by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor
Just a reminder, Nisei Ski Club picnic is taking place on Sunday August 10, 2025.
It would be great if someone step up to the plate to make this Pan Sushi.
Pan Sushi is a popular Hawaii potluck dish. It also makes for an easy DIY sushi meal at home. The layering ingredients (like crab, avocado, and cucumber) are flexible, just make sure you have rice and furikake.
Pan Sushi is a layered sushi dish. It typically consists of rice, crab/tuna/salmon mixed with mayonnaise, furikake, cucumbers, avocado, and tobiko.
Basically, all of your favorite fun sushi roll fillings but layered instead of rolled. The ingredients are flexible and can be tailored to what you have on hand. Everything is layered and pressed together in a pan, hence the name Pan Sushi.
How To Eat Pan Sushi?
There are two main eating styles:
Scoop and Fold (with nori)
Take a big scoop of the pan sushi and put it on your plate. On the side of your plate are a few sheets of nori (seaweed). Put a spoonful of the pan sushi on the nori, and eat! It’s an extra easy version of DIY hand rolls. This is the more common version and the one I’m posting about today.
Pre-Cut Squares
For this method, you must layer the nori directly in the pan when making the pan sushi (make the nori the bottom and top layer of the pan sushi). Press tightly so that all the layers are packed. Refrigerate the whole pan sushi for an hour. Then cut into squares. Everyone picks up a square and eats it just like that.
What Can You Put In Pan Sushi?
Pan sushi is super flexible. Everyone does their own version. There is no right or wrong, that is the beauty of it.
Make sure you have the basics (rice, furikake, etc), and then you can mix it up from there:
Rice
Pan sushi is usually made for a group, but I’ve just been cooking for two of us lately. I cook one cup of rice for two people. After the rice is done cooking, remove from the rice cooker, let it cool for about 15 minutes and season with a mix of sugar, salt, and rice vinegar.
Furikake
You can use any kind of furikake you like. We usually get this Nori Komi Furikake.
Protein
Imitation crab is the most common protein for pan sushi. You can also use canned tuna or salmon, and even kamaboko (fishcake). I usually have salmon in the freezer so I’ll defrost a half pound fillet and bake it in the oven. Let cool and then flake it with a fork. You can also mix protein (I know some people love doing half imitation crab and half real crab).
Whatever protein you chose, flake/shred/dice small and mix it with a spoonful of mayonnaise. Why mayonnaise? Because 1) it tastes good, and 2) this allows you to spread the crab/tuna/salmon more easily over the rice.
Cucumber
Cut the cucumber into small dice (or thin slices, up to you), and sprinkle with a little salt and mix. Set aside for 15 minutes. The salt will draw out the water and make the cucumber extra crisp.
Avocado
Whether sliced thin or diced, avocado is always welcome in pan sushi.
Tobiko and/or Ikura
Who doesn’t love tobiko and ikura! I like this as the top layer of pan sushi because it is most attractive (and also very delicious). Sometimes people mix tobiko with the crab/tuna/salmon which is also a good idea. If you want to go all out, mix tobiko with the crab/tuna/salmon (which is layered in the middle), and put ikura on the very top.
An extra tasty bite!
Bon Appetite – Julia Child and Karen Soo share the same birthday.
Serves 10
Ingredients
- 3cups cooked sushi rice (slightly cooled). See Note below.
- 6-8 ounces tuna, salmon, or imitation crab
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons furikake
- 1 cucumber, sliced thin or cut into a small dice
- ½ avocado, sliced thin or cut into a small dice (optional)
- 2-3 ounces ikura (optional)
- 1-2 packages nori / roasted seaweed sheets
Instructions
1. Find a pan/container you want to layer in (I made this in a 6-inch round container). Wash and set aside.
2. Mix the tuna, salmon, or imitation crab with the mayonnaise in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Put the prepared sushi rice on the bottom layer of the pan. Press the rice down with your hand or spatula.
4. Layer the mixed tuna, salmon, or imitation crab on top. Pat down.
5. Sprinkle a tablespoon of furikake on top. Then follow with a layer of cucumber and avocado.
6. Do one more layer of rice, pat down.
7. Then top with a tablespoon of furikake and ikura.
8. Place the pan sushi in the middle of the table and put a big scoop on your bowl. Make small rolls/bites with sheets of nori. Enjoy! ^_^
Notes
To make sushi rice: Combine 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small dish. Mix until sugar and salt is dissolved. Fold into 3 cups cooked rice.
