Ready for a taste of Hawaii closer to home? Try this refreshing Poke Bowl recipe—my creative spin on the Hawaiian classic. I season the freshest tuna sashimi with Japanese flavors and serve it donburi style over rice. Customize your bowl with your favorite toppings! It’s a light and satisfying meal for the family or your next DIY Poke Party.
Fresh buttery tuna and salmon tossed with a sesame soy dressing and finished with all the best toppings, this poke bowl is every bite sunshiny, refreshing, and satisfying.
When this beloved Hawaiian favorite first swept up in a craze across the nation, everyone around me cannot stop raving about it. While poke is (technically) no longer a trendy food, its popularity holds strong and found itself a fixture in the food scene outside of Hawaii. There are food trucks, cafes, and fancy restaurants offering all versions of poke bowls. You no longer have to fly to Hawaii to eat poke.
The best part of the news is that poke is incredibly easy to make at home, so long you have access to fresh quality sushi-grade seafood. If you’re ready to bring an authentic taste of Hawaii closer to home, this Tuna and Salmon Poke Bowl recipe is for you!
Table of Contents
What is Poke?
Originated in Hawaii, poké (pronounced POH-Keh, not POH-Kee) is a dish consisting of marinated diced raw fish served as an appetizer or a main course. In the Hawaiian language, poke can mean anything chunked as it comes from the verb “to section, to slice, or to cut.” Popular seafood used for poke includes ahi (yellowfin tuna), he’e (octopus, tako) and aku (skipjack tuna, katsuo), and salmon.
With heavy influences from Japanese and other Asian cuisines, poke represents the diverse and multifaceted culture of Hawaii. The raw fish is commonly marinated in seasonings such as soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions, and topped with local condiments such as candlenut, Maui onion, and Hawaiian sea salt.
Now that poke is being spread all over the country, the dish is taking on another whole new level of interpretation. You’ll see ingredients such as mango, cilantro, pickled jalapeño, jicama, and so on being added to the bowl. You can say modern poke has become very much like a seafood salad bowl, bursting with colors, textures, and tastes.
Whether you prefer a classic Hawaiian poke or a modern version, I believe poke is here to stay.
Why Make Poke Bowl at Home
- The best no-cook meal, especially in the summer!
- Endlessly customizable. Make it with just a few ingredients or go crazy with colorful veggies—your call!
- DIY Poke Bowl Party. Super easy and quick to prepare for a large crowd.
How to Cook Poke Bowl
The Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sashimi-grade fish. I used a mix of ahi tuna and salmon.
- The seasonings. For the most basic components of the dressing, you just need shoyu (Japanese soy sauce) and sesame oil. My family loves rice vinegar in the sauce, so I always dash in a few splashes for a refreshing tang. You can also mix in ponzu sauce, sriracha, spicy mayo, gochujang, wasabi, grated ginger juice, lemon and lime juice. Feel free to experiment and find your favorite.
- The veggies. Traditional poke is rather simple and only uses Maui onions, but you can use other varieties of sweet onions that are suited for eating raw. On the other hand, modern poke bowls often include colorful mixes of veggies such as edamame, sprouts, radishes, chopped romaine, leafy greens, etc. (See topping ideas below.)
- The grain (optional). In Hawaii, poke is usually served as an appetizer like a salad, but you can make it into a wholesome one-dish meal by serving poke on top of steamed white rice or brown rice, like the Japanese rice bowl donburi. If you prefer a lighter version, you could also serve poke over quinoa or cauliflower rice for a keto-friendly meal. The possibilities are endless!
The Preparation
- Cut the sushi-grade fish and prepare the toppings of your choice.
- Make the poke seasoning and coat it with the tuna and salmon. Cover and let them marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Serve the tuna and salmon over the steamed rice and add your favorite toppings!
Where to Get Sashimi-Grade Tuna and Salmon
If you live near a Japanese grocery store, I recommend checking out their sashimi selections. I always buy sashimi at Suruki Market in San Mateo. Other Japanese grocery stores that sell sashimi include Nijiya Market, Marukai (Tokyo Central), and Mitsuwa Market Place.
Don’t live near a Japanese grocery store? You can also find sashimi-grade tuna at Whole Foods and local specialty seafood shops. If you are unsure, ask the fishmonger for recommendations.
Another best option is to shop at online sashimi stores such as Catalina Offshore.
Poke Bowl Variations and Ideas
The concept of a poke bowl opens up plenty of possibilities. To build an incredible bowl, you’d like to keep these in mind—textures, freshness, colors, and balance. Below are some topping ideas for you to work with:
- Avocado – The richness of avocado resembles fatty tuna and adds a creamy texture.
- Veggies such as cucumbers, radishes, and carrots – Depending on what you use, you can thinly slice or dice the veggies into fun shapes to add colors and a refreshing crunch.
- Edamame – Adds a nice substance to the dish and it’s an excellent source of protein.
- Microgreens such as daikon sprouts, broccoli, and kale sprouts. They are pretty and packed with a nutritional punch.
- Green onions – Add a fresh, herby note to the dish.
- Masago – These salty, delicate fish roes add a pop of color and interesting bite.
- Seaweed – Hawaiian ogo seaweed adds authentic texture and flavors. I use the dried ogo seaweed from this poke mix.
- Nori seaweed – Shredded nori or julienned seaweed provides a crispy texture to the poke bowl.
- Sesame seeds – They add an aromatic nutty flavor to the bowl and beautify the dish.
- Macadamia nuts – Or grated kukui nut (candlenut), if you can find this Hawaiian ingredient.
- Furikake (rice seasonings) – Adds another element of fun and umami.
- Pickled sushi ginger (recipe) – Refreshing and zesty.
- Wasabi – So good with fresh sashimi.
- Spicy Mayo – You’ll need only Japanese mayonnaise and sriracha sauce to make this yummy sauce. It will give your poke bowl a creamy, spicy kick!
Vegetarian and Vegan Poke Bowls
You can certainly make a vegetarian/vegan version of poke by using tofu. Check out my Vegan Poke Bowl recipe.
FAQs
Q: Is the poke bowl healthy?
Fresh seafood such as tuna and salmon are considered one of the healthiest foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. Combined with colorful vegetables, a poke bowl has a balance of protein, vitamins, and minerals. The sesame oil used in the seasoning is known to improve your appetite (at least we say so in Japan). Be sure to use quality sashimi-grade fish.
However, the definition of ‘healthy’ is subjective and it often comes down to bio-individuality, so use your own discretion or consult with professional nutritionists if you have any health concerns.
Q: How do I make sure the raw fish in a poke is safe to eat?
For people who are new to making raw fish at home, this is a legitimate concern. To minimize the risk of getting sick from eating raw fish, you want to make sure the fish has been handled and frozen properly for sashimi use. Other considerations include spoilage, parasites, and cross-contamination. In most countries, including the US, there’s no regulation around the labels of “sashimi-grade” and “sushi-grade”, so use your own judgment when it comes to buying raw fish.
My family eats raw fish for sashimi and sushi regularly and we don’t have any issues with getting sick. My advice is to get your raw fish from a reputable shop or fishmonger. Since you know the source of the fish itself, it is actually safer to enjoy sashimi at home.
You can learn more about raw fish safety from this article.
Gluten-Free Soy Sauce for Poke Bowl
For this recipe, I used Kikkoman gluten-free soy sauce (shown on the left in the picture above) in my dressing for the poke. It tastes just like regular soy sauce! Click here to learn more about the product.
If you’re not gluten intolerant, you can use regular Japanese soy sauce. Please use only Japanese soy sauce as it tastes different from Chinese and Korean soy sauces. Read more here.
More Sushi and Sashimi Recipes You’ll Enjoy
- Salmon Sashimi Bowl
- Spicy Tuna
- Spicy Tuna Rolls
- Temaki Sushi (Hand Roll)
- Miso-Marinated Hamachi Bowl
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Poke Bowl
Ingredients
For the Poke
- 1 small clump Hawaiian ogo seaweed (dried; about the size of 1 ping pong ball; for 4 servings, I used half the ogo from a Noh Foods Hawaiian Poke Mix package; skip if you cannot find it)
- ½ lb sashimi-grade tuna (try ahi or skipjack for an authentic flavor)
- ½ lb sashimi-grade salmon (though not traditional in poke, salmon brings a nice color to this dish)
- 1 green onion/scallion
- ¼ sweet onion (use Maui onion for the best flavor)
For the Seasonings
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce (GF soy sauce for gluten-free)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for a more authentic flavor, try Hawaiian sea salt to taste; used from the same poke mix above)
- ½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
For the Donburi Bowl
For the Creative Toppings (optional; see Notes for more ideas)
- avocado (sliced or cubed; see my simple tutorial to learn how to cut an avocado)
- shelled edamame (boiled)
- Japanese or Persian cucumber (cubed or sliced)
- red radish (thinly sliced)
- sushi ginger (gari) (you can make your own Pickled Sushi Ginger)
- shiso leaves (perilla/ooba)
- furikake (rice seasoning) (you can make homemade Furikake)
Instructions
Before You Start…
- Please note that I recommend a marinating time of 1 hour for the poke to develop the best flavor. If you‘re short on time, you can always marinate for less time or serve it without marinating.
- For the steamed rice, I recommend cooking 2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain rice (3 rice cooker cups, 15.9 oz, 450 g). This yields 6⅔ cups (990 g) cooked rice, enough for 3 donburi servings (roughly 1⅔ cups, 250 g each). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe. See how to freeze the leftovers in my post How to Store Cooked Rice.
- Now, gather all the ingredients.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- To a small bowl, add 1 small clump Hawaiian ogo seaweed (dried) and enough water to cover. Soak for 5 minutes to rehydrate.
- Squeeze the water out and cut the ogo into smaller pieces, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long.
- Thinly slice ¼ sweet onion lengthwise.
- Thinly slice 1 green onion/scallion.
- Cut ½ lb sashimi-grade tuna into bite-sized cubes, about ¾ inch (2 cm).
- Cut ½ lb sashimi-grade salmon into bite-sized cubes, about ¾ inch (2 cm).
To Season and Marinate
- Put the tuna and salmon in a large bowl. Then, add the onion, green onion, and ogo.
- To the bowl with the tuna and salmon, add 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), and ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or Hawaiian sea salt.
- Sprinkle in ½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds and gently mix it all together. Cover the poke and marinate it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to 12 hours in advance) to develop the flavors. During this time, prepare your optional toppings.
To Serve
- Divide 3 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice into individual large (donburi) bowls or on plates. Let the rice cool down a little bit, for 3–5 minutes (you don‘t want to warm up the raw tuna). Then, pile the poke on top. If you‘d like, you can add creative toppings of your choice now. I enjoy sliced or cubed avocado (see how to cut an avocado), shelled edamame, thinly sliced Japanese or Persian cucumber (I forgot to add!), thinly sliced red radish, sushi ginger (gari), shiso leaves (perilla/ooba), and furikake (rice seasoning). See my Notes below for more topping ideas. Serve immediately and enjoy!
To Store
- It‘s best to enjoy it on the same day. You can keep the poke ingredients in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. I recommend cooking the rice just before serving.
Notes
- Avocado – the richness of avocado resembles fatty tuna and adds a creamy texture.
- Veggies such as cucumbers, radishes, and carrots – depending on what you use, you can thinly slice or dice the veggies into fun shapes to add color and a refreshing crunch.
- Edamame – adds a nice substance to the dish and it’s an excellent source of protein.
- Microgreens – try daikon sprouts, broccoli, and kale sprouts; they are pretty and packed with a nutritional punch.
- Cherry tomatoes – quartered; ripe tomatoes add a sweet, flavorful, and lightly acidic element.
- Masago – this salty, delicate fish roe adds a pop of color and an interesting bite.
- Seaweed – shredded nori or julienned seaweed provides a crispy texture to the poke bowl.
- Sesame seeds – sprinkle to add an aromatic nutty flavor and beautify the dish.
- Macadamia nuts – mild and creamy; roasted and chopped macadamia nuts are somewhat close in flavor to roasted kukui nuts (candlenuts).
- Furikake (rice seasonings) – adds another element of fun and umami.
- Pickled sushi ginger (recipe) – refreshing and zesty.
- Wasabi – so good with fresh sashimi.
- Spicy Mayo – you’ll need only Japanese mayo and sriracha sauce to make this yummy sauce; it will give your poke bowl a creamy, spicy kick!
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on May 27, 2016. It’s been republished with more information and new step-by-step and final images on August 31, 2023.
How do you make the rice for the poke? Is it the same rice you use when making sushi?
Hi Alva! Yes, Japanese recipes always use “short grain rice”. Some people call it “sushi rice” but in Japan, that word only refers to the seasoned steamed rice that’s only used for sushi recipes (seasoning = rice vinegar, sugar, and salt). Anyway, we need Japanese short grain rice. Here’s how to make the steamed rice.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-cook-rice/ (on stovetop)
https://www.justonecookbook.com/how_to/how-to-make-rice/ (rice cooker)
Hope that helps!
Made this today and it was AMAZING!!! It was such a treat and it had a lot of healthy ingredients so I didn’t feel guilty 😛 I made mine with just salmon, cucumber, avocado, green onion and onion. Perfection <3 Thank you for this recipe!! I am also making your shiojake recipe now! 🙂 It is in the fridge sitting now. I am new to Japan and have no idea what to cook or how to cook it so thank you for your recipes. I love this site!!!
Hi Jessica! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! So happy to hear you liked this recipe! Hope the shiojake recipe went well as well. I’m so excited to know that you’re cooking Japanese food despite you’re new to the cuisine (or cooking Japanese food by yourself). Thanks for your inspiration!
Another alternative: spicy tuna
Half pound of Tuna
Green onion
Chopped onion
Seasoning:
Half tsp Hawaiian salt.
1 tbsp mayonnaise.
1 tbsp Momoya Kim Chee paste (many people use sriracha or Korean style hot sauce, they are very strong and overwhelmed the real taste of the tuna, I personally preferred Japanese made Kim Chee paste).
1 tbsp tobiko.
Half tsp sansho pepper (optional).
If additional spicy is desire, add a few drops of hot pepper oil (the one use for gyoza or ramen).
Don’t put the fish on top of hot rice, the heat will affect the taste of the fish and make it fishy. Wait till the rice cool off to room temperature then serve.
Thanks for sharing, Samuel!
My first Poké bowl was in Ho Chi Minh City last year and I feel in love to this light and savory dish since then. I’m back in the Philippines and watching Nami’s tutorial on how to prepare one answers my curiosity and cravings. Thanks once again JOC for this easy, quick and delicious recipe.
Hi Marnille! I hope you enjoy the recipe! I’m so happy you’re watching my videos all the way from the Philippines! xo
Poke is a staple dish at my house during most of the year – except for winter time.
Although I’m perfectly happy with the variety of ingredients available to me, I miss the limu seaweed. I wondered whether it would be totally out of the way to use rehydrated and steamed hijiki in stead. As I never tasted limu, I just don’t know
Hi Susanne! I was surprised to find limu at a Japanese grocery store that also serve some Hawaiian dishes on site! Limu is more of texture, and not much flavor besides “sea” taste. Kind of like wakame flavor – you taste the ocean. Hijiki is too thick and give too much texture. Limu is almost invisible in texture and flavor, very very subtle. 🙂
Yeah! Another great recipe ! Luv the taste & flavour of the dressing in combination with the fish!
Hi Vivian! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. 🙂
Hi Nami.
Looks delish. Questions on two ingredients. What form are the kukui nuts –raw, roasted (inamona), etc.? And do you know good sources for the kukui and limu? Not easy to find in rural New England and hard to trust any old source online. TIA.
Also, in case you didn’t know, Poke showed up on the popular Fuji / Netflix show, Terrace House, as a favorite dish of Arman (Japanese-Iranian guy from Hawaii), a young participant on the show. This *might* help explain the sudden increase in popularity.
Cheers,
Chris
Hi Chris! Thank you so much for your kind words!
Kukui nuts and limu are from the local Hawaiian owned Japanese grocery store (Takahashi market in San Mateo, CA). I’ve looked all the other Japanese grocery stores (Nijiya and Mitsuwa etc) first for these ingredients, but they don’t sell Hawaiian ingredients, so without Takahashi market, I couldn’t make it authentic way…. I actually had to ask a favor to the store if they can give me some of those as I didn’t see in the refrigerated section. Takahashi market has a deli in the supermarket where they sell poke, so he sold me some of kukui nut and limu. 😀 Raw or roasted? They were all crumbles. Could be raw, I didn’t feel like it was roasted.
Ohhh! Thanks for letting me know about Terrace House! I’ll check it out!
It look’s delicious. I am preparing now. But my concern: rice should be hot, room temperature or cold?
Hi Kasia! I apologize for my late response. It shouldn’t be hot that flash cook the raw fish, but rather it should be warm. In my recipe I wrote “Let it cool down a little bit then pile poke on top.” because I am not sure how to describe otherwise… just “warm” is the good temperature. 🙂
Aloha Nami,
Thank you for sharing how to make a poke bowl! Yours is truly an authentic Hawaiian poke bowl recipe and your topping ideas are spot on! We recently had a poke bowl with slices of round onion, slivers of ginger, cilantro, green onion and rock salt (same ingredients as cold ginger chicken sauce). It was so good! We also saw a combo bowl with poke and kalua pork. My daughter likes tanuki chips sprinkled on top of her bowl. Poke bowls are so satisfying and refreshing on a hot day. My mom likes to say “Onolicious!” I’m so glad you shared and yes, please come visit us here in Hawaii!!! Aloha!
Hi Amy! So happy to hear you liked my recipe/post! Thank you for your kind words. Hmm the poke you had sounds “onolicious”!!!! 😉 Tanuki chips – Do you mean tenkasu (the bits of tempura batter that are deep fried)? If so, that sounds like a nice topping that I want to add on my poke!
Hi Nami,
Yes, tenkasu is what I meant. Thanks for letting me know what to call it ????. It adds a nice little crunch to each bite. One idea for readers who are unable to eat or get fresh fish is to try your recipe using firm tofu. Sometimes we make that as a side dish or bring it to party as an easy appetizer, or “pupu” as we say here. Thanks so much for sharing Nami. Your blog and videos brighten my day!
I can’t wait to add tenkasu next time! We just ate it yesterday, so I’ll make it one more time (with tenkasu!) before going to Japan.
Thanks so much for the tofu version. And I love the name already!
My friend just posted tofu version too (in case anyone who reads this comment interested).
http://blog.seasonwithspice.com/2016/05/vegetarian-poke-bowl-recipe.html
Thank you for your sweet words!
Thanks for the recipe. I think Poke bowls just became popular recently because I’ve honestly never heard of it before…
I’ll try deconstructing a store bought sushi roll and try this recipe because I don’t know any safe ‘sashimi-grade’ vendors around here…
Hi Carrie! Poke is a Hawaiian dish, but with the recent Japanese food trend (more people eat raw fish), and more affordable price for Poke bowls (less sashimi), easy quick meal for busy people, poke bowls are kind of ideal for a quick sushi fix. You know, with $10, you can eat sashimi meal (with toppings and rice). I think that’s why it’s more and more popular.
If you live in the U.S., check out my online store FishforSushi.com. We ship everywhere in the U.S. (minus Hawaii and Alaska due to shipping logistics). 🙂
Thank you Eha! Quite honestly, it’s been so long since I visited Hawaii than I don’t remember if I had poke (I probably did?) when I was there. Luckily, it’s almost like sashimi bowl so I can convert it to poke bowl easily. 🙂 Thank you for reading! xo
Tried it – it was delicious and easy to prepare.
I’m so happy to hear that, Terry! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
Nami:
Found your poke recipe to be very good. Try doing the following if you want a really flavorful “spicy” poke…..
-Mash the fish into a rough paste instead of cutting them into cubes.
-Instead of sriracha use the Chili Garlic Sauce made by the same company that makes the original sriracha. The bottle has a green top.
We personally feel that it has more flavor with less heat.
-Mix in some mayo for creaminess.
By the way, if you ever come to Hawaii drop me a line and we’ll be more than happy to take you and your family on a sampling tour of THE best poke shop’s in the islands. (Some have 15 or more varieties on any given day.) Just bring your chopsticks and your appetite.
Keep up the great work!
Lester Kurima
Honolulu Hawaii
Hi Lester! Thank you so much for sharing your spicy poke recipe with us!
Ohh thank you so much for your kind offer! I’d LOVE the sampling tour of the best poke shops! I’ll skip some meals for that trip. 😀
Thank you so much for your support!
Oh my gosh, that looks so good! I love to eat poke bowl, but I’m the only one in my family who enjoys it. As much as I’d love to make my own, I would have too much leftover sashimi. I’m leery of trusting the quality of some sashimi (they sell poke at Costco, but I’ve steered clear so far). Once the sashimi is defrosted from your store, how long will it keep in the refridgerator? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Tiphanie! I’m so sorry for my late response. I understand your frustration. No one wants leftover ingredients… Sashimi lasts 2 days for best quality. You defrost your own, so it’s the most “fresh” quality you can get (there is no time that’s laying down in a supermarket or restaurant). I know, I’ve seen poke a few times at Costco too, but I won’t buy it at Costco either although we buy plenty of other things from Costco. My best advice is to host a poke bowl dinner party with your friends. It’s much cheaper than eating at Poke restaurants (they only give you a little bit of Poke for the price). 🙂
So the tuna that you are recommending is previously frozen?.Is this CO (carbon Monoxide) treated?
I would say the tuna at Costco is of better quality then, since it is Fresh and not previously frozen,.
Hi TJ! No, tuna from Fish for Sushi is not CO treated, and it’s actually superfrozen (Japanese technology). Tuna is usually caught very far from the port, and there’s no way you can keep it fresh for days. More info on this page: http://fishforsushi.com/pages/learn-more-about-superfrozen-tuna Personally, I don’t feel comfortable about tuna in Costco (at least in my area).
I understand Super Frozen, but that product can be sitting in a freezer for months before it is sold and distributed. Causing issues like freezer burn. While many sushi restaurants do use this, my preference is for Fresh Big Eye or Yellowfin. The Ahi that Costco sells in their Seafood department that is steaked out is not sashimi quality, and should be cooked before consuming, this would go for other stores who sell tuna steaks, but their poke product is of higher quality since it is being consumed raw. I have had Costco’s poke on a number of occasions both here on the mainland and when I lived in Hawaii and it is Good stuff. I was glad when they brought it to the Bay Area.
So excited to see this Nami! Thank you for sharing, looking forward to trying it!
Hi Alexa! Aw thank you! I hope you enjoy this recipe! I’m making it again tonight. 🙂
Nice recipes and love the colorful bowls. Plse share recipes for poke bowls using cooked meats to pack for office lunch.
Plse also provide a link to purchase sashimi grade fish.
Thk you, Thk you. Looking forward to hear from you.
Hi Joyce! Poke bowls are usually using sashimi-grade fish, so I probably won’t make a “Poke bowl” with cooked meat. Sorry. 🙂
I get sashimi-grade fish from local Japanese grocery stores.