Recipe provided by aroviews.com Jennifer Clark.
Sushi has always been a go-to food of mine when I’m in the mood for something light and delicious. But lately, my sushi cravings have taken an unexpected turn. And now, instead of craving the traditional California roll or spicy tuna roll that I’ve always loved so much, my taste buds are telling me that it’s time to try something new: sushi pizza.
This unique combination combines all of my favorite things about sushi – fresh fish and vegetables – with crispy bread crust to create a flavorful meal unlike anything else out there! Read on below to learn more about this exciting new trend and what you need to know if you want to give it a try yourself!
What Are the Origins of Pizza?
Pizza as we know it today has been around since 1889, when a Neapolitan man named Raffaele Esposito created a dish made entirely out of cheese and tomato sauce for visiting Queen Margherita . Nowadays, there are many different types of pizzas including a Chicago style deep dish pizza and even a dessert pizza with cinnamon sugar on top! With that being said, these modern twists may seem like they’re pretty far away from what you’d expect to find in Italy.
What Is Sushi Pizza?
Sushi pizza is exactly what it sounds like: sushi but in the form of a pizza . Sushi pizza combines crusty bread with different types of fish and vegetables to make a delicious meal.
How Is Sushi Pizza Made?
The best way to describe making sushi pizzas at home would be like assembling mini California rolls: you begin by spreading rice onto your choice of flatbread, and then add different toppings depending on the flavor that you want.
You can choose to top your sushi with classic ingredients such as tuna or cucumbers, or be more adventurous and try something unique like shredded duck meat or lightly fried mung beans.
Once you have topped your flatbread, whatever ingredients are calling out to you , you can then pop your sushi pizza in the oven for a few minutes to make everything nice and hot.
Sushi pizzas were created by Fuchsia Dunlop, an expert on Chinese cuisine and author of several cookbooks including: ‘Every Grain of Rice.’ They first began to catch on in London and Hong Kong before spreading around the world.
Since they’re such a new food trend, they aren’t widely available at most restaurants yet; however, there are several restaurants that now offer them as menu items for customers who want to try something unique!
As if it wasn’t delicious enough, there is also some evidence that suggests that eating fish can be beneficial for your health . Additionally, adding vegetables into your diet is always a great idea! And with flavors both traditional and unique, sushi pizzas make it easy to get all of these necessary nutrients into one meal.
How Do I Make Sushi Pizza at Home ?
To make sushi pizza at home, you will need flatbread or naan, rice , salt, sugar, and water . Once you have these ingredients ready to go , use a rice cooker to cook the rice. Once it is finished cooking, season it with salt and sugar until it tastes good, then leave it inside of the rice cooker with the heat turned off until everything has cooled down.
Next spread out your flatbread (or naan) onto a baking sheet then spray some oil onto the bread before placing into an oven that has been preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about five minutes. Leaving the bread in longer if necessary to make sure that they are nice and crispy before turning off the oven but leaving them in there for another five minutes.
After this, pour your rice onto the bread and add whatever other ingredients you would like to have on top of your sushi pizza before putting it in the oven for a couple minutes so that everything is nice and hot!
What Are Some Common Sushi Pizza Combinations?
There are many different flavors that can be used to make sushi pizzas , however when it comes down to it there are two main categories: traditional and unique . In addition to these two flavor profiles, there’s also a third flavor profile which is not really considered ‘traditional’ but could still be thought of as a typical option: warm. Here we will go over four different types of sushi pizzas including: warm, traditional, unique, and combinations of the three.
Traditional Sushi Pizza
Salt and sugar rice, vegetables, fish/toppings Salt and Sugar Rice: one of the most common traditional flavors that is used in sushi pizzas is a mixture of salt and sugar to season your rice. You can then add tempura flakes or you could even use real pieces of deep fried shrimp; however more commonly cucumber, avocado , carrot , pickled radish , or even tuna are added depending on what kind of flavor profile you’re going for!
Unique Sushi Pizza
Fusion flavors (e.g.; teriyaki chicken) Unique sushi pizzas are also extremely popular among those who enjoy trying out new flavors . With that being said, the sky’s the limit when it comes to what kinds of unique flavor profiles you could use for your sushi pizza! One example would be teriyaki flavored rice which you can top with pieces of grilled chicken , pickled radish, or even tuna if you’d like!
Warm Sushi Pizza
Warm toppings (e.g.; shrimp tempura) Last but not least, we have warm sushi pizzas ! These types of sushi pizzas include ingredients that were previously cooked in some way which in turn heats up the sushi pizza when you put it in the oven for a couple minutes! One example would be shrimp tempura, however other common ingredients include: bacon, onion , mushroom , and even spinach !
Combination Sushi Pizzas
Classic and unusual flavor profiles Another option is to combine two different flavors such as traditional and unique . For example you could use salt and sugar rice with cucumber, avocado , pickled radish , tuna, and enoki mushrooms ! Feel free to get creative with this one!
Why do I need to add sugar and salt to my rice?
This is one of the most common questions that people have when it comes to cooking sushi, however there are several different reasons why you would want to use sugar and salt. The first reason is because this seasoning helps with the texture of your rice which will be nice and sticky instead of clumpy!
Another important thing to consider would be how sweet or salty you would like your sushi pizza to be. For example if you wanted a sweeter flavor then try using honey in place of half of the amount of sugar that was originally called for in the recipe!
This article has covered three different traditional seafood toppings , however feel free to try out any of your favorite sushi ingredients . If you want to take a quick look around the fridge for some inspiration, here are some ideas.
Avocado, cucumber , carrot , pickled radish, tuna, shrimp tempura, deep fried onion rings (which is more commonly used as an appetizer!)bacon (most people make this one at home by cooking it in the oven or stove top. But if you happen to live near a Japanese restaurant then they may be able to provide you with what you’re looking for), and mushrooms.
Tips on making sushi pizza
There are a few things that can make the process of cooking sushi pizzas much easier for you! The first thing would be to make sure that your oven tray/ sheet pan is big enough to accommodate either two full trays of uncooked sushi rolls OR one full tray of cooked sushi rolls !
You may also want to line your baking sheet with parchment paper if you choose not to use a nonstick spray ! Another thing to consider would be if you would like to add some spices and herbs into your rice while it’s cooking . Some examples that people commonly use include: chopped green onion, dried parsley, thyme , and even grated parmesan cheese!
Makes approximately 15 pizza slices.
INGREDIENTS Rice [Adapted from Food Network ] 2 cups sushi or short grain rice (recommended brand: CalRose) 2 1/2 cups cold water 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon salt Toppings Teriyaki glaze for chicken.
A few pieces of grilled or braised chicken Cucumber 1/4 of a cucumber cut into very thin strips Pickled radish 1/4 of a pickled daikon radish, cut into very thin strips Tuna 1/4 cup canned tuna (drained) Enoki mushrooms.
A few pieces Mushroom 5-8 mushroom slices Carrot 1/2 of an inch thick carrot slice Bacon about two small bacon strips Avocado 1/3 to 1/2 of a ripe avocado Sesame seeds
For garnishing Cooking directions: Cook rice according to your favorite method”. Once rice is finished cooking, add sugar and salt. Mix well and set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare all the ingredients you will want on your pizza : cook chicken, grill or braise . Mash avocado lightly with a fork and cut into small cubes. Prepare the mushroom , carrot, cucumber, pickled radish, tuna, enoki mushrooms, and bacon on a plate so they are ready to be placed onto pizza .
Once you have all your ingredients on hand it is time to assemble! Preheat the oven at 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Divide cooked rice evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure each piece has its own section (helps prevent sticking) but leaves enough space for spreading out toppings during the next step.
There’s no need to press down or flatten the rice; just make sure that each piece of rice is separated from each other by making little hills around them using your fingers or a spoon if needed (don’t worry about being perfect).
Next, brush each piece of rice with teriyaki glaze. Add the toppings you have chosen along with sesame seeds over top . Place into the oven for approximately 10-15 minutes or until crispy and golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving .
Why You Should Try Sushi Pizza
Wondering what other people’s opinions and reviews on it are? Read more to find out why you should try having it at least once in your lifetime!
- Sushi is healthy
- It can be made any way you like; with a ton of different toppings/types of fish and rice even substituting ingredients for something else that’s equally delicious (e.g.: salmon & cream cheese for tuna)
- It’s customizable- add or remove toppings according to your preferences/health needs; can limit the amount of carbs you’re taking in if needed (e.g.: only using one layer of rice instead of two); choose how much glaze you’re putting on your rolled sushi.
- It’s fun to make – the more detailed it looks, the better! Rolled sushi has an artful look to it while sushi pizza is easier to prepare because you don’t need to worry about making perfect rolls; just spread ingredients over top of rice and bake in the oven.
- It’s delicious , especially when prepared right (allergic or dislike certain ingredients? Try substituting them instead) ! The textures are just right for everyone ! Doesn’t matter if you like soft/hard textures; all components of this dish are equally tasty !
- You can get creative with it – think of other flavors that go well together and create your own masterpiece without breaking the bank!
Conclusion
Sushi pizza is a unique and delicious combination that you will not find anywhere else. It may seem odd, but this fusion dish has been around for decades! If you are looking to try something new or want to create your own sushi pizzas at home, we recommend using the following ingredients: Nori (seaweed), rice, cucumber, avocado and crab meat. You can also add in any other toppings of your choice such as shrimp tempura or cream cheese. Enjoy!