This tuna poke bowl is light and delicious! Filled with fresh marinated sushi-grade chunked tuna spooned over rice and served with your choice of crunchy or pickled toppings. You’ll love this tasty meal!
Craving and fast and easy fake-out take-out meal?
Well, look no further than this tuna poke bowl recipe!
Filled with fresh sushi-grade marinated tuna that turns out rich in flavor with just a hint of spice from the addition of sriracha.
Serve over your choice of rice and top with homemade quick pickled vegetables, crunchy vegetables, or sweet fruit.
So many options that can be customized for every single family member or dinner guest.
Table of Contents
Ingredients needed for a tuna poke bowl
- Sushi grade tuna – The best way to find sushi-grade fish is to ask a good quality fishmonger. They can tell you which fish is safe to eat raw and which is not. Make sure to only use sushi-grade fish in this recipe.
- Soy sauce – This gives classic umami and saltiness to the poke. If you have ponzu on hand, feel free to swap the soy sauce for ponzu sauce – it’s delicious!
- Sesame oil – Helps add nuttiness to the poke. I prefer toasted sesame oil but plain sesame oil will work too.
- Sesame seeds – Gives a bit of crunch and color to the poke.
- Green onion – Adds a slight onion flavor, as well as freshness and crunch.
- Lime juice – Lime juice adds acidity to cut through the fatty tuna. If you don’t have fresh lime juice, rice wine vinegar will also work!
- Sriracha – Sriracha adds heat and spice– feel free to add as much or as little as you like.
Best tuna to use
It is really important that you use sushi-grade tuna for homemade poke bowls.
You cannot just cut up any old piece of raw tuna for raw consumption. That is why it’s very important to establish a good relationship with a fishmonger or fish market that you can trust.
Legally speaking the terms “sushi-grade” or “sashimi grade” does not mean that it is guaranteed to be fit for raw consumption. That is why it’s imperative you do your research and only buy fish from a trusted seller.
You’ll want to look for tuna that smells fresh and not fishy, the color should be vibrant, and the tuna should be stored in ice and kept cold.
Toppings for poke bowls
The key to a great poke bowl is to have a variety of flavors and textures. I usually try to add at least 2 to 3 more elements to each bowl in addition to the tuna.
In the photos, you’ll see I topped my poke bowl with quick-pickled vegetables, avocado, mango, green onions, sesame seeds, and just a touch of spicy mayonnaise.
How to make spicy mayonnaise
To make spicy mayo, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons sriracha, and 1-2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.
Whisk to combine and serve.
My favorite mayonnaise to use is Kewpie mayonnaise which can be found at most Asian supermarkets.
It’s rich and creamy and works perfectly for homemade spicy mayonnaise.
How to make quick-pickled vegetables
To make pickled vegetables, combine 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat and add your desired vegetables.
Allow them to sit for 5-10 minutes and then serve.
You can easily do this with your favorite crunchy vegetables – carrots, radishes, or cucumber.
If you’re looking for even more flavor you can try my Quick and Easy Pickled Red Onions or my Quick Pickled Beets.
What rice to use for homemade poke bowls
Prepared sushi rice, white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice are the best options for poke bowls.
I like to serve the rice warm and then top it with the cold marinated tuna, pickled vegetables, and a few drizzles of spicy mayonnaise.
It’s the perfect pairing!
How to store leftover poke
Honestly, I don’t. Poke is best served the day it is made.
Think of it a lot like fresh sushi – you wouldn’t let it sit for days in the refrigerator so you don’t want to do that with fresh poke.
More easy seafood recipes
- Looking for a little spice with your shrimp? Try my Chipotle Shrimp Fajita Bowls.
- Craving a fast no-cook meal? Try my Mediterranean Tuna Salad Flatbread.
- Love all things curry? Try my Red Curry Coconut Milk Mussels.
- Want a fast and easy summer soup? Try my 20 Minute Seafood Stew.
Tuna Poke Bowl
Ingredients
For the Tuna Poke
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons finely sliced green onion
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon sriracha or garlic chili sauce
- 8 ounces sushi grade tuna diced
For the Bowl, all optional
- Prepared sushi rice white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice
- Pickled vegetables – carrots celery, or cucumber (see notes)
- Fresh vegetables – avocado edamame, carrots, lettuce, or cucumber
- Garnishes – spicy mayo see notes, sesame seeds, sliced green onion, or nori komi furikaki seasoning, sriracha
- Other fun additions – lime wedges diced mango, sliced radish, or seaweed chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the soy sauce, green onion, lime juice, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and sriracha.
- Once combined, add the tuna and gently mix to combine. You don’t want to break up the tuna.
- Cover and place the poke in the fridge to marinate for 15 minutes (but no more than 1 hour).
- Serve with your desired garnishes.
- Poke is best enjoyed on the day it is prepared. I do not recommend keeping leftover poke.
Notes
- The key to a great poke bowl is to have a variety of flavors and textures. I usually try to add at least 2 to 3 more elements to each bowl in addition to the tuna.
- To make spicy mayo, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons sriracha, and 1-2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Whisk to combine and serve.
- To make pickled vegetables, combine 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat and add your desired vegetables. Allow them to sit for 5-10 minutes and then serve.
Nutrition
Marsha
Friday 6th of May 2022
This was absolutely delicious! So quick and easy to make, too.