Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake

My roommate scrolled through TikTok at 11 p.m. on a Friday, gasped, and said we needed to make whatever was on her screen immediately. That dish was a spicy salmon sushi bake, and honestly, I was skeptical—sushi in a casserole dish sounded like a shortcut I wasn't ready for. But thirty minutes later, pulling a bubbling, golden rectangle from the oven with melted cheese and sriracha drizzle, I understood the hype completely. It tastes like sushi night had a delicious collision with comfort food, and nobody was complaining.

The first time I made this for friends, I panicked halfway through because I forgot to season the rice properly and nearly tossed the whole thing. My friend grabbed my arm and said, 'Just fix it as you go'—and honestly, that's the spirit of this recipe anyway. We drizzled extra sriracha mayo over everything, and somehow it became the dish people asked for when they came over. There's something beautifully forgiving about a bake that encourages you to taste and adjust and make it your own.

Ingredients

• Sushi rice (2 cups): This is your foundation, and rinsing it properly until the water runs clear keeps things from turning gluey—a mistake I made once and learned from quickly.
• Rice vinegar (3 tablespoons): It seasons the rice with brightness; regular vinegar tastes sharp and mean by comparison.
• Sugar and salt (2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon): These dissolve into the vinegar and balance everything so nothing tastes sour or one-note.
• Salmon fillet (450 g): Buy the best-looking piece you can find because this fish is the star, and skin-on works too if you're comfortable removing it after cooking.
• Mayonnaise (1/2 cup, preferably Kewpie): Kewpie has more egg yolk and a subtle sweetness that makes the spicy mixture less harsh—it's worth seeking out in Asian markets.
• Sriracha (2–3 tablespoons): Taste as you mix because heat levels vary wildly between brands, and you want the fire without erasing other flavors.
• Soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions: These three work together to add umami depth and freshness so the dish doesn't taste one-dimensional.
• Nori, sesame seeds, avocado, and cheese (assembly ingredients): The cheese is optional but melts into something creamy and unexpected, while the nori and avocado keep things sushi-honest.

Instructions

Prepare the rice with care:

Rinse your sushi rice under cold running water, stirring gently until the water stops looking cloudy—this removes excess starch. Cook it in a rice cooker or pot with 2 1/2 cups water until fluffy and tender.

Make the seasoning mixture:

In a small saucepan, warm the rice vinegar with sugar and salt over gentle heat just until everything dissolves, then pour it over your hot rice and fold it in carefully. The warm rice drinks in the vinegar and becomes glossy and alive.

Get the salmon ready:

Place a salmon fillet on parchment paper, brush it lightly with oil, and bake it at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes until it flakes easily with a fork. Let it cool just enough to handle, then break it into tender pieces—listen for that satisfying crunch.

Build the spicy salmon mixture:

In a bowl, combine your flaked salmon with mayonnaise, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions, stirring until everything is creamy and glossy. Taste it and adjust the sriracha if you want more heat or more soothing richness.

Layer your bake:

Oil a 9x9-inch baking dish lightly and spread your seasoned sushi rice evenly across the bottom. Scatter crumbled nori over the rice, then dollop and spread the spicy salmon mixture on top.

Add the cheese and bake:

If you're using mozzarella, sprinkle it over the salmon mixture, then slide everything into a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 10–12 minutes until heated through and the cheese bubbles at the edges. The kitchen will smell amazing, and you'll start getting hungry immediately.

Garnish and serve:

Pull it out, let it rest for five minutes, then scatter sesame seeds and avocado slices over top, with final drizzles of sriracha and mayo. Scoop onto roasted seaweed snacks or serve it however feels right.

Save

My neighbor, who claims she doesn't really like fish, tried this bake at a potluck and ate three scoops in silence, then asked for the recipe with this sheepish grin. That's when I realized this dish has some kind of magic—it's sushi for people who love sushi and also for people who didn't know they could love sushi until they tasted something this creamy and easy and fun.

The Beauty of Deconstructed Sushi

There's something liberating about taking all the things you love about sushi—the rice, the fish, the crunch, the heat—and throwing them into a dish where presentation doesn't matter as much as flavor. You're not wrestling with rolling, you're not worrying about whether your seaweed is dry enough, and you're definitely not stressing about knife skills. It's sushi's easier, more honest cousin, and it tastes like someone understood that sometimes you want the joy without the fuss.

Playing with Heat and Flavor Balance

The sriracha is where you have real control, and I love that about this recipe—some nights I make it barely warm, other nights I push it until there's a pleasant burn that lingers. The mayonnaise softens the spice, the soy sauce adds savory depth, and the sesame oil brings this toasted, almost nutty richness that makes everything taste more intentional. If you're not someone who loves heat, back off the sriracha and let the other flavors shine; if you're the opposite, this dish welcomes your fire without judging.

Tips for Success and Variations

I've learned that this bake is endlessly flexible, which makes it perfect for feeding different people and moods. Add cucumber slices or pickled radish if you want crunch, swap the salmon for crab if that's your thing, or leave the cheese out entirely if dairy feels wrong that day. The core idea—seasoned rice, a creamy spiced protein, melted cheese, bright toppings—is a blueprint you can absolutely riff on, and that's kind of the whole point.

• Leftover bake keeps in the fridge for three days and tastes even better cold straight from the container.
• If you don't have a rice cooker, a regular pot works fine; just watch for the moment when steam holes appear and turn the heat down.
• Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for about a minute—they'll smell incredible and taste fresher than pre-toasted ones.

Save

Every time I make this, I think about how food brings people together in the most unexpected ways, and how a viral TikTok can turn into something that actually matters in your kitchen rotation. This spicy salmon sushi bake is proof that the best recipes aren't always the hardest ones—sometimes they're the ones that feel a little bit like cheating but taste like pure joy.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ Can I make this ahead of time?

Prepare the seasoned rice and spicy salmon mixture up to 24 hours in advance. Store separately in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, assemble and bake for 10-12 minutes until heated through.

→ What can I use instead of salmon?

Cooked crab, imitation crab, or even shredded cooked chicken work well as alternatives. Adjust seasonings slightly to complement your chosen protein.

→ Is this gluten-free?

Use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce to make this dish gluten-free. Verify that your mayonnaise and other condiments are certified gluten-free as well.

→ How do I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10-15 minutes, or microwave individual portions until warmed through.

→ Can I make this spicy?

Absolutely—increase the sriracha in the salmon mixture or add sliced chilies as a garnish. You can also drizzle extra spicy mayo over the finished dish.

→ What's the best way to serve this?

Scoop portions onto roasted seaweed snacks or nori sheets for handheld bites. Alternatively, serve in small bowls alongside pickled ginger and wasabi for a complete experience.