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.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Marinating Time1 hourhr
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: poke salad, sashimi, tuna bowl
Servings: 3
Calories: 435kcal
Author: Namiko Chen
Ingredients
For the Poke
1small clumpHawaiian 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)
½lbsashimi-grade tuna(try ahi or skipjack for an authentic flavor)
½lbsashimi-grade salmon(though not traditional in poke, salmon brings a nice color to this dish)
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 (3rice 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 saltor 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
Ideas for Creative Toppings:
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!