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Sushi is one of those foods I always say you should just order out. Leave it to the pros. But these sushi stacks take all the stress and fuss out of making sushi at home. With a base of seasoned sushi rice, a layer of nori, and spicy salmon baked together, this recipe gives you all the yummy sushi flavors – without any of the precision or pressure. Just some prep, then you bake, slice, and serve with my spicy soy sauce. Easy and so delicious.
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but my brother Red loves sushi. He’s always asking me to make it, and I usually respond with one of two answers: let’s go out for sushi, or I’ll make you a spicy tuna bowl.
I’ve attempted traditional sushi exactly twice, and both times I wished I hadn’t started. It’s a little too tedious for me, and honestly, I really do believe sushi should be left to the pros. I am definitely not one of them.
I make spicy tuna bowls all the time, but raw, sushi-grade tuna can be surprisingly hard to find. So when Red and the rest of the family were all together over the holidays, I wanted something with major sushi vibes—just without all the stress.
These salmon sushi stacks are best served warm, which makes them even cozier and easier to pull off. They’re fun to eat, simple to make, and completely delicious. Everyone loved these stacks, especially topped with lots of spicy soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Such a great dinner for the whole family!
These are the details
Ingredients for the sushi bake
- cooked sushi rice
- rice vinegar
- granulated sugar
- sea salt
- salmon
- mayo
- hot sauce
- tamari/soy sauce
- toasted sesame oil
- freshly grated ginger
- green onions
- nori sheets
Spicy Soy Sauce Ingredients
- tamari/soy sauce
- chili paste
- toasted sesame oil
Ingredients for serving
- avocado
- toasted sesame seeds
- green onions
The Steps
Step 1: Prepare the Rice
Preheat the oven. Cook the sushi rice according to package directions.
Step 2: Season and Layer the Rice
In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Add the mixture to the hot rice and gently toss to coat.
Press the seasoned rice evenly into a square baking dish. Lay the nori sheets over the rice, trimming as needed to fit.
Step 3: Mix and Bake the Salmon
In a bowl, combine the cubed salmon, mayonnaise, hot sauce, tamari (or soy sauce), toasted sesame oil, and green onions. Spoon the salmon mixture evenly over the nori.
Bake until the salmon is just cooked through and the edges are lightly golden.
Step 4: Make the Sauce
Stir together the tamari (or soy sauce), chili paste, and toasted sesame oil in a small bowl. Add chili flakes for extra heat.
Serving
Cut the sushi stack into squares and serve warm. Top with avocado, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced green onions. Drizzle generously with the spicy sauce.
Red was my ultimate taste tester for this one. He doesn’t usually love salmon, but he went back for seconds — with plenty of extra sauce. Honestly, we all did.
And the best part? This comes together easily on a weeknight, and the leftovers make the best lunch the next day.
Looking for other salmon recipes? Here are a few:
Sheet Pan Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
Parchment Baked Roasted Red Pepper Salmon
Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter
Baked Chipotle Salmon Sushi Cups
Lastly, if you make these Easy Spicy Salmon Sushi Stacks, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easy Spicy Salmon Sushi Stacks
Ingredients
- 2 cups sushi rice, cooked
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- sea salt
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon, cubed
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamari/soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 4 sheets nori
- avocado, sesame seeds, and green onions, for serving
Spicy Soy Sauce
- 1/3 cup tamari/soy sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons chili paste
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cook the rice according to package directions.2. In a bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Stir into the warm rice. Spread and press the rice evenly into a square baking dish.3. Arrange the nori sheets evenly over the rice.4. In a bowl, mix together the salmon, mayonnaise, hot sauce, tamari (or soy sauce), sesame oil, ginger, and green onions. Spread the salmon mixture evenly over the rice. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown. Slice into squares.5. To make the sauce, combine all ingredients.6. Serve topped with avocado, sesame seeds, green onions, and the spicy soy sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I was excited for this one but it turned out horribly
Hi Stephanie,
Very sorry to hear this. Is there anything specific that I can help with? Please let me know!
My family loved it ! I have to say that I was concerned, although my daughter and I love Sushi, my husband does not. He loved it. Sent the leftovers with my daughter to work today as you suggested !
Hey Debbie,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it!
I made this tonight and my husband and I loved it! I didn’t have nori so just used the Trader Joe’s Japanese multi-purpose seasoning for my nori layer. I’ve been craving sushi and this hit the spot! I will definitely be making it again!
Hey Nancy,
Fantastic! Thanks for trying this recipe, I’m so glad to hear you liked it!
I used this recipe for my first try at sushi making! Cooked the salmon with the sauce on top and made the rice with its ingredients separately and then placed nori sheets shiny side down, added a strip of salmon, rice and avocado along the sheet and rolled up. Used spicy soy sauce for dipping.
Family enjoyed.
Hey Brenda,
Perfect! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it was enjoyed!
Made this and I have to be honest — it didn’t work out great for me. The rice ended up kinda mushy and didn’t really hold together, and the texture was just off overall. The salmon got overcooked in parts while other bits were underdone, so it never felt balanced. The nori got slimy instead of crisp, which made it even less enjoyable, and the ‘sushi stack’ just felt like a weird baked salmon casserole rather than anything close to real sushi.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Danielle. Sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed!
Is there a reason you bake sushi grade salmon? Seems like you could just season and assemble, right?
Hey Deb,
I did not use sushi grade salmon for this recipe, just regular wild caught. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi Tieghan-
This recipes looks delicious and I think my kids will love! Can it be reheated if eating at different times or best immediately after cooking?
Thanks so much!! I would just serve at room temperature after the first bake. I hope your family loves this recipe!
Oh goodness I have never left a bad review before but this was a disappointment. The texture is not appetizing, very soft and mushy but the salmon was overcooked. The worst part was the nori was slimy and wet. It would be much better to use the nori to scoop the dish like I have seen in other recipes like this or cut and place on top after baking maybe.
Hi Jessie,
Very sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed. Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback!
Not very good to be honest, I’ll stick with actual sushi next time.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Sara. Sorry to hear you did not enjoy the recipe!
Made this exactly as written and it just didn’t work for me. The rice was bland, the sauce overpowered everything, and the textures were off. Ended up feeling heavy and mushy rather than fresh like sushi.
Thanks for sharing your notes, Monica. Very sorry to hear you did not enjoy this recipe!
Tried this tonight and was honestly underwhelmed. The flavors were confusing, the rice didn’t hold well, and it felt like a lot of steps for a pretty average result.
Hi Morgan,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
Made this tonight. Absolutely delicious. A1. All my kids requested this as Birthday Dinner. Bravo!
Hey Alyssa,
Awesome! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed by your family, thanks so much for giving it a try!
What size square pan, 8×8 or 9×9? Could you do this with tuna and bake it less?
Hi Penny,
You can use either size for this recipe:) Tuna would also be delicious! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it!
Adding on to my previous post…. It was very hard to cut into sushi pieces, definitely too hard for me to get looking like store bought ones, but interesting to give it a try!
Sounds and looks delish, can’t wait to try it. 😋
Thanks so much, Bridgette. I hope you love this recipe!
I can’t give a rating since I have not made this yet. It sounds delicious and easy. I will get back with a rating after I try this I’m looking forward to trying it.
Thanks a lot, Charlotte! I hope you love this recipe, let me know how it turns out for you!
Hello
Can this be made in advance or frozen? Should it be hot or cold?
Thanks
Hey Lynette! I have not frozen this so I’m unsure. I imagine once cooked you could freeze.
We love this best warm!
Have a great week and enjoy the recipe!