Weeknight Evenings Just Got Easier with This Sushi Bake

We taste first with our eyes. This beautiful twist on traditional sushi is not only delicious but absolutely stunning. It has quickly become a favourite in our home. It’s easy enough for a weeknight meal and gorgeous enough to wow guests at a dinner party, and it’s full of nutrition from two types of Canadian seafood and vegetable garnishes.

This dish offers omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals from tender Canadian crab, smoked salmon and avocado. These nutrients have been shown to support brain and mental health, heart health and the immune system.

So what exactly is a “sushi bake” and how can you make it?

It’s everything you love about sushi baked in a casserole dish and then served in squares you can enjoy inside squares of nori and dipped in soy sauce. It’s unlike maki rolls or your usual sushi because the ingredients are layered—but it’s miles away from a traditional casserole.

How to make a sushi bake

Start with a layer of sushi rice flavoured with a homemade rice vinegar sauce and a Japanese condiment called furikake. The next layer has a creamy and delicious crab mixture. The crab for this recipe is very accessible, as it comes in a can. If you don’t have any on hand, you can also use canned Canadian lobster, salmon, or tuna. Frozen Canadian shrimp is a tasty option, too.

After baking your first two layers, your final layer is where you can let your creative side shine. Add a sprinkle of furikake and a drizzle of wasabi mayonnaise and Sriracha, then place rows of sliced cucumber, avocado, smoked salmon, and diced green onions on top. You can also add fish roe.

Once you are done, cut the sushi bake into pieces and serve with nori and soya sauce for dipping: a garnish of pickled ginger and wasabi can be lovely on the side. Keep reading for the full recipe. Enjoy!

The recipe

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Prep Time: 30 – 35 minutes Cook Time: 20 – 25 minutes Serves: 4 – 6

Ingredients

For the rice: 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil ¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar 4 tsp (13 g) sugar 1 tsp (6 g) salt 1½ cups (375 ml) sushi rice 3 tbsp (21 g) furikake

Crab mixture: 3 cans (360 g) Canadian crab meat ½ cup (125 ml) Kewpie mayo ¼ cup (50 g) cream cheese, room temperature 1 tbsp (15 ml) Sriracha 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil

Wasabi mayo: ⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) prepared wasabi ½ cup (125 ml) Kewpie mayonnaise

Garnish: 1 tbsp (7 g) furikake ¼ cup (60 ml) cucumber, sliced 1 avocado, sliced 200 g Canadian smoked salmon 1 green onion (½ tbsp), sliced Sriracha, to taste Fish roe (optional)

For serving: Soy sauce Nori

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Grease a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish with sesame oil.
2. For the rice: In a small saucepan, heat rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside. Cook sushi rice according to package directions. While rice is still hot, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Gently stir rice for a couple of minutes to allow steam to release. Add rice vinegar mixture and continue to mix rice to cool. Add 2 tbsp furikake and mix well. Add rice to a casserole dish and spread out in an even layer, pressing down to compact. Sprinkle top with 1 tbsp furikake.
3. For the crab mixture: In a bowl, mix the crab, Kewpie mayonnaise, cream cheese, Sriracha, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Spread over rice in an even layer. Place into oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes until edges are golden. Remove from oven and let cool; 10 minutes.
4. To assemble: Sprinkle bake with 1 tbsp furikake, then drizzle with wasabi mayonnaise and Sriracha. Top with cucumber, avocado, smoked salmon, green onions and fish roe (optional). Cut into 15 potions and serve with nori and soya sauce for dipping.

Chef’s Tips

• More crab meat can be used to top the sushi bake instead of smoked salmon if desired.
• If furikake seasoning is unavailable, toasted sesame seeds or a mixture of toasted sesame seeds and bits of toasted nori can be used instead.

Find more simple and delicious seafood recipes at chooseseafood.ca