickly with freshly cooked or leftover salmon, imitation crab, sushi rice and furikake. Wrapped in seaweed with cucumber and avocado, this a super warm and filling meal.

If you love sushi rolls AND  warm, comforting meals then you’re in the right place today. This sushi bake is easy to make, incredibly delicious and super fun to eat! You’ve maybe seen it all over social media, so you know it’s a well-loved dish.

It’s flexible and perfect for a weeknight meal for one, but also kind of fancy and would work for a special occasion meal (which YOU deserve, even if you are just cooking for yourself!!!). Sushi bake is a popular dish that is typically a popular potluck dish and meant to be shared at family gatherings, but obviously we’re all about cooking for one over here, so I made a small batch version so we can enjoy this whenever we want!

The best way to describe this is like a deconstructed version of sushi in a baking dish. Imagine a california sushi roll but warmed and all wrapped up in nori sheets (or my personal fave - roasted seaweed snacks!). It's a fun way to eat all your favorite sushi flavors!

What you’ll need

Sushi rice: I find this dish works best with freshly cooked short-grain white rice, but if you have leftover rice on hand you can definitely use it up here. Short-grain is best though! Mix the warm rice with sugar and rice vinegar to make a slightly sticky, sushi rice.

Salmon: I LOVE salmon so I almost always use it in this dish. I either use a leftover filet if I have it, or cook a filet in the air fryer at 400 for 12 minutes. You can also use canned salmon or tuna, or skip the fish and just use all imitation crab. I just season my protein with salt, but you can also add some soy sauce, sesame oil or garlic/ginger for different flavors.

Imitation crab meat: I’m weirdly obsessed with imitation crab, so I have to have some in this dish. I use about 1-2 ounces, but feel free to throw in as much as you want! If you prefer, you can use canned or fresh crab.

Mayo: Kewpie mayo (japanese mayonnaise) is awesome if you can get it, but regular mayo works just fine. Some recipes call for cream cheese for extra creaminess, but I find just mayo really good. I've also heard some people use sour cream, which I haven't tried myself but might be a good option!

Sriracha: This adds a lot of the flavor in this dish, so even if you’re not a big fan of spice I suggest using at least a little bit in the salmon/crab mixture.

Furikake seasoning: This is a mix of seaweed, sesame seeds, salt and fish flakes. It has SO much flavor and (to me) is a non-negotiable in my sushi bake. You can find it at your local asian market, or Trader Joe’s if you have one near you! If you can’t find furikake at your local grocery store, you can use a mix of sesame seeds, crushed seaweed snacks and salt.

To serve: Nori sheets or seaweed snacks, cucumber, avocado slices, green onion, etc. 

Make this meal flexible for you!

If you make everything from scratch, this meal still comes together in way under an hour. However, there are a few things you can do to make it even quicker and extra perfect for a weeknight meal:

Use canned meat instead of fresh salmon: Try canned salmon or tuna for a spicy tuna version. Or if you are a big fan of crab, you can use all crab meat. Canned, fresh or imitation crab all work perfectly here (to be honest, I think real crab meat may be wasted here….but you do you!).

Alternatively, you can meal prep and bake off some salmon or other protein (shrimp is good!) and then use those leftovers. This dish is a great way to use up leftover slow-baked salmon. The protein itself doesn’t need a ton of seasoning, but you can add some soy sauce or chili garlic sauce if you want some extra flavor.

If you have other favorite sushi ingredients, feel free to use them here. Just consider this a deconstructed sushi roll and have fun!

Use leftover rice: I’ll admit, I think freshly cooked rice is best here but y’all know me well enough to know that I’m not going to force you to cook fresh rice for this dish. If using leftover rice, warm it up in the microwave with the sugar and rice vinegar and a tablespoon of water. If using Jasmine rice or Basmati rice, it likely won’t get as sticky as needed but that’s okay! Just push it into as even a layer as possible.

Make ahead: Layer everything as normal and then cover and place in the fridge. When ready to eat, bake as normal (uncovered) until the creamy topping is bubbling. You can also bake this ahead of time and then just warm it up in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. 

How to make a sushi bake

Make rice + salmon: If you’re not using leftover rice or salmon, you’ll want to cook those first. Rinse short-grain rice really well, drain and then add to a small pot (or rice cooker) with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Immediately mix in sugar and rice vinegar with a spatula. Season salmon with a little salt and cook however you’d like - I generally air fry it at 400 for 12 minutes. Flake and let cool slightly. 

Make filling: Combine imitation crab meat and flaked salmon (or whatever protein you are using) in a small bowl. Add mayo and sriracha and combine really well.

Build sushi bake: Flatten hot rice in an even layer in a small oven-proof casserole dish. Sprinkle furikake on top of the rice and then layer crab/salmon mixture on top. Sprinkle more furikake on top.

Bake: Bake dish at 350 for 20 minutes, until top is slightly browned and bubbly. Top with more mayo, sriracha sauce and green onions if desired.

Serve: Scoop some of the warm sushi bake onto a seaweed snack, and top with thinly sliced cucumber and avocado. Enjoy!

Serving suggestions

I think the best part about a sushi bake is how fun it is to eat. I love scooping the warm filling into a crispy seaweed snack, adding crispy cucumbers and creamy avocado and popping the whole thing into my mouth.

If you want something that requires a little less brain power when eating, you can just chop up your cucumber and avocado to sprinkle on top and then just eat this little casserole with a spoon or chopsticks. Either way is completely delicious.

I developed this delicious sushi bake (if I do say so myself) for one to be heavy on the protein so that it is filling enough you won't need any side dishes, but if you like you can add a quick salad or make yourself a bowl of quick miso soup.

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