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Sushi Bake Cups with Shrimp and Crab Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.1 from 31 reviews
  • Author: Chef
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12 sushi bake cups
  • Category: Appetizer, Main Course
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Japanese

Description

Sushi Bake Cups with Shrimp and Crab are a delightful twist on traditional sushi, featuring a crispy nori cup filled with flavorful sushi rice and a creamy mixture of shrimp, imitation crab, cream cheese, and spicy mayo. Baked to perfection, these bite-sized cups offer a warm, savory, and mildly spicy appetizer or main course that’s easy to make and impressively delicious.

Ingredients

Sushi Rice

  • 1 cup uncooked regular white rice or Japanese rice
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ⅓ cup furikake, divided

Shrimp Mixture

  • 7 oz uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 7 oz imitation crab, shredded and chopped
  • ⅓ cup cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup sriracha or sweet chili sauce
  • ⅓ cup Kewpie mayonnaise (Japanese mayo)
  • 4 stalks green onion/scallions, chopped and divided

Nori

  • 6 nori sheets

Sauce

  • ⅓ cup Kewpie mayonnaise (Japanese mayo)
  • 1-2 tbsp sweet chili sauce or sriracha

To Serve (optional)

  • Japanese cucumber slices
  • Avocado slices
  • Sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Cook the Rice: Wash the rice 1 to 2 times with tap water until the water runs clear. Drain thoroughly. Cook the rice with 1 cup of water using your preferred method, either a rice cooker or stovetop method.
  2. Make Sushi Rice: In a large bowl, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, stirring until dissolved. Add the hot cooked rice to the bowl and gently fold in the vinegar mixture using a spatula to avoid mashing the rice. Sprinkle in half of the furikake seasoning and mix gently again. Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Prepare Shrimp Mixture: Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, then place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the shredded imitation crab, chopped green onions (reserve some for garnish), Kewpie mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sriracha or sweet chili sauce. Mix until creamy and well combined. Season with garlic powder and stir thoroughly.
  4. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven or air fryer oven to 400°F (200°C).
  5. Assemble Sushi Bake Cups: Cut each nori sheet into 4 equal squares. Place two nori squares in a crisscross pattern inside each muffin tin cup, allowing them to slightly overlap to form a sturdy base. Spoon about one heaping tablespoon of sushi rice on top of the nori in each cup, pressing gently to ensure the nori adheres to the bottom and sides forming a cup.
  6. Fill with Shrimp Mixture: Add a generous portion of the shrimp and crab mixture on top of the rice in each muffin cup, including roughly two shrimp pieces per cup. Repeat for all muffin cups, filling evenly.
  7. Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until warmed through. For a golden top, bake for up to 20 minutes using convection or air fryer mode.
  8. Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the Kewpie mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce or sriracha. Stir until smooth, then taste and adjust the balance to suit your preference.
  9. Serve: Drizzle the baked sushi cups with the prepared sweet-spicy mayo sauce, then garnish with the remaining chopped green onions and furikake. Optionally, top with slices of avocado, Japanese cucumber, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

  • The rice measurement uses a standard baking cup, which may differ from the measuring cup included with some rice cookers.
  • If using Marukan seasoned rice vinegar, omit or reduce the salt and sugar as the seasoning is already balanced.
  • Larger shrimp should be cut into bite-sized pieces for easier eating.
  • For a non-spicy version, substitute sriracha and sweet chili sauce with sweet teriyaki sauce or bottled eel sauce.
  • Nutrition values provided are approximate and exclude optional avocado and cucumber toppings.

Find it online: https://emilysplate.com/sushi-bake-cups-with-shrimp-and-crab-recipe/