The Best Sushi Bake with Spicy Crab

The Best Sushi Bake with Spicy Crab recipe trending on Tik Tok is here! Deconstructed sushi is layered like a casserole filled with sticky sushi rice, spicy crab mix with sriracha and jalapeño. Best served family style, this recipe will be in heavy rotation in your home.

Next, try my original Crab Sushi Bake or, this Dragon Roll Sushi Bowl recipe. I also have a Philly Roll Sushi Bowl recipe that is a must try!

WHAT IS SUSHI BAKE?

To explain, sushi bake is deconstructed and filled with traditional sushi ingredients. Prepared in a baking dish and baked like a casserole, this warm concoction is served with toppings like avocado and sesame seeds, served on nori/seaweed sheets for easy consumption.

For this reason, sushi bake consists of all your favorite sushi additions such as fresh or imitation crab, salmon, shrimp, spicy mayo, avocado, crunchy onion and more.

While sushi bake has been around a few years, lately this craze is trending on Tik Tok and Instagram. There are several variations of this recipe, but today this recipe is centered around fresh and canned crab made into a spicy mixture with mayo, cream cheese and jalapeno.

THE BEST RICE FOR SUSHI BAKE

Sushi bake works fine with regular rice so by all means, use what you have on hand. If you have the time, certainly make the sushi rice. It really enhances the flavor and gives the dish the true sushi flavor and texture.

Short grain rice or rice labeled, "sushi rice" works best when preparing this rice. To explain, sushi rice is prepared with additional ingredients to give it the sticky and flavorful texture that it holds. Medium to long grain rice is not able to withstand the added ingredients as good as short grain rice.

Here’s an image of the sushi rice I cook with. I prefer Calrose Rice and you can find this brand by clicking here. This rice requires only to be soaked once and not rinsed several times before cooking and is ready to serve in about twenty minutes.

TIPS FOR PREPARING SUSHI RICE

1. Use short grain rice. You can find sushi grade rice at your local grocery store in the international/Asian aisle.
2. Depending on package instructions, rinse (until rice water runs clear) and/or soak the rice for best results.
3. Vinegar, sugar and additional ingredients give great- authentic sushi flavor and texture, do not omit!
4. Add additional sushi rice ingredients after the rice is immediately cooked. The ingredients will dissolve and mix best while the rice is hot.
5. Use an appropriate pot to cook your rice if you don’t own a rice cooker.
6. Allow the rice to cool before assembling the casserole. (I was too anxious the first attempt and burned my fingers, ouch!)

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE SUSHI BAKE

It is important to note, this is just a blueprint, that is to say use ingredients that you have access to. Certainly, add in what you prefer in sushi! Here’s what you’ll need to make the best sushi bake with spicy crab.

SUSHI RICE

• Rice
• Water
• Rice Wine Vinegar
• Sugar
• Salt
• Oil (grapeseed)

SPICY CRAB MIXTURE

• Crab (used snow crab and canned lump crab meat)
• Spicy Mayo
• Cream Cheese (room temperature)
• Cajun Seasoning
• Jalapeno
• Green Onion
• Sesame Oil
• Lemon Juice

SPICY MAYO

• Mayonnaise
• Sriracha
• Sesame Oil
• Garlic (optional)

EEL (UNAGI) SAUCE

• Soy Sauce
• Sake
• Sugar
• Mirin

TOPPINGS

• Avocado
• Sesame Seeds
• Crunchy Onion
• Spicy Mayo
• Eel (Unagi) Sauce
• Green Onion
• Furikake Seasoning

HOW TO MAKE SUSHI BAKE

First, prepare the sushi rice. Follow the package instructions on your bag of rice carefully.

While the rice cooks, it is advantageous to complete more steps. With that said, prep additional ingredients by chopping the green onion, jalapeno, slice the avocado, and measure out all remaining ingredients.

HOW TO PREPARE SPICY CRAB MIXTURE

While the rice continues to cook, in a bowl add the snow crab (and canned lump crab if applicable). Next, add green onion, Cajun seasoning, cream cheese, lemon juice, sesame oil and spicy mayo.

Stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside until further use.

HOW TO MAKE SPICY MAYO

If you are preparing the spicy mayo at home, now is a good time to prepare it. Allowing the sauce to marinate makes for great flavor. You can certainly purchase store bought though and get great results.

Start by adding mayo, sriracha, sesame oil and garlic to a bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Adjust spiciness and flavor to your liking and refrigerate until ready for use.

HOW TO MAKE EEL (UNAGI) SAUCE

Begin by pouring the sugar in a small to medium sized skillet. Next, pour in the sake and mirin and stir until dissolved.

While the mixture is coming to a boil, add in soy sauce, stir and bring back to a full boil. After that, reduce heat to a low simmer and allow sauce to thicken.

After ten minutes, turn heat off and let cool. As sauce cools, it will thicken. Set aside until later use!

HOW TO PREPARE RICE FOR SUSHI BAKE

After the rice has boiled and cooked through, in a separate bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, oil and stir. Add liquid mixture to rice and stir until thoroughly combined. Allow rice to cool until assembly.

SUSHI BAKE INSTUCTIONS CONTINUED

Now that all the components to make sushi bake are complete, it is time to prepare the final steps in the recipe. First, in a baking dish spray with cooking spray or cover in oil to assist with the rice not sticking.

Next, add the prepared sushi rice to the bottom of the pan. Be sure to use a flat cooking utensil to ensure the rice is evenly packed down.

Last, sprinkle sushi rice with furikake seasoning (should be an even layer across casserole dish).

Now, pour in spicy crab mixture being sure to evenly disperse the mixture. Sprinkle with additional furikake (optional) and bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes until crab mixture is bubbly and brown on top!

HOW TO SERVE SUSHI BAKE WITH SPICY CRAB

Now that the sushi bake is cooked through, drizzle additional spicy mayo and add eel sauce over the casserole. Next, garnish with furikake (optional) and green onions.

It is important to note, the sushi bake is best served cooled. This also allows the casserole to form into a better texture for serving.

Once, cooled using a spatula, simply carve out portions of the sushi bake onto a small plate. Garnish with thinly sliced avocado and any additional desired toppings.

If using seaweed or nori sheets, simply place the sushi bake on top of the sheet and enjoy!

TIPS AND TRICKS

• Prep all ingredients for easy cooking.
• Allow the casserole to cool at least 15 minutes before serving for best results.
• Make sure casserole dish is oiled/greased down. If not, the rice will stick to the casserole dish.

WHAT TO SERVE SUSHI BAKE WITH

• Flavored seaweed sheets
• Seaweed Salad
• Salad with ginger dressing
• Wasabi
• Pickled Ginger

SUBSTITUTIONS FOR THIS RECPE

There are many substitutions to make this recipe more to your liking and budget. Here is how:

1. Protein- Substitute snow crab with shrimp, scallops, imitation crab or go meatless!
2. Seaweed Sheets- Unable to locate seaweed sheets? Often, nori sheets can be found at most local markets on the Asian aisle.
3. Don't Bake- While the craze right now is "sushi bake" this recipe is certainly just as tasty served chilled and will resemble the true flavor and feel of sushi. Click here to follow instructions!

Additions– Add fresh fruit like mango. Or double up on protein and add crab and shrimp. Fun toppings like fried onions and fun sauces like unagi sauce would be delicious!

HOW TO STORE

While I’m certain you will have minimal leftovers because this dish is absolutely delicious, you can store crab sushi bake.

1. Transfer any leftover casserole into an airtight container and store in the fridge.
2. Be certain to only store the casserole portion of the recipe (the rice and crab mixture).
3. Store additional toppings and sauces separately.

HOW TO REHEAT

This recipe tastes better with time. The flavor will deepen, and the integrity of the texture surprisingly lasts too! Here is how best to reheat sushi bake.

1. Microwave on a safe plate or bowl covered for about one minute.
2. A trick my Grandad did which I think adds value, sprinkle a bit of water over the dish before microwaving. Or add once cube of ice. This helps to steam the rice back to its original texture.
3. Once reheated through, then add additional sauces and toppings.

HOW LONG DOES THIS RECIPE LAST?

Again, this recipe will not last long and I’m certain your loved ones or guests will absolutely devour this recipe. But once stored, this dish can last in the refrigerator for up to three to five days.

I always use my old school rule of thumb that if it smells funny. It’s probably not the safest to consume!

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Next, you have to try:

Crab Sushi Bake

Dragon Roll Sushi Bowl

Philly Roll Sushi Bowl