Spice It Up: Salmon Sushi Bake with Nori Seaweed

By Meiqi Zheng, Dietetic Intern

This simple sushi – inspired recipe is a perfect dish for you to share as a meal with you and your loved one. It is basically sushi but in a casserole form that not only is well balanced and fits into a pescatarian diet, but it is also simple to make. This recipe incorporates salmon which is low in saturated fat and high in protein, making this dish ideal for one who wants to maintain a healthy weight and remain satiated. On top of that, salmon is a good source of vitamin D, iron and potassium, making this dish nutritiously dense and yummy [i]! This recipe is easily adjustable to suit your taste buds, because you can have as many (or as few) toppings as you like. Or, swap out the salmon with other protein options!

Ingredient Highlight: 

Salmon: Salmon is a good source of Omega 3, “healthy fat”, which serves as great anti-inflammatory properties that can help with decreasing cardiovascular risks, increase in kidney functions and many more [i]. 

Cucumber: This sweet and very aromatic fruit is filled with antioxidant properties by scavenging for free radicals  in our body and preventing oxidation which may lead to negative consequences. Cucumbers have a very high water content and high in vitamins K, C and B vitamins along with other trace minerals making an ideal supplement to include in waters [ii]. 

Nori seaweed: Nori is among a variety of seaweed and very common in the Japanese diet. It is high in iodine which plays an important role in the thyroid function. Nori Seaweed is also low in fat but contains small amounts of polyunsaturated fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids [iv].

Avocado: Avocado is a tropical fruit that contains many fat soluble vitamins that are not seen in other foods such as Vitamin A, B and small amounts of D and E. They are high in fiber which can aid in gut health [iii]. 

Recipe, Serves 6

Ingredients:

Sushi Rice

• 1 cup sushi rice (or rice of choice) 
• 1 ½ cup of water or as directed on the packaging instructions 
• 4 tablespoon rice vinegar 

Salmon Mix 

• 1 ½ pound salmon 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
• 2 tablespoon soft low fat cream cheese
• 2 tablespoon japanese mayo (Kewpi mayo)
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Toppings:

• 1 avocado 
• ½ cup thinly sliced Cucumber 
• ½ cup thawed Corn kernels
• 1 package Nori Seaweed

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash the rice until slightly clear then add in 1 ½ cup of water in a pot. Cook the pot with lid until boil then reduce heat and simmer. Cook until 15-25 minutes until water is absorbed. If equipment permits, use a rice cooker. 
2. Once rice is done cooking, mix in the vinegar carefully to minimize the breakage of the rice grains. Set rice aside to cool
3. Cut salmon into small cubes (ideally 1 inch) to make it easier to cook. In a separate bowl, season the salmon with salt and pepper.
4. Add small amounts of oil onto a pan. You can use cooking spray as well. Add salmon onto the pan and use a spatula to mix the salmon to make sure it is fully cooked. Once fully cooked, turn off the stove and put the salmon in a large bowl. Break up the salmon into thin shreds. Add the cream cheese, soy sauce, and mayo into the shredded salmon. Mix thoroughly.
5. Cut the cucumber and avocado into thin slice. Add the corn kernels on top.
6. Spray a 9*9 inch cooking pan with oil. Evenly spread out the rice on the cooking pan. Evenly layer and spread out the salmon mix on top of the rice. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 F. Once 15 minutes is up, take out of the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes in room temperature. Once cooled down, layer on the cucumber, avocado and corn. Drizzle some soy sauce and mayonnaise on top. 
7. Wrap it with Nori seaweed and enjoy!

Notes

• Make use of old rice! This recipe calls for sushi rice, however you can use leftover rice or other rice such as jasmine, long grain rice, or brown rice. 
• Make it vegan! You can swap salmon for thinly cubed tofu or mushrooms.
• If you don’t have Nori seaweed, that is ok! You can use a lettuce wrap.

References:

[i] Zivkovic, A. M., Telis, N., German, J. B., & Hammock, B. D. (2011). Dietary omega-3 fatty acids aid in the modulation of inflammation and metabolic health. California agriculture, 65(3), 106–111. https://doi.org/10.3733/ca.v065n03p106

[ii] Evaluating the Potential Benefits of Cucumbers for Improved Health and Skin Care. (n.d.). JAR Life. https://doi.org/10.14283/jarcp.2016.108

[iii] Duarte, P. F., Chaves, M. A., Borges, C. D., & Mendonça, C. R. B. (2016). Avocado: characteristics, health benefits and uses. Ciência Rural, 46(4), 747–754. https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-8478cr20141516[iv] Seaweed. (2024, May 9). The Nutrition Soure. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/seaweed/