Poke Bowl Recipe (with Sriracha Mayo)
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Aug. 26, 2026
This poke bowl recipe is fun to make and eat, full of healthy ingredients, and teeming with umami flavor. We love this for homemade poke bowl parties. With marinated tuna, plenty of veggies, and avocado, this dish is way better than takeout.
In This Article
- What is Poke?
- Amy’s Notes
- Are Homemade Poke Bowls Healthy?
- Key Recipe Ingredients
- Where Can I Buy Sushi-Grade Fish?
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Build a Poke Bowl
- Prep-Ahead and Storage
- Watch Us Make This Recipe
- Poke Bowl Recipe Recipe
- What to Serve with Poke Bowls
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More to Cook and eat
This post may contain affiliate links, at no additional cost to you.
What is Poke?
First off, everyone seems to pronounce poke differently. Po-kay or po-kee is how it’s often pronounced, but the real pronunciation rhymes with okay. The word poke means to cut or slice in Hawaiian, generally referring to high-quality raw fish such as ahi tuna or fresh salmon. The cuts of fish are marinated in a sesame-soy based sauce.
Amy’s Notes
Four out of five in my family are huge poke fans. We love exploring all the poke restaurants wherever we travel to. However, nothing beats this easy poke bowl recipe. It’s so much fun! Here’s what I love:
- It’s Actually Healthy: Our homemade poke bowl recipe is naturally healthy, as it’s loaded with fresh fish, vegetables, edamame, and mango.
- DIY Poke Bowl Party: This poke bowl recipe is perfect for DIY poke bowl parties. Everyone can assemble their own poke bowls with condiments and garnishes, similar to DIY Chiptole style burrito bowls.
- BIG Flavors: This recipe is packed with umami flavor. For a little variation, try our homemade salmon poke.
- The Best Sauce: Creamy Sriracha Mayo sets our recipe apart, as it is a creamy, tangy, spicy sauce everyone loves.
Are Homemade Poke Bowls Healthy?
Yes! Our homemade poke bowls are naturally healthy, as they’re loaded with fresh fish, vegetables, edamame, avocado, and mango. We use plenty of fresh ingredients. To make these even healthier, use brown rice instead of white.
Key Recipe Ingredients
For Sriracha Mayo
- Mayonnaise – use whole, real mayo and not a low fat version nor mayo substitute.
- Sriracha – there’s no substitute for this sweet, tangy, and savory Asian hot sauce.
For Sesame-Soy Sauce
- Tamari – tarmari soy sauce boasts pure, unadulterated flavors. It has more depth of flavor without as much sodium.
- Asian Rice Vinegar – you can often find this in the ethnic aisles of major grocery stores now.
- 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.
For Poke Bowl
- Rice: feel free to use freshly cooked jasmine or brown rice.
- Sushi-grade tuna, salmon, or other high quality fish can be used.
- Vegetables: lettuce, cucumber, bell peppers, or shredded carrots are all great choices.
- Fruits: We love the tropical sweetness of mangoes and the creaminess of avocado.
- Toppings: Chopped cilantro, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and crispy fried onions/garlic are fantastic.
- Furikake – I highly recommend including this umami-rich seasoning, which is fantastic over aromatic jamine rice.
Where Can I Buy Sushi-Grade Fish?
- Ask your local seafood counter or fishmonger. A good fish counter can tell you which fish was handled and stored for raw consumption.
- Look for fish labeled “sushi-grade” or “sashimi-grade.” These aren’t official government terms, but reputable sellers use them to indicate the fish was flash-frozen and handled to reduce parasite risk.
- Japanese or Asian supermarkets carry fish that’s intended to be consumed raw.
- Buy the day you plan to eat it. Fresh sushi-grade fish should be used same day or kept very cold to be used the next day at the latest.
Substitutions and Variations
- Regular Soy Sauce vs. Tamari: Tamari sauce has the best flavor and is gluten-free, but 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, jasmine rice, or easy brown rice in the Instant Pot.
- Fish/Protein: Aside from 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 options include pineapple, edamame, or seaweed salad.
- Topping Ideas: Also try crispy fried onion or garlic bits, crispy won ton strips, or sushi ginger!
How to Build a Poke Bowl
- 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.
- Mix Fish in Sauce: Stir cubed tuna/salmon into the sauce, coating well.
- Assemble Bowls: Divide rice into bowls. Evenly layer each bowl with: lettuce, marinaded ahi tuna, cucumber, mango, and avocado. Garnish as desired.
Prep-Ahead and Storage
- Feel free to make the sriracha mayo 2-3 days in advance. Keep it covered and chilled until ready to use.
- The sesame soy sauce can also be prepared 2-3 days in advance.
- Vegetables and fruits can be chopped or sliced 1 day ahead of time.
- Garnishes such as chopped cilantro or green onions can be chopped 1 day in advance.
- Rice can be cooked earlier the same day; that way, it has a chance to cool to room temperature and yet is still fresh and tender.
- Storage: It’s best to store leftover ingredients separately in the fridge. For already-made poke bowl leftovers, cover airtight and chill for 1 day.
Watch Us Make This Recipe
Poke Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
For Sriracha Mayo
- 3 tablespoons real mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
For Sesame-Soy Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Tamari, or regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Asian rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Asian toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon wasabi paste
For the Poke Bowl
- 2 cups green leaf lettuce, shredded
- 2 cups sashimi-grade tuna, 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, crispy fried onion/garlic, chopped nuts, sushi ginger, edamame, or Furikake (highly recommended)
- Serve with: Sushi rice, short grain white rice, or quick 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 small bowls or 2 large bowls. Evenly layer each bowl according to order: rice, lettuce, marinaded tuna, cucumber, mango, and avocado. Garnish as desired. Drizzle with Sriracha Mayo. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Sriracha Mayo is highly recommended. Maybe make extra, as people love it!
- Tamari soy sauce is much more balanced in flavor than regular soy sauce, and it happens to be gluten-free. Most major grocery stores now carry this item.
- Furikake, a highly recommended ingredient, is easily found in Asian grocery stores or even in the Asian aisle of major supermarkets.
- Fish substitutions: You can choose any favorite high quality fish you like. Ahi tuna and salmon are my favorites, but it’s fun chatting with your local fishmonger about the options.
- Cooked options: Cooked shrimp and grilled chicken can be used for those who prefer cooked protein.
- The Asian rice wine vinegar, toasted Asian sesame oil, and wasabi paste can be found in the Asian section of most major grocery stores.
- Note that the nutrition information does not include rice or choices of garnishes.
- My favorite way to cook white rice is this Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, which eliminates any need for a rice cooker.
- This recipe is part of my Asian Recipes Collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
What to Serve with Poke Bowls
Pickled Vegetables, Kimchi, and Toppings
- Pickled Vegetables: Any style of pickled vegetables such as sushi ginger are delicious.
- Kimchi: Though kimchi is a classic Korean dish, it’s a great option to serve alongside poke bowls.
- Edamame: Use edamame in the bowls themselves, or serve them with salted/boiled edamame pods. We love Edamame Hummus as a side dish!
Asian Style Salads
- A refreshing side salad like Chopped Asian Chicken Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing is a favorite!
- Crunchy Asian Cabbage Ramen Salad adds crunch to the meal.
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is our favorite mac salad to serve with Asian and Hawaiian style meals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Made with simple ingredients, poke bowls are full of lean protein, healthy fats such as you’d find in 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. Consult with your local seafood counter for the best fresh fish.
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, only assemble the bowls when ready to serve.
If you’ve made a poke bowl and have leftovers, cover and chill it for lunch the next day. It is fine to eat it the next day, as long as it has been kept cold.
Crunchy toppings on poke bowls include: chopped roasted peanuts or cashews, crispy fried onion bits, crispy fried garlic bits, or chopped won ton strips.
Poke sauces have many variations, most of which include soy sauce, sugar, Asian sesame oil, Asian rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger for sweet, savory, and tangy notes.
Sushi-grade ahi tuna and salmon are the most popular. Yellowtail is also a traditional option.
Short-grain sushi rice is traditional, but medium grain, jasmine or brown rice also work well.
Assembled poke bowls are best within a few hours. Marinated fish on its own: keep tightly covered and eat within 1 day.
More to Cook and 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.
- Lemon Pepper Salmon – 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.