Poke Bowl

Easy Homemade Poke Bowl

Poke means "cut into pieces" in Hawaiian, but the word also refers to a dish made with fresh raw fish, such as ahi tuna, seasoned with a variety of ingredients. Serve that seasoned fish over rice and you have a poke bowl, an easy one-bowl meal you can change up with different seasonings and toppings for nearly endless variety.

For my version, I make shoyu poke with soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and sweet onions. The marinade seasons the tuna while leaving enough dressing to flavor the rice, and the vegetables and macadamia nuts add a mix of textures to every bite. With cooked rice ready to go, this poke bowl takes only about ten minutes to assemble, making it an easy weeknight dinner or weekend brunch.

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• Easy Homemade Poke Bowl
• Why My Recipe Works
• Poke Bowl Ingredients
• How to Make a Poke Bowl
• Poke Bowl Variations
• Recipe
• Poke Bowl
• FAQ
• Comments

Poke Bowl Ingredients

• Ahi tuna: The tuna is the center of this bowl, so cut it into cubes large enough to give each bite some substance. This recipe serves the fish raw; the safety FAQ below covers the current FDA guidance.
• Soy sauce: Shoyu is the Japanese word for soy sauce. It seasons the tuna and doubles as the sauce for the rice and vegetables. Use tamari labeled gluten-free if you need a gluten-free option.
• Toasted sesame oil: A little sesame oil gives the marinade a deep, nutty aroma. Be sure to use toasted sesame oil, which is dark and fragrant, rather than the pale oil used for cooking.
• Sugar: The sugar softens the saltiness of the soy sauce and brings out the sweetness in the onion. Honey works here as well.
• Sweet onion: Sweet onions have less of the sharp bite that makes regular onions hard to eat raw. If regular onion is all you have, soak the slices in a mixture of one teaspoon baking soda and two cups water for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse and drain them well.
• Sesame seeds: Toasted sesame seeds echo the flavor of the sesame oil and add a light pop of texture to the poke.
• Macadamia nuts and sea salt: Inamona is traditionally made with roasted candlenuts and salt. Macadamia nuts are much easier to find, and their rich crunch works well with the soft tuna. Any finishing salt will work, including Hawaiian alaea salt.
• Vegetables: Lettuce, shelled edamame, watermelon radish, and daikon sprouts give this bowl a range of colors and textures, but the combination is flexible. Avocado, cucumber, carrots, celery, peppers, green onions, microgreens, and radishes all work. Seaweed salad adds a slippery, briny contrast, while pickled sushi ginger brings a sweet, sharp accent.
• Rice: Short-grain rice makes a soft base that catches the shoyu dressing. Plain rice keeps the focus on the tuna, while sushi rice adds a mild sweet-and-sour note. Quinoa, bulgur, or cauliflower rice can also serve as the base if that is what you prefer.

How to Make a Poke Bowl

Start by mixing the chopped macadamia nuts with sea salt. Keeping this topping separate until the end preserves its crunch.

For the shoyu poke, stir the tuna and sweet onions together with soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sugar, and sesame seeds. About 15 minutes in the marinade gives the seasoning time to settle into the surface of the fish, but you can assemble the bowls right away if you are in a hurry.

Divide the rice between two bowls, then arrange the vegetables from the back toward the center. A shallow bowl gives you more surface area for the toppings, so the tuna can stay front and center instead of disappearing into a deep pile of rice. Spoon the poke and its dressing over the rice, then finish with the salted macadamia nuts. As you eat, spread the tuna around the bowl so the dressing reaches the rice and you get fish, vegetables, and rice together.

Poke Bowl Variations

The shoyu marinade works with other fish, and salmon is a particularly rich option. For more heat and a creamy finish, use my Spicy Salmon Poke as the centerpiece of the bowl. Hyugadon is a traditional Japanese bowl from Oita Prefecture made with sliced tuna marinated in a rich mixture of ground sesame seeds and egg yolks, while Gomaburi pairs yellowtail with a savory sesame dressing for something that feels a lot like a Japanese-style poke. To make the ahi poke spicy, stir in red pepper flakes, sriracha, or shichimi togarashi. You can also serve spicy mayonnaise on the side, so each person can add as much as they like.

For a vegetarian bowl, replace the tuna with carrots simmered in kelp stock. My Vegan Poke explains the method and gives the carrots a savory depth that works with the same rice-and-toppings format.

For a version made with candlenuts and alaea salt, use my traditional tuna poke recipe.

FAQ