Sushi has recently taken the spot as one of my favorite foods.
And automatically, even though I do love it, I know that’s in part to do with how infrequently I eat it.
I eat many meals with my kids. And, like many toddlers, my kids don’t like sushi. Plus, meals with my kids are often chaotic and rushed. And when I do finally eat sushi, I want to enjoy it, ya know?
I also haven’t been able to find a great sushi spot since moving to the burbs from New York City last year. (Anyone know good sushi takeout in Westchester? Let me know!!)
Like with anything, when something feels unattainable, it only makes us want it more.
I often talk about this in relation to sweets and other foods that are off limits. When we think we can’t have them, we just want and crave them more.
So I’m not surprised that my love for sushi has grown while it’s felt less accessible.
But I do also love it purely for the taste! So I decided to try to make it a little more accessible 🙂
This sushi bake was inspired by my friend Gal of Something Nutritious. She shared something similar a while back and I immediately knew I needed it.
The recipe is made simply with sushi rice, baked salmon, and flavorful sauces like teriyaki and sriracha mayo.
The result: a dish that absolutely satisfies those sushi cravings without needing to a find a restaurant to get it from.
Prep the ingredients
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease an 8×8 baking dish.
Prepare the rice
Add the cooked sushi rice to a bowl and add the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix gently to combine, until the rice feels slightly sticky and cohesive. Set aside.
Mix the sauce
In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, honey, and minced garlic. Whisk well.
Bake the salmon
Place the salmon on top of the lined baking sheet. Pour the mixture over the salmon, using a brush to make sure the salmon is fully coated.
Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Remove the skin from the salmon and add it to a bowl. Using a fork, gently flake the salmon. Add the sriracha mayo and gently toss to combine. Set aside.
Add rice to baking dish
Add the sushi rice to the greased baking dish, using a spatula to firmly press the rice together evenly on the bottom of the dish.
Add salmon
Add the salmon mixture and spread evenly.
Bake and broil
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Drizzle sauce
Top with generous drizzles of both teriyaki sauce and sriracha mayo.
Add toppings and serve
Add sliced avocado, furikake, and scallions. Cut into slices and serve.
Notes
- Sushi rice: Sushi rice often has a higher starch content than white rice, making it a little stickier, which is why it works for sushi. If you can’t find any, you can swap for white rice. Make sure to mix it the rice vinegar and sugar to achieve the same sushi rice prep and taste.
- Salmon: If you have extra time, you can let the salmon marinate in the sauce before cooking for 20-30 minutes. If not, feel free to cook as is! The dish will still be super flavorful.
- Sauce & garnishes: The sauces and garnishes truly make this dish. Make sure to generously drizzle soy sauce and teriyaki sauce and to add plenty of avocado. Furikake is a seasoning blend made of dried seaweed, sesame seeds, salt, and bonito flakes. If you don’t have any, you can use crushed dried seaweed, salt, and sesame seeds. The bonito flakes add a nice umami flavor, which you can also achieve via MSG (yes, MSG! Read more about it – and why I cook with it – here.)
- Storage and reheating: This dish is best served right after cooking. To make it ahead of time, cook the salmon but wait to add any sauce or garnish on top until you’re ready to serve or eat.
Ingredients
Rice
- 2 cups sushi rice cooked
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Salmon
- 1 ½ pounds salmon filet
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sriracha mayo
To top/garnish
- Avocado slides
- Teriyaki sauce
- Sriracha mayo
- Furikake seasoning
- Scallions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease an 8×8 baking dish.
- Add the cooked sushi rice to a bowl and add the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix gently to combine, until the rice feels slightly sticky and cohesive. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, honey, and minced garlic. Whisk well.
- Place the salmon on top of the lined baking sheet. Pour the mixture over the salmon, using a brush to make sure the salmon is fully coated.
- Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Remove the skin from the salmon and add it to a bowl. Using a fork, gently flake the salmon. Add the sriracha mayo and gently toss to combine. Set aside.
- Add the sushi rice to the greased baking dish, using a spatula to firmly press the rice together evenly on the bottom of the dish. Add the salmon mixture and spread evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Top with generous drizzles of both teriyaki sauce and sriracha mayo. Add sliced avocado, furikake, and scallions. Cut into slices and serve.
