Sushi Bake – Not Your Typical Casserole

Satisfy your sushi craving at home with this simple sushi bake but without the baking. Make this easy sushi casserole for a weeknight family dinner or impress your friends at your next party. You will have fun making it and even more fun eating it.

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Japanese is one of my favorite cuisines. Especially sashimi and sushi. Fortunately, Joe and my kids love sushi too. We started introducing them to California rolls when they were able to eat on their own.

When I discovered the sushi bake from a friend (no baking involved in this one), I was blown away by the idea of not making rolls. It is basically a California roll but in casserole form. It is layered with rice, imitation crabmeat, and avocado (all the ingredients in a California roll), and you wrap it up with a piece of seaweed. Joe likes to call it a California taco because you pretty much eat it like a taco.

My kids love this sushi bake! I will make this for dinner once in a while, but this is my favorite dish for a party. It is definitely not your typical casserole dish. Everyone has fun making their little seaweed taco, and it is always a hit. You will be surprised that it is pretty simple to make. 

This sushi bake uses two of my favorite ingredients: Japanese mayo and seaweed furikake. I have never liked mayo my whole life until I tried Japanese mayo. I have it on hand to make pasta salads and aiolis. The seaweed furikake is a seasoning I use to dress up my salads or over rice with a stir fry. 

Sushi Bake Ingredients

I get all my ingredients at my local Asian market. If you don’t have one near you, click on the ingredients to purchase it on Amazon. 

• 2 cups of uncooked rice (short grain is preferred but you can use any kind)
• ¼ cup of sushi seasoning or rice vinegar mixed with 1 tbsp of sugar
• 10 oz of imitation crab meat sticks
• ¼ cup of Japanese mayo
• Seaweed Furikake (I use a version from Trader Joe’s)
• Bonito Furikake
• 1 Avocado
• Seasoned roasted seaweed (large sheets are best but snack size are fine too)

Here is my step-by-step instruction:

This recipe is for an 8×8 dish. If you want to make a 9×13 version, just double the ingredients.

Cook rice according to instructions. I use a rice cooker so I can set and leave it. Once the rice is cooked, add sushi seasoning to the rice while it is still hot and mix together. Let rice cool to room temperature.

Once the rice is cooled, split it in half, which will serve as two different layers. Use a large spoon, spread half of the rice to cover the bottom of the casserole dish. Use the back of the spoon to spread and flatten the rice slightly. 

Sprinkle a light layer of the Bonito Furikake onto the rice.

Then sprinkle a layer of the Seaweed Furikake.

In a separate bowl, chop up the imitation crab sticks to about an inch thick. Mix with the Japanese mayo and break up the pieces of imitation crab meat. 

Layer the imitation crab meat on top of the rice, spread, and flatten with the back of a spoon.

Spread the other half of the rice on top of the imitation crab meat. Use the back of the spoon to spread and flatten the rice slightly. 

Sprinkle another layer of the Seaweed Furikake (only the seaweed this time) on top of the second rice layer. 

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Use a butter knife (for easy spreading) and make thin slices of avocado to place on top of the rice as the final layer. 

Keep it in the refrigerator covered for 15-30 minutes or until you are ready to serve. Right before serving, cut up the roasted seaweed into 4 parts if you have the large sheets—no need to cut if you are using the snack size seaweed sheets. 

Place the seaweed with a side of wasabi and soy dipping sauce on the side when ready to serve. 

If you don’t like imitation crab meat, try it with baby shrimp or tuna. 

Serve it at your next dinner party and let us know how it goes.