This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Crispy Rice Sushi is my new favorite—crunchy golden rice cakes topped with smoked salmon, creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, and a drizzle of my Bang Bang Sauce. You get that perfect bite of crazy crunch, followed by silky, creamy, flavor-packed toppings!
They’re easy to make with both air fryer and stovetop options. Great for parties, game day, or a fun light dinner. I’ll walk you through step-by-step with expert tips to help you get the rice crispy, not greasy, and perfectly held together.
So delicious and so easy! I love ordering crispy rice when I’m out. Knowing that I can now make it at home is awesome. I literally did a happy dance while eating it.
– Angela
Table of Contents
What is crispy rice sushi
Crispy rice sushi is made with short-grain rice that’s pressed into a block, chilled, cut into squares, and fried until golden and crisp. Each piece is topped with creamy, savory toppings for the perfect crunchy bite.
Why this recipe works
- Rice that holds its shape: No more crumbly rice blocks. This method shows you how to press and chill the rice the right way so it slices clean and holds together when fried.
- Not oily or greasy: You’ll get that golden crisp without deep frying. I walk you through both pan-fry and air-fry methods—using just enough oil to crisp things up, not weigh them down.
- Super crispy + flavor-packed toppings: Flavorful, creamy, and totally customizable. Whether you’re into smoked salmon, spicy tuna, or veggie options, I’ve included plenty of topping ideas so you can make it your own.
Save This Recipe
Ingredients
There are 3 main components: Rice, Toppings, and Sauce.
- Rice: Use Japanese or Korean short-grain white rice—it’s extra starchy and holds together well.
- You can also use sticky rice (sweet rice) for a chewy texture, but slice the squares thinner.
- Season with soy sauce (or coconut aminos), rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil.
- Toppings: Persian cucumber, avocado, smoked salmon, chopped chive, and furikake or toasted sesame seeds.
- Bang Bang Sauce: Kewpie mayo, rice vinegar, hot sauce (or sweet chili sauce), garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, and a pinch of sea salt
How to make crispy rice sushi
Making crispy rice sushi at home is simple, but a few key techniques make all the difference. Here’s how to get rice that’s crispy, not greasy—and holds together beautifully.
Use the Right Rice (Fresh + Short-Grain)
- Stick with short-grain white rice—it’s the best for binding. Always use freshly cooked rice, not pre-cooked or leftovers. Warm rice has the right moisture to press and mold. Cold or packaged rice is drier and often falls apart when frying. See my how to cook rice in a rice cooker for more info.
Press While Warm
- Press the rice while it’s still hot so the grains stick together. Use a lined container and press the rice down firmly and evenly to about ½ inch thick. Focus on the edges and corners—they’re the first to crumble. The cling wrap can help you shape the sides.
Chill Before Slicing
- Let the rice cool, then refrigerate overnight. This helps it firm up into one solid block. If you slice too soon, the rice won’t hold together and may fall apart during cooking.
Slice Clean with a Damp Knife
- Wet the cutting board and dip your knife in water between cuts. This keeps the rice from sticking and gives you clean slices without tearing.
Air Fry or Pan Fry
- Air Fry: Spray the rice squares and basket with oil. Place the oiled side down and leave space between each piece. Air fry at 380°F (193°C) for 8 minutes, flip, spray again, and cook for another 8 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Pan Fry: Heat a skillet over medium and add 3–4 tbsp avocado oil. Add the rice squares with space between each piece. Fry for 4 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Add more oil if needed, but not too much—too much oil can make them greasy.
- Let the rice cool on a wire rack so the bottoms stay crisp.
Assemble and Serve
- Top each rice cake with cucumber, avocado, and smoked salmon. Drizzle with Bang Bang Sauce and garnish with chives or furikake. Serve right away while the rice is still crisp.
Tip
Topping variations (raw & Not raw options)
Remember not to overload the rice bites. Here are some topping ideas:
- With sushi-grade raw fish: Try ahi tuna, yellowfin tuna, salmon, or even steak tartare. Dice and mix with a little spicy mayo or ponzu for extra flavor.
- No raw fish options: Use smoked salmon (like in this recipe), canned tuna packed in olive oil, canned salmon, poached shrimp, or scallops—seared or diced. All work great with a creamy sauce or your favorite dressing.
Serving suggestions
Winter pairings: In colder months, serve these crispy rice bites with something warm and cozy like Chinese chicken egg drop soup, tomato egg drop soup, or a light bok choy soup.
Summer pairings: For warmer days, pair them with something cool and refreshing like my watermelon cocktail, Asian cucumber salad, or Chinese smashed cucumber salad.
ChihYu’s helpful tips
- Use Short-Grain Sushi Rice: It’s the only rice sticky enough to hold its shape when fried. Don’t use long grain or jasmine rice.
- Shape While Warm: Press and season the rice while it’s still warm. Warm rice sticks better and forms a solid block.
- Press Tightly, Especially at the Edges: Use a rice paddle or spoon to press the rice firmly into the dish. Don’t forget the corners—they fall apart the easiest.
- Chill Before You Cut: Once the pressed rice block is no longer hot, refrigerate it overnight in a sealed container. This firms it up so it holds together when sliced and fried.
- Slice with Water: Wet your knife blade and cutting board. This keeps the rice from sticking and gives you clean slices.
- Cool on a Wire Rack: After frying, place the rice pieces on a rack to prevent the bottoms from getting soggy.
Common Questions & Fixes
The rice likely wasn’t pressed firmly enough or it wasn’t chilled long enough. Press while the rice is still warm, focus on the corners and edges, and refrigerate overnight to help the grains stick together.
Your pan or air fryer might not have been hot enough. You also want to make sure the rice pieces are dry on the surface before frying—too much moisture = soft, not crispy. If air frying, lightly spray all sides of the rice pieces with oil. If pan frying, add a bit more oil to the pan as needed to help create that golden crust.
You may have overcrowded the pan or used oil that wasn’t hot enough—both can cause the rice to soak up oil instead of crisping. Fry in batches and use a neutral high-heat oil like avocado oil. If pan frying, avoid using too much oil, which can make the rice cakes greasy.
It’s usually from over-frying or using pre-cooked rice. Freshly cooked rice is warm and moist, which makes it easier to press and shape. Pre-cooked rice is often drier or coated with oil, making it harder to control the texture. For best results, use freshly cooked short-grain rice and press it while it’s still warm.
This usually happens when the rice squares aren’t firm or crispy enough—or if you add too much on top. Make sure the rice bites are fully crisped and cooled before assembling. A light layer of creamy toppings like mashed avocado or spicy mayo helps hold things in place. Avoid overloading each square so the toppings stay balanced and secure.
Try these recipes with crispy rice next!
- How to make crispy rice (coming soon!)
- Low carb tuna temaki sushi
- Spicy tuna bowl with crispy rice
Crispy Rice Sushi with Smoked Salmon Bang Bang Sauce
Video
Ingredients
For the rice:
- 8.64 oz short grain white rice often labeled as “sushi rice”
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos or 3/4 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Avocado oil or avocado oil spray
For the topping:
- 2 whole Persian cucumbers thinly slice to rounds
- 1-2 whole avocado sliced to small pieces
- 2 oz. smoked salmon
- Garnish Chive chopped
- Sprinkle Furikake or toasted sesame seeds, optional
Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup kewpie mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½-1 tsp hot sauce or sweet chili sauce
- 0.2 oz Garlic grated or crushed, about 1 large clove
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos or 1-2 tsp soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp ketchup
- 2 pinches coarse sea salt
Instructions
Cook & Press Rice:
- Prepare the rice: Rinse the rice 3-4 times until the water runs mostly clear. Add the water and cook the rice in a rice cooker. See my post on how to cook rice in a rice cooker for more info.
- Season the rice: Once the rice is cooked, while still hot, gently mix the rice grains with soy sauce or coconut aminos, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
- Line the container: Line a generous sized single layer of food cling wrap inside of a 8” by 8” (20 cm) square shaped baking dish or a container with flat bottom. This will be the mold to shape the sushi block.
- Shape and press the rice while still warm (hot): Add the rice to the container and press it down firmly using a rice paddle or the back of a spoon. Shape it as flat and even as possible, aiming for about a little thicker than ½ inch (1.27 cm) in thickness. Pay extra attention to the corners and edges—these are the areas most likely to fall apart. You can also lift the edges of the plastic wrap to help press and shape the rice block more evenly and keep the grains packed together.
- Seal and refrigerate: Once the rice grains are compressed into a big block and cool to room temperature. Seal the container and refrigerate overnight.
- Slice the rice to squares: Lightly damp the chopping board with some water so that the rice won’t stick to the board. Carefully lift the rice block out of the container and remove the cling wrap. Slice the rice block into roughly 10 rectangular shaped and equal sized pieces. You can dip the knife in a bowl of water to help slicing.
Crisp up the rice squares:
- To Air Fry: Preheat your air fryer. Spray the fryer basket with avocado oil. Spray the rice sushi pieces with another thin layer of oil then place the oiled-side down into the basket. Leave some space between the pieces. Air fry at 380F (193C) for 8 minutes. Spray another thin layer of oil and carefully flip them to air fry for another 8 additional minutes. The rice sushi should come out golden and a little crispy. Cool them down over a baking rack.
- To pan fry: Preheat a frying skillet over medium heat until it feels quite warm. Add 3-4 tbsp avocado oil. Add the rice sushi squares. Leave some space between each piece. You should hear the sizzling sound. Pan fry for 4 minutes or until you see the bottom turns golden brown then flip to cook another 3-4 minutes. Add more oil, if needed. The texture should be crispy golden outside and soft and little chewy inside. Cool them down over a baking rack
Assemble:
- Layer the rice sushi squares with a thin layer of cucumbers, avocado, and smoked salmon on top. Drizzle with the bang bang sauce and garnish with chive and furikake, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- About the rice: Use short-grain white rice—Japanese or Korean rice that’s often labeled “sushi rice” in Western grocery stores. For best results, use freshly cooked rice made at home, not pre-cooked or packaged rice.
- About the baking dish (the mold): I use an 8×8 inch (20 cm) square baking dish, but any rectangular container with a wide, flat bottom will work well.
Ideal thickness: In my tests, ½ inch (1.27 cm) thick rice squares give the best texture—crispy on the outside and tender inside. - Chill the rice block: Let the rice cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though overnight is best. This helps the rice set properly—if it’s still warm when slicing, it’s more likely to fall apart.
- Cool on a wire rack: After frying, place the rice pieces on a rack instead of a plate. This prevents the bottoms from getting soggy.
- Make-ahead tips: You can make the bang bang sauce ahead of time. The rice block can also be made the day before and chilled overnight. When ready to serve, just slice, fry, top, and enjoy!
- Storage & Reheat: Store the rice cakes separately from the toppings. Crispy rice tastes best fresh out of the fryer, so I recommend only cooking as much as you’ll eat. After re-frying, the rice squares can turn a bit firmer or harder to bite. It doesn’t bother me—but if you prefer a softer texture, try enjoying the leftovers chilled instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If I have leftover cooked rice, not knowing the original package amount, how much should I use?
Sorry. You’ll need to be more specific but if you have enough leftover cooked rice (and if they are sticky) you can shape them into little squares regardless they are thicker or thinner bites. For thinner bites with less rice, you can reduce the cook time because it will be cooked faster than thicker-cut.
Made it with sticky rice and it was delicious!
This was so delicious, my husband and I finished it all too quickly! Thanks for your amazing recipes.
This is literally the best thing we’ve ever made! We did the air fryer method and the rice sushi came out perfectly crispy crunchy with a lovely smoky soy sauce flavor. That bang bang sauce goes well with everything! Highly recommend it!