Easy Shrimp Sushi Bake recipe made with cooked fish, tons of umami flavors that’s ready in 30 minutes. A great changeup for the week and one I think you will love. A great dish for when you are craving sushi but can’t or don’t want raw fish or to take the time to roll up sushi rolls!

What is Sushi Bake?

It’s basically a Sushi Casserole made with all the best parts of sushi including the seasoned rice, mayo, Sriracha, and your favorite sushi fillings. It’s basically deconstructed sushi where all the layers of goodness are all baked together and served up warm.

It’s inspired by sushi but is made with cooked rather than raw fish. Plus it skips the hardest part of making homemade sushi which is rolling it all up. It makes sushi more budget-friendly and an easy way to enjoy the flavors of sushi at home without spending the money on takeout.

Why You Should Make This Shrimp Sushi Bake

• So EASY!! This sushi bake recipe is EASY to throw together using simple, affordable ingredients and most everything can be found at your local grocery store. I found everything at my local Walmart in the international aisle!
• Great for Sushi Lovers. This unique spin on sushi will impress the whole family and you will love how affordable it is and easy to assemble. Perfect for weeknight dinners the whole family will love!
• Customizable Recipe. There are so many combinations you can try depending on your own tastes and ingredients you have on hand. You can use cooked salmon or tuna fish in place of the shrimp if you’d like! Really any cooked fish of choice works well in this casserole. You can also make it spicier by adding extra sriracha and jalapeños.
• Great for Leftovers. This dish keeps great in the fridge, although I don’t recommend longer than 3 days in the fridge, since the fish is cooked in this casserole, you don’t need to worry about it turning so quickly.

Baked Sushi Ingredients

All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post. 

• Shrimp. I use large, shelled and deveined shrimp, I typically buy frozen, raw shrimp.

• Crab Meat. I use imitation crab meat, it’s full of protein and affordable. If you can afford real crab, by all means you do you!

• Sesame oil. This offers a great flavor that pairs well with the sushi casserole flavors.

• Sushi rice. Sushi rice tends to stick together better so things stay put when you serve this sushi casserole. White rice will also work just keep in mind the casserole may not stick together as well, but it will still be delicious.

• Rice Vinegar. To season the rice. It is slightly sweet and tangy. This is found in the international aisle at most grocery stores.

• Sriracha. A hot chili sauce. This sriracha is the one I use. You can find it in the international aisle of many large grocery stores. I use this sauce on a lot of dishes, but it’s so delicious on a sushi casserole.

• Mayo. I use Kewpie Japanese mayo It is a little more tangy and creamier than American mayo because it’s made with only egg yolks. But both will work great. Find this with the other ingredients listed above in your grocery store, it is also sold at specialty stores.

• Cream Cheese. This give the sushi bake ingredients a nice creamy flavor, it also helps so they stick together and the sushi bake casserole won’t fall apart when slicing it up.

• Nori. Aka dried seaweed. Found in the international aisle at the grocery store. This is optional but I LOVE it with this recipe to really bring it all together. If you can’t find nori you can use Furikake, a Japanese seasoning with seaweed in it instead.

• Optional Toppings for garnish. Fresh cilantro, edamame, corn, cucumbers and avocado all make great fresh garnish for this sushi casserole

Variations

• Salmon Sushi Bake: Use cooked salmon or canned salmon in place of the shrimp and/or crab. If you’re using canned salmon be sure to drain it very well and pick through it to make there are no bones.
• Crab Sushi Bake: Replace the shrimp with extra crab for a crab only sushi rice bake!
• Tuna Sushi Bake: Just like the salmon above you can use fresh cooked tuna or canned tuna fish! Just be sure to drain the canned tuna well before adding it.
• Vegetarian Sushi Bake: Make it vegan or vegetarian by adding smoked tofu or regular tofu in place of the shrimp and crab. For vegan you will also need to use a vegan mayonnaise and cream cheese as well.
• Add More Veggies: Consider adding roasted corn, avocado, edamame or cucumbers.

How to Make Sushi Bake

Are you ready to start cooking? Here’s a quick look at the main steps involved in making easy sushi bake. Check the recipe card down the page for all the details.

Step One. Cooking the Rice. Start the rice first since it can take up to 30 minutes to fully cook. Be sure to follow the instructions on the package of rice.

Step Two. Cooking the Shrimp. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Once it’s hot, add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 3 min each side and then set it aside to cool. Chop it up the cooled shrimp and crab into small bites.

Step Three. Mixing the Ingredients. Add the shrimp and crab meat, sriracha, mayo, cream cheese to a medium mixing bowl, and mix together well.

Step Four: Flavoring the Rice. Add the rice vinegar to the cooked rice and stir it in. Place the rice on the bottom of a 7 x 7 baking dish. Use a large flattened spoon to press the rice down firmly.

Step Five. Assembling the Sushi Rice Bake. Crumble the nori over the rice, layer the crab and shrimp mixture over the top of the rice. Drizzle more sriracha and mayo over the top. Add sliced jalapeños over the top and pop into the oven for about 15 minutes, or until everything is bubbly and warm.

Step Six. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before spooning out the mixture on a plate and enjoying.

Expert Tips

• Use Sushi Rice: It’s a short grain rice, also called calrose rice which has a sticky texture when cooked. The stickiness of the rice creates a base for the casserole that holds together better than medium-grain or long-grain rice.
• Experiment With Flavors: This dish is a great way to use up leftover seafood you might have in the fridge or canned fish in the cabinet. You can also use all your favorite sushi rolls as inspiration for layering flavors and creating different combinations.
• Let It Rest. After it’s baked give it a few minutes on the counter before serving it up. This allows everything to fall into place so it sticks together when served.

Recipe FAQ’s

Storage and Make Ahead Tips

To store this sushi bake recipe, use a nice airtight sealed container for the fridge. I do not recommend freezing this meal, it just wouldn’t be quite the same after freezing.

To make ahead, get the rice and shrimp prepared and have everything chopped up. You can combine the fish topping (crab, shrimp, cream cheese, mayo, sriracha) and keep it aside until you are ready to bake.

You can also build the casserole up to 2 days before and wait to pop into the oven for baking until ready. Just be sure to keep it refrigerated and covered until ready to bake.

Serving Suggestions

This dish is perfect to serve for an easy weeknight dinner but also a great dish for a casual dinner with family or friends. Serve it up with additional toppings such as extra Sriracha, mayo, furikake, togarashi (Japanese chili peppers), diced avocado, more jalapenos, or spicy mayo.

This casserole dish is meant to be a one-dish meal since it’s got the rice and meat all baked together. In our house, I like to serve it up with a simple side dish like a Mixed Green Salad or Spicy Cucumber Salad to make it a more complete meal.

For company, we kick the meal off with some Crispy Panko Shrimp and Vegetarian Egg Rolls.

Other Asian And Fish Inspired Recipes To Try

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