Sushi Bake Cups with Spicy Crab and Crispy Topping
Sushi Cups
Handheld sushi bake cups with creamy spicy crab and crunchy panko topping.
Nutrition (per serving)
These Sushi Bake Cups take the beloved deconstructed sushi bake and turn it into a fun, handheld party snack. Creamy, spicy crab sits atop tangy seasoned sushi rice and gets a quick broil for a crisp, golden finish — all served in individual cups that are easy to pass around and impossible not to dig into.
I love how customizable these are: swap in real crab or canned crab meat, add avocado for creaminess or cucumber for crunch, and adjust the heat to suit your crowd. They come together quickly and always disappear first at gatherings.
Ingredients
- Sushi rice (uncooked):2 cups
- Water (for rice):2 1/2 cups
- Rice vinegar:3 tbsp
- Granulated sugar:2 tbsp
- Salt:1 tsp
- Imitation crab (surimi), shredded:8 oz
- Mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie):1/2 cup
- Sriracha (or to taste):2 tbsp
- Soy sauce:1 tbsp
- Sesame oil:1 tsp
- Furikake seasoning:2 tbsp
- Nori sheets, cut into thin strips:3 pieces
- Panko breadcrumbs:1/2 cup
- Unsalted butter:1 tbsp
- Green onions, thinly sliced:3 pieces
- Avocado, sliced (optional):1 piece
- Cucumber, thinly sliced (optional):1/2 cup
- Toasted sesame seeds:1 tbsp
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease six 6-oz oven-safe ramekins or a 6-cup muffin tin.
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Rinse sushi rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice and 2 1/2 cups water in a pot, bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes.
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While rice rests, warm rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves. Fold seasoned vinegar into hot rice gently with a wooden paddle, cooling slightly.
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In a bowl, mix shredded imitation crab, mayonnaise, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil and 1 tbsp chopped green onion until creamy. Taste and adjust spice or salt.
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In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat and toast panko until golden, about 3 minutes; stir in 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds and 1 tbsp furikake or a pinch of crumbled nori.
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Divide warm sushi rice among the prepared ramekins, pressing it up the sides to form a cup shape (about 3/4 cup rice per cup). Fill each rice cup with the spicy crab mixture, mounding slightly.
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Sprinkle toasted panko mixture evenly over each cup. Bake 10–12 minutes until centers are hot and topping is golden. For extra char, broil 1–2 minutes watching closely.
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Let cups cool 3–4 minutes, then garnish with avocado slices, cucumber, additional furikake, nori strips and remaining green onion. Serve warm with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi if desired.
Tips & Notes
- Make the rice ahead and keep it covered—warm rice presses better into cups than cold rice.
- If you prefer a lighter topping, skip the panko and finish under the broiler for a minute to brown the crab mixture directly.
- Use real crab for a luxurious version, or mix half real and half imitation for a cost-friendly option.
