Poke Bowl Recipe (with Sriracha Mayo)
- By Amy Dong
- Published Apr. 10, 2024
- Updated Apr. 11, 2024
Poke shops are popping up everywhere, and for good reason. They’re supremely fun to eat, full of healthy ingredients, and bursting with umami flavor. Now, you can make your own gluten-free Poke Bowls right at home.
In This Article
What is Poke?
We cannot be more excited about today’s dish, because we’re here to talk about the fabulous poke bowl. Pokay or pokee or however you like to say it – the real way to pronounce poke rhymes with okay). It’s been all the rage in recent years for good reason.
The word poke means to cut or slice in Hawaiian, generally referring to high-quality raw fish such as ahi tuna or salmon. The cuts of fish are marinated with a soy sauce mixture, similar to the sesame-soy sauce in our recipe card below.
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- Actually Healthy: Poke bowls are supremely healthy without even trying to be; they’re loaded with fresh fish of your choice, fresh vegetables, edamame, and salad or rice of your choice. Brown rice makes them even healthier.
- Ridiculously Easy: Poke bowls are easy to make and perfect for DIY bowl parties. It’s beyond fun to let people assemble their own poke bowls with condiments and garnishes. It’s like what you’d do with DIY Chiptole style burrito bowls.
- Umami Flavors: They’re packed with umami flavor. Translation: every bite is a delightful flavor bomb. For a little variation try our Hawaiian salmon poke.
- Incredible Sauce: 3 words: Creamy Sriracha Mayo. People fall in love with this creamy, tangy, kicked up sauce.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Sriracha Mayo
- Mayonnaise – use whole, real mayo – not a low fat version nor any mayo substitute.
- Sriracha – there’s no substitute for this sweet, tangy, and savory Asian hot sauce.
Sesame-Soy Sauce
- Tamari – tarmari soy sauce boasts pure, unadulterated flavors. It has more depth of flavor without as much sodium.
- Asian Rice Wine Vinegar – you can often find this in the ethnic aisles of major grocery stores now. See
- Asian Toasted Sesame Oil – this particular sesame oil is darker brown and highly fragrant. Be sure it is Asian style, as “regular” sesame oils are completely different.
- Ground Ginger – you’re welcome to use freshly grated ginger if you like, though we prefer the ease of ginger powder.
- Wasabi Paste – a little goes a long way towards imparting just the right amount of kick.
Poke Bowl
- Rice: feel free to use freshly cooked jasmine or brown rice.
- Sashimi-grade tuna, salmon, or other fish (towel-dried and cubed)
- Vegetables: lettuce, cucumber, bell peppers, or shredded carrots are all great choices.
- Fruits: we love the tropical sweetness of mangos and the creaminess of avocado.
- Garnishes: Chopped cilantro, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, Furikake – highly recommended to include furikake, which is fantastic over rice!
Substitutions and Variations
- Soy Sauce: If you can’t find tamari sauce, you can use regular soy sauce.
- Rice: Feel free to use any kind of rice you like: short grain, medium grain, white, or brown.
- Fish/Protein: Aside from the popular choices of raw tuna and salmon, you can use cooked shrimp or seared scallops. For non-seafood eaters, grilled chicken is delicious. Cooked tofu cubes are another healthy option.
- Fruits/Vegetables: Use any variety of produce you like. Some variations include pineapple, edamame, or seaweed salad.
- Garnishes: Try crispy fried onion or garlic bits, crispy won ton strips, or sushi ginger!
Easy Step-By-Step Instructions
- Make Sriracha Mayo: Stir together the mayo and Sriracha in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- Make Sesame-Soy Sauce: In a bowl, hand-whisk together all Sauce ingredients. Stir cubed tuna/salmon into the sauce, coating well. Cover and keep chilled until ready to assemble bowls.
- Assemble Bowls: Divide cooked rice into bowls. Evenly layer each bowl according to order: lettuce, marinaded tuna/salmon, cucumber, mango, and avocado. Sprinkle with garnishes. Drizzle with Sriracha Mayo.
Poke Bowls
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes! Made with simple ingredients, it’s full of lean protein, healthy fats such as salmon and avocado, and fresh vegetables like cucumbers and edamame.
Yes, as long as you use high-quality sushi-grade fish, poke is generally regarded as safe to consume raw. As with all raw seafood, there is minimal risk involved.
We recommend preparing the Sriracha mayo and the sauce mixture ahead of time (up to several days) and keeping those chilled. You can also slice/cut the fish and vegetables ahead of time. However, wait until you’re ready to eat to assemble the bowls.
Did you make this?
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Poke Bowl Recipe (with Sriracha Mayo)
Ingredients
For Sriracha Mayo
- 3 TB mayonnaise, regular
- 1 TB Sriracha hot sauce
For the Sesame-Soy Sauce
- 3 TB Tamari, or regular soy sauce
- 1 tsp Asian rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Asian toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp wasabi paste
For the Poke Bowl
- 2 cups shredded green leaf lettuce
- 2 cups sashimi-grade tuna, salmon, or other fish (towel-dried and cubed)
- 1 small cucumber, seeded and sliced
- 1 whole mango, very ripe, peeled and cubed
- 1 avocado, semi-ripe, cubed
- Garnishes: Chopped cilantro, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, Furikake (highly recommended)
- Serve with: Cooked white or brown rice, about 3 cups cooked
Instructions
- Make Sriracha Mayo: Stir together the mayo and Sriracha in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- Make Sesame-Soy Sauce: In a bowl, hand-whisk together all Sauce ingredients. Stir cubed tuna/salmon into the sauce, coating well. Cover and keep chilled until ready to assemble bowls.
- Assemble Bowls: Divide cooked rice into 4 smaller bowls (or 2 larger bowls.) Evenly layer each bowl according to order: lettuce, marinaded tuna/salmon, cucumber, mango, and avocado. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, green onions, sesame seeds, and as desired. Drizzle with Sriracha Mayo. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Nutrition facts include cooked rice.
- Sriracha Mayo is a must. Make extra if you want, because people love it! Plus, it’s delicious over grilled chicken and shrimp as well.
- Sesame-Soy sauce is irresistible and can be used on all varieties of protein beyond poke bowls. Tamari soy sauce is much more balanced in flavor than regular soy sauce, and it happens to be gluten-free.
- Furikake, a highly recommended ingredient, is easily found in Asian grocery stores or maybe even in the Asian aisle of major supermarkets. This is the only garnish I’d encourage you to please not leave out.
- You can choose any favorite high quality fish you like. Tuna and salmon are my go-to favorites, but it’s fun chatting with your local fishmonger about the options. Cooked shrimp and grilled chicken can be used for those who prefer cooked protein.
- The Asian rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and wasabi paste can all be found in the Asian section of most major grocery stores these days.
Nutrition (per serving)
More to eat
- Marinated Seared Ahi Tuna – if you like a little sear on your ahi tuna, this is a must-do! The marinade makes all the difference in this tasty dish.
- Baked Salmon (Sheet Pan Recipe) – it is amazingly easy to make a large fillet of salmon for the entire family to enjoy.
- Spicy Thai Grilled Shrimp – sweet, tangy, spicy, and succulent shrimp will be your favorite way to enjoy shrimp from here on out.
- Easy Sashimi Appetizer – a light, easy, and mouthwatering appetizer made with fresh ahi, salmon, and yellowtail.