If you love sushi and cupcakes (I know—they’re quite different things!), then you’re going to love this fun little twist: baked sushi cups! I kept seeing this viral dish floating around online, and I finally had to give it a try.
These sushi cups are adorable, delicious, and surprisingly easy to make at home. Think of savoury salmon, crispy nori, and creamy mayo all baked into one perfect mouthful. And do you know what’s the best? You don’t need to roll anything!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super Easy to Make – No rolling, no fuss. Just layer, bake, and serve.
- Great for Parties – These sushi cups are fun, hand-held, and the perfect bite-size treat.
- Customisable – You can easily switch out the fillings to suit your preferences.
- Kid-Friendly – A great way to introduce sushi to little ones without the raw fish.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make these baked sushi cups. Feel free to adapt based on what you have on hand:
- Salmon – I used fresh, skinless salmon diced into small cubes.
No salmon? Swap with cooked prawns, canned tuna, imitation crab, or even marinated tofu for a vegetarian version. - Kewpie Mayo – Adds that rich, umami creaminess unique to Japanese mayo.
Substitute with regular mayo in a pinch, but Kewpie really makes a difference. - Sriracha – For heat and flavour.
Adjust based on spice preference—or swap for chili oil or gochujang. - Soy Sauce – Adds savoury depth to the marinade.
- Nori Sheets – Cut into squares to fit your muffin tin. They act as the base “crust” for each cup.
- Steamed Rice – Sushi rice or short-grain rice works best for that sticky texture.
Microwave rice is totally fine if you’re short on time! - Rice Vinegar & Sugar – This classic combo seasons the rice to make it sushi-style.
You will also need :
A muffin and cupcake tin
Try This Recipe
If you give these Baked Sushi Cups a go, I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Baked Sushi Cups
Equipment
- 1 Muffin or cupcakes tin
Ingredients
- 200 g skinless salmon, diced
- 1 tbsp Kewpie mayo
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- Nori seaweed sheets, cut to fit your muffin tin
- 200 g cooked steamed rice preferably sushi rice or short-grain rice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Chilli mayo, for drizzling
- Sesame seeds and chopped spring onion, for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the diced salmon with Kewpie mayo, sriracha, and soy sauce. Let it marinate for 15 minutes.
- Cook the rice using your preferred method. While the rice is still warm, stir in the vinegar and sugar mixture (tip: warm the vinegar slightly to help dissolve the sugar more easily).
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Spoon and spread a layer of rice onto each piece of nori, then gently press the rice-covered nori into the muffin tin to form a cup shape.
- Top each rice cup with a generous spoonful of the marinated salmon.
- Bake in the preheated oven for around 15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through.
- Once out of the oven, drizzle with chilli mayo and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped spring onion. Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
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