This Sushi Casserole is everything you love about avocado cucumber sushi rolls made into casserole form. Tangy sushi rice, crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado, and a umami-rich furikake topping that ties everything together. Get ready to satisfy that sushi craving!
Table of Contents
Vegan casseroles are some of our favorite weeknight dinners to make. They’re quick, often use simple pantry staples, require little hands-on time, and can feed a hungry crowd!
And while you’ve likely had a more classic casserole dish, like Eggplant Parmesan, a Broccoli & Rice Casserole, or our incredible Loaded Baked Potato Casserole, this deconstructed sushi roll is easily one of our all-time favorites.
It’s a Sweet Simple Mom original and inspired by the sushi casserole we used to make growing up. My mom realized how eat it would be to veganize our childhood favorite, and since then, has been sharing this no-bake recipe with our friends and family at potlucks, parties, and more.
It’s a repeat recipe that’s always a hit amongst everyone, vegan or not. If you’ve tried our deconstructed sushi bowls or sushi donuts, you have to try this easy casserole!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sushi rice: The foundation of our easy sushi “bake” recipe (and any vegan sushi roll!). Unlike long-grain rice like jasmine rice, classic sushi rice sticks and clumps together when cooked, making it an ideal base for this sushi casserole. We love to use the Lundberg Sushi Rice OR the Lotus Foods Jade Pearl Rice. If needed, opt for another type of short grain rice of choice.
- Seasoned rice vinegar: Adds a subtle tang and sweetness to the rice and enhances the overall stickiness. This helps the rice hold its shape when sliced into individual servings. Sushi vinegar is a good substitute.
- Avocado: Adds creaminess and richness, balancing the crunch in the vegetables and tanginess in the rice.
- Fresh vegetables: We like to use fresh carrots and Persion cucumbers for their added freshness and crunch. Feel free to swap in your favorite sushi veggies!
- Furikake: A Japanese seasoning mix that adds a boost of umami and a slight crunch. We recommend trying our homemade furikake, made from toasted nori seaweed sheets, sesame seeds, coarse salt, and a pinch of sugar. Or, if you prefer store-bought, ensure it’s vegan by avoiding furikake made with with bonito flakes (made from tuna).
Casserole Add-Ins
The best part of making a homemade sushi casserole is you can customize it to include your favorite sushi ingredients. Load up your sushi casserole with your favorite sushi flavors by adding one or more of these add-in ideas:
- Tofu “Spam”: Make this sushi casserole a spin on our Tofu Musubi recipe by layering slices of our homemade tofu spam on top of the sushi rice.
- Smoky tofu: Similar to the “spam” musubi, our smoked tofu adds a boost of smoky flavor.
- Vegan cream cheese: Adds a rich, creamy layer, similar to the flavor of a Philadelphia sushi roll. Use a store-bought vegan cream cheese, or try our homemade vegan cream cheese.
- Spicy mayo: Made with a mixture of vegan mayonnaise (or vegan kewpie mayonnaise) and sriracha, spicy mayo drizzled on top is a great final addition.
- Vegan Lox: Layer on our Carrot Lox for a spin on lox nigiri or a lox and avocado roll. Pair it with our vegan cream cheese for the ultimate recipe!
- Soy sauce: A splash of soy sauce can boost the umami flavor and saltiness. Drizzle it on right before eating or serve on the side with wasabi and pickled ginger for dipping.
- Green onions: Adds a fresh, mild onion flavor.
- Vegan unagi: Try this incredible Vegan Unagi Recipe complete with a homemade eel sauce!
Equipment Needed
- Rice cooker or pot
- 9×11” baking dish
- Spatula
- Sharp knife
- Large bowl (if making homemade furikake seasoning)
- Blender or food processor (if making homemade furikake seasoning)
How to Make Homemade Furikake Seasoning
- Blend ingredients. Put all ingredients except the sesame seeds in a blender or food processor and pulse until a coarse meal is formed.
- Mix and store. Pour the blended contents into a large bowl, mix in the sesame seeds, and transfer to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
How to Make this No-Bake Sushi Casserole
- Rinse the rice. Rinse the sushi rice until the water runs clear. Transfer it to a rice cooker or pot and add the appropriate amount of water as per your packaging instructions. Soak the rinsed rice in the water for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Cook the rice. If using a rice cooker, set it to cook. For stovetop cooking, bring the soaked rice to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let it sit for 10 minutes without lifting the lid. Fluff the warm rice with a fork once done.
- Season the rice. Once the rice has cooled to room temperature, mix in the seasoned rice vinegar, adding more to taste if desired.
- Prepare the base. Press the cooked rice into the bottom of your baking dish and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of furikake.
- Layer vegetables. Evenly layer the julienned carrots and then the sliced cucumbers on top of the rice.
- Add avocado. Score the avocado halves, then using a spoon, scoop the avocado onto the casserole. Spread with a spatula to create an even, smooth layer. Sprinklethe top of the sushi “bake” with remaining furikake.
- Serve. Slice the sushi casserole like a lasagna and serve with a side of nori sheets and your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
We like to eat this sushi casserole with our hands. Grab the sheet of nori (seaweed snack sheets are great for this!), then using your hands or a spoon, scoop the casserole into the nori sheet and dig in!
This casserole can be enjoyed as a main dish, side dish, or even a hearty afternoon snack!
We like to enjoy it as a main, alongside a bowl of Miso Soup and steamed edamame. It’s also delicious with a simple green salad dressed with our Ginger Miso Dressing.
Storage Instructions
This casserole is best served fresh, but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To keep the rice as moist as possible, store directly in the casserole dish tightly covered with plastic wrap, or transfer individual slices to an airtight container.
Freezing is not recommended as it would negatively affect the texture of the fresh vegetables and avocado.
More Vegan Casserole Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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No-Bake Sushi Casserole
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Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes -
Yield: 6 servings
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This Sushi Casserole is everything you love about avocado cucumber sushi rolls made into casserole form. Tangy sushi rice, crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado, and a umami-rich furikake topping that ties everything together. Get ready to satisfy that sushi craving!
Ingredients
- 2 cups sushi rice*
- 1–2 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar, or to taste
- 2 large Hass avocados or 4 small
- 1 medium carrots, shredded
- 2 small Persian cucumbers, cut into small matchsticks
- 1/4 cup furikake + more as desired, storebought or homemade (recipe below)
- 9x11” glass baking dish (or dish of choice)
Homemade Furikake
- 2 sheets toasted nori seaweed
- 1/4 cup toasted white and/or black sesame seeds (or a mix of both)
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or sugar of choice
Serve with (optional)
- Small or large sheets of nori*
- Soy sauce
Instructions
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Transfer it to a rice cooker or pot and add in the appropriate amount of water depending on your packaging directions (we used 3 cups). Soak the rinsed rice in the water for 30 minutes before cooking. If you are using a rice cooker, set it to cook (set it to “sweet rice” if you have the option). If you are cooking it on the stovetop, bring the soaked rice to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low simmer. Cook for 20 minutes and then remove the pot from heat (do not remove the lid) for 10 minutes. Once set, uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Once cooled, mix in the seasoned rice vinegar, adding more as desired to taste.
- Press the rice into the bottom of the baking dish and then sprinkle it with 2 tablespoons of furikake.
- Evenly layer on the julienned carrots followed by the sliced cucumbers. Lastly, add the avocado on top as desired. What we like to do is score the avocado into thin squares, scoop the whole avocado out onto the casserole and spread it over with a spatula to get a flat and smooth layer. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of furikake on top + more as desired.
- Slice the sushi casserole as you would a lasagna and serve with a side of nori. We like to eat this casserole with our hands, as you would sushi! Grab the nori sheet, and using either your hands or a spoon, scoop off a piece of the casserole into the nori sheet and dig in!
Homemade Furikake
- Put all ingredients except the sesame seeds in a blender/food processor and pulse until a coarse meal is formed (you still want each ingredient to be visible).
- Pour the blended contents into a large bowl and mix in the sesame seeds. Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in a cool and dry place.
Notes
- We love to use the Lundberg Sushi Rice OR the Lotus Foods Jade Pearl Rice.
- You can opt for the small snacking seaweed sheets that are available at most grocery stores OR large nori sheets. If using large nori sheets, we recommend quartering each sheet for easier handling with the casserole.
- Be sure that the furikake you purchase does not have bonito (fish) flakes.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
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