Spicy Salmon Sushi Cups

Close-up of spicy salmon sushi roll with sesame seeds and green onions.

Crispy-edged sushi rice baked in nori cups, topped with spicy Japanese mayo salmon. Sweet, salty, a little heat. Ready in 30 minutes and built to disappear fast.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, Japanese

Keyword baked sushi cups, spicy salmon bites, spicy salmon sushi cups, sushi appetizer recipe, sushi cups

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings sushi cups

Calories 71kcal

Author Chef Josh

Ingredients

Spicy Salmon

12 oz sushi-grade salmon finely diced
2 tablespoon Japanese mayo Kewpie
2 teaspoon chili sauce adjust to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional

Sushi Rice

1 cup short-grain sushi rice
1 ¼ cups water
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt

Assembly

3 sheets nori cut into quarters (12 squares total)
Sesame seeds for topping
2 green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

Cook the Sushi Rice: Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine the rice and water in a rice cooker or saucepan. Cook according to your rice cooker's instructions, or bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved.
Transfer the cooked rice to a large bowl. Drizzle the vinegar mixture over the rice and gently fold it in using a spatula, being careful not to mash the grains. Let the rice cool until just warm to the touch before using. Warm rice holds together best for sushi. Avoid using it while hot, as it will be too soft and difficult to handle.
Make the Spicy Salmon: Combine diced salmon, Japanese mayo, chili sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, and sesame seeds in a bowl. Mix gently until fully coated. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to marinate.
Form the Nori Cups: Cut each nori sheet into quarters so you have 12 squares. Make four small cuts from the edges toward the center of each square, pinwheel style. Press each one into a muffin tin cavity to form a cup shape.
Build: Add about 2 tablespoon of warm sushi rice to each nori cup and press lightly to hold. Top each with about 2 tablespoon of spicy salmon. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake: Bake at 425°F for 7 to 8 minutes. The rice edges should look lightly golden. The salmon should look just warmed through. Pull them early if unsure — slightly underbaked is better than overcooked salmon.
Finish: Remove from the oven and top with sliced green onions. Serve immediately while warm.

Notes

On the Salmon: Use sushi-grade salmon. This salmon is warmed rather than fully cooked, which means the grade matters. Look for it at a Japanese grocery store or a fishmonger who labels it explicitly. Ask if you're not sure. It's worth getting right.
On the Nori Cuts: The pinwheel cuts are what allow the flat nori square to fold into a cup shape without tearing. Four cuts from each edge toward the center — not all the way through — creates flaps that overlap when pressed into the muffin tin. Work gently and the nori does most of the shaping work on its own.
On the Rice Press: Press the rice just enough to hold its shape. Too much pressure and it compacts into a dense disc that doesn't have the right texture. A light press with two fingers is all it needs. The baking does the rest of the work in terms of setting the edges.
On Serving: These eat best warm, straight from the pan. They hold for about 20 minutes before the nori softens from the rice moisture and loses its structure. If you're making them for a party, time the bake so they come out close to when you want to serve them.

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