Halloween Sushi Pumpkins Jack O’ Lanterns
These adorable Halloween Sushi Pumpkins turn simple salmon sushi into miniature Jack o’ Lanterns.
Seasoned sushi rice is shaped into bite-sized balls around a cream cheese filling, wrapped in bright orange salmon, and decorated with nori faces and cucumber stems.
A little cream cheese inside gives them a creamy, cheesy center that’s perfect for a cheese-focused Halloween spread.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked sushi rice
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz (225 g) thinly sliced sushi-grade salmon
- 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese
- 1 sheet nori
- 1 small cucumber
- Soy sauce, for serving
- Wasabi and pickled ginger, optional
Instructions
Prepare the Sushi Rice
Cook the sushi rice according to the package directions.
Mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt together until dissolved. While the rice is still warm, gently fold in the vinegar mixture.
Set aside and allow the rice to cool completely before assembling the pumpkins.
Add the Cream Cheese Center
Take approximately 2 tablespoons of cooled sushi rice and flatten it slightly in your hand(It’s best to have a small bit of water on your hands). Place a small spoon of cream cheese in the center and bring the rice around it.
Gently shape the rice into a compact ball.
Repeat until all the rice has been used.
Wrap with Salmon
Lay two thin pieces of salmon onto a sheet of plastic wrap, slightly overlapping them.
Place a rice ball in the center.
Bring the plastic wrap around the salmon and rice, twisting it gently at the top. Use your hands to shape it into a round, slightly flattened pumpkin.
Carefully unwrap and repeat with the remaining sushi balls.
Make the Jack o’ Lantern Faces
Cut tiny triangles from the nori to make the eyes and noses.
Cut different mouth shapes to give each pumpkin its own expression. Try smiles, crooked teeth, frowns, and surprised faces.
Lightly dampen the back of each nori piece and press it onto the salmon.
Add the Pumpkin Stems
Cut the cucumber skin into small rectangular or triangular pieces.
Make a tiny slit in the top of each sushi pumpkin and insert a piece of cucumber skin to create the green stem.
Serving
Arrange the sushi pumpkins on a platter and serve chilled with soy sauce. Wasabi and pickled ginger can also be served alongside.
For a Halloween party platter, give every pumpkin a slightly different face so they look like a collection of miniature carved pumpkins.
Recipe Tips
Use very thin slices of salmon, as thicker pieces are more difficult to shape smoothly around the rice.
Keep your hands slightly damp when forming the sushi rice to prevent it from sticking.
Also Read: Spooky Halloween Food Ideas
Don’t use too much cream cheese in the center. About 1 teaspoon per pumpkin is enough to provide a creamy filling without making the sushi difficult to shape.
A sharp pair of kitchen scissors makes cutting the tiny nori eyes and mouths much easier.
Keep the finished pumpkins refrigerated and serve them as soon as possible for the best texture and appearance.
Cheese Variations
Cream cheese works particularly well with salmon, but you can change the filling for different flavors.
Try chive cream cheese, garlic and herb cream cheese, or whipped cream cheese.
For a little heat, mix the cream cheese with a small amount of wasabi or sriracha before filling the sushi pumpkins.
