Sushi Crunchwrap (Crispy Onigirazu)
This sushi crunchwrap is a crispy, over-the-top twist on onigirazu, packed with a creamy salmon-crab filling, avocado, cucumber, and a signature layer of fried nori for that satisfying crunch.
- 5 oz salmon
- drizzle of oil
- salt and pepper shakers (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 4 oz imitation crab
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp green onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 cups sushi rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- nori sheets (cut into circles)
- oil (for frying)
- nori sheets
- cream cheese
- furikake
- spicy mayo & eel sauce
- green onion (for garnish)
- avocado (sliced)
- cucumber (sliced)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- panko breadcrumbs
- Cook the Salmon: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Drizzle salmon with oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Air fry for 15 minutes until fully cooked. Skip if using leftover salmon.
- Make the Filling: Shred imitation crab into small pieces. Add cooked salmon, cream cheese, mayo, sriracha, and green onion. Mix until creamy and well combined.
- Prepare the Sushi Rice: Rinse rice until water runs clear. Cook with 3 cups water. While still hot, mix in rice vinegar and sugar until evenly seasoned. Keep slightly warm for assembly.
- Make the Fried Nori: Cut nori into circles. Whisk flour, cold water, and salt into a thick batter. Heat oil to 350°F. Dip nori batter-side down and fry until golden and crispy on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
- Assemble the Crunchwrap: Lay out a large nori sheet (attach 4 sheets in a 2x2 using rice if needed). Layer sushi rice, furikake, cream cheese, salmon mixture, green onion, fried nori, cucumber, and avocado in the center. Wrap tightly folding edges inward. Seal with a thin layer of rice on the outside.
- Final Fry: Heat oil to 350°F. Whisk flour and water into a thin batter. Dip the entire crunchwrap into batter, coat in panko breadcrumbs, and fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides.
- Serve: Drizzle with spicy mayo and eel sauce. Garnish with green onion. Serve immediately.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy + creamy contrast – The fried nori layer gives you that signature crunchwrap texture inside, while the filling stays rich and creamy.
- Fully customizable – Swap in spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, or keep it vegetarian — this works with whatever fillings you love.
- Restaurant-quality at home – It looks impressive but is surprisingly doable step by step.
- Perfect for content or hosting – This is one of those “cut it open and wow” recipes.
- Best of sushi + comfort food – You get sushi flavors with a deep-fried, crunchy upgrade.
Sushi Crunchwrap: Crispy and Indulgent
This one is for the sushi lovers who also love a little extra crunch. The magic here is the fried nori layer inside — it gives you that signature crunchwrap bite while keeping all the flavors of your favorite sushi roll.
Salmon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
FIlling Mixture
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp green onion
Sushi Rice
- 3 cups water
Fried Nori Layer
Assembly
Final Fry
Salmon
Air fry your salmon at 400°F for about 15 minutes until fully cooked. Season simply with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder — the filling will do the heavy lifting on flavor. Already have leftover salmon? Even better, skip this step entirely.
Filling Mixture
Shred the imitation crab into small pieces and combine with the cooked salmon, cream cheese, mayo, sriracha, and green onion. Mix until creamy and well combined. This filling is rich and indulgent — adjust the sriracha to your spice preference.
Sushi Rice
Rinse your rice until the water runs clear, then cook with 3 cups of water. While still hot, fold in rice vinegar and sugar until evenly seasoned. Keep the rice slightly warm when assembling — it helps everything stick together and makes wrapping much easier.
How To Make Sushi Crunchwrap
- Cook the Salmon: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Drizzle salmon with oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Air fry for 15 minutes until fully cooked.
- Prepare the Sushi Rice: Rinse rice until water runs clear. Cook with 3 cups water. While still hot, mix in rice vinegar and sugar until evenly seasoned.
- Make the Fried Nori: Cut nori into circles. Whisk flour, cold water, and salt into a thick batter. Heat oil to 350°F. Dip nori batter-side down and fry until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- Assemble the Crunchwrap: Lay out a large nori sheet. Layer sushi rice, furikake, cream cheese, salmon mixture, green onion, fried nori, cucumber, and avocado in the center. Wrap tightly folding edges inward. Seal with a thin layer of rice on the outside.
Storage & Reheating
Storage: Sushi crunchwrap is best eaten fresh right out of the fryer for maximum crunch. The batter and panko coating will soften over time so this isn’t an ideal make-ahead dish. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Reheating: Skip the microwave — it will make the crunchwrap soggy. Instead:
Make Ahead Tips: You can prep components ahead of time to save yourself time:
Salmon
Filling Mixture
Sushi Rice
Fried Nori Layer
Assembly
Final Fry
- Assemble the Crunchwrap: Lay out a large nori sheet (attach 4 sheets in a 2×2 using rice if needed). Layer sushi rice, furikake, cream cheese, salmon mixture, green onion, fried nori, cucumber, and avocado in the center. Wrap tightly folding edges inward. Seal with a thin layer of rice on the outside.
