Poke Bowl Recipe
Who knew it was so easy to bring your favorite sushi home? This simple Poke Bowl Recipe is loaded with sushi-grade ahi tuna seasoned with soy, honey, and plenty of sesame. It’s served with sticky brown rice, lots of veggies, and the easiest spicy mayo you’ll ever make.
Kind of obsessed with easy Asian dishes? Then you’ll love this Instant Pot Cajun Shrimp , General Tso’s Chicken Recipe , and Asian Sesame Ginger Salad with Crispy Tofu .
Poke Bowl Recipe
Think you can only get poke bowls at a restaurant? Think again! This Poke Bowl Recipe is so easy to make at home, and once you do, you may never order it at a restaurant again.
Our version features saucy ahi tuna, sticky brown rice, crunchy carrots and cucumber, edamame, plenty of avocado, and of course, spicy mayo. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy, and sticky.
The beauty of this Poke Bowl Recipe is that it’s totally customizable. Love salmon? Use that instead. Not into edamame? Leave it out. No problem. Of course, we think our combination is the ultimate poke bowl, so there’s that.
What is a Poke Bowl?
At its simplest, a poke bowl is diced raw fish. “Poke” means to slice or cut, so almost all poke bowl recipes call for diced fish. Often, poke is served as an appetizer with just the fish, but here we’ve turned it into an entire meal with the addition of rice and vegetables.
Is a Poke Bowl Healthy?
Ours is! The only fats in this poke bowl recipe come from the avocado, which is a heart-healthy fat, and the mayo, which is used sparingly. Ahi tuna has a little bit of fat, but it’s good fat. We also use brown rice instead of white rice or noodles, so you’re getting a great dose of fiber.
Ingredients in the Poke Bowl Recipe
- Ahi Tuna: Sushi-grade ahi tuna is a must. Ask your fishmonger if you’re not sure. Whole Foods is a great place to find it.
- The Seasonings: The sauce for the ahi tuna is simple and likely already in your fridge: tamari (or soy sauce), sesame oil, honey, and rice vinegar. Add a little sriracha for extra spice.
- The Veggies: Use whatever you like, but we recommend shredded carrots, diced cucumber, and edamame for their crunch and texture.
- Avocado: No poke bowl is complete without avocado.
- Mayo: We use light mayo, but full-fat works too. A little goes a long way as it’s just drizzled on top.
- Sriracha: Needed for the spicy mayo. We use one teaspoon per quarter cup of mayo, but adjust to taste.
- Green Onion and Black Sesame Seeds: Optional garnishes that add a nice visual touch.
- Brown Rice: To keep things healthy, we use brown rice. A rice maker is handy for perfect rice every time, but you can also buy a carton of your favorite brown rice from a local restaurant.
How to Make This Poke Bowl Recipe
1. Cook the Rice
Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice, so plan accordingly. My rice cooker takes about 40 minutes. You can do this step ahead of time.
2. Marinate the Tuna
Use a very sharp knife to cut the ahi tuna into bite-sized pieces. Place in a medium bowl and stir with soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and sesame oil. Let the tuna marinate while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
3. Make the Spicy Mayo
Combine the mayo and sriracha in a small bowl. Afterward, season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small ziplock baggie and cut a small piece off the corner. Basically, this makes it easy to drizzle the spicy mayo over the poke bowl. Indeed, it’s a simple yet effective technique.
4. Assemble the Bowls
Spoon the cooked rice into a bowl. Afterward, add the marinated tuna on top. Also, arrange the cucumber, carrot, and edamame around it. Fan out the avocado on top. Generally, sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Drizzle with spicy mayo. Accordingly, this method ensures an appealing and tasty presentation.
Substitutions and Tips for Success the Poke Bowl Recipe
- Fish: Use sushi-grade salmon or any other fish.
- Veggies: Swap out any veggies you want. Red bell pepper or water chestnuts work great.
- Marinating: Don’t marinate the tuna too long; 5-15 minutes is all you need.
- Rice: To save time, use rice from your local Asian restaurant.
What to Serve with This Poke Bowl Recipe
- Egg Rolls: Perfect for an Asian-themed meal.
- Egg Drop Soup: Great combination with a cold salad.
- Fried Rice: Skip the rice in the poke bowls and pair the tuna and veggies with fried rice.
Common Questions
Basically, standard poke bowl recipes have a few essential elements: a base (usually sushi rice), protein (traditionally ahi tuna, salmon, chicken, or tofu), a sauce (used to flavor the protein), and garnishes (often pickled ginger, wasabi, and sliced green onions). Also, these components come together to create a balanced and flavorful dish.
Poke bowls are celebrated for their high nutritional value, offering a well-rounded meal that meets various dietary needs. Generally, at their core, poke bowls feature lean protein from fish like tuna or salmon, which are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids essential for heart health and cognitive function. Indeed, these nutrients play a crucial role in overall well-being.
Poke is a traditional Hawaiian dish, while sushi originates in Japan. Hawaiian cuisine has been greatly influenced by Japanese food, but poke is distinctly Hawaiian. Traditionally, poke is made from ahi tuna or octopus (tako) that has been roughly cut into bite-sized pieces and marinated with ingredients available locally.
The base typically consists of rice or greens, which act as a foundation for the fresh and delicious ingredients that sit on top. Following the rice, the raw fish—usually tuna or salmon—is cubed and marinated in something like soy sauce or sesame oil to enhance its flavor.
More Salads Recipes
- Spicy Canned Salmon Salad Rice Bowl
- Sicilian Blood Orange Salad: A Citrus Symphony
- Bodacious Broccoli Salad
- Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze
- Greek Quinoa Salad with Feta and Olives
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Poke Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb sushi-grade ahi tuna
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 cup light mayo
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup shelled edamame
- 2 large avocados peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
- 1 tsp green onion
Instructions
- Prepare the Tuna: Use a sharp knife to dice the tuna. Add the tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and honey to a medium bowl. Toss to combine and let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Make the Spicy Mayo: In a small bowl, mix the mayo and sriracha. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a ziplock bag and cut the tip off for easy drizzling.
- Assemble the Bowls: Divide the cooked rice between four bowls. Spoon the marinated tuna over one section of the rice. Arrange the cucumber, edamame, and carrot around the tuna. Place avocado slices on top. Drizzle the spicy mayo over the bowl and sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds.
