This Tuna Poke Bowl Recipe with Spicy Mayo Rivals Any Restaurant
Learn how to make a classic Hawaiian dish (and the United States’ newest and tastiest food trend) in your own home kitchen with our latest how-to video and recipe.
Poke shops have been poppin’ up everywhere, and we can’t help but stop in for a bowl of this deliciousness whenever we come across one.
Poke (pronounced POH-kay) is the Hawaiian version of ceviche. It’s a raw fish salad but, unlike ceviche, it doesn’t get cooked by the acidity of lime or lemon juice. Hawaiian poke is tossed with seasonings such as soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions.
While poke is good as is, poke bowls are a tasty Asian-style and seafood take on grain bowls. You pile this cubed, raw fish salad on top of rice (or even quinoa or zoodles) and then garnish with toppings to your liking, such as cucumbers, avocado, edamame, sesame seeds . . . really anything!
You can use different kinds of seafood for poke, such as salmon or shrimp, but our favorite is tuna and we like to top it with shredded seasoned kale, pickled ginger, and a spicy garlic mayo. Learn how to make this simple, refreshing dish with this video:
How to Make Tuna Poke Bowl
Poke bowls are like burrito bowls made with sushi-inspired ingredients. Top rice with fresh raw fish and fresh veggies for a fun, light meal!
Of course, since we absolutely love poke bowls, we’re always open to topping suggestions! Let us know in the comments what you like to eat with your poke bowls, so we can have more poke inspiration.
But before you run out to make poke bowls for dinner tonight, here’s a quick tip:
Poke calls for fresh, raw tuna or salmon, so make sure you pick up high-quality fish. Sometimes it’s labeled as “sushi-grade.” Tell your fishmonger that you plan to serve the fish raw, so that he / she can point you in the right direction. If there aren’t any great fresh fish options around, buy pre-cooked cocktail shrimp and prepare it in the same way for a dish that is just as tasty.
Try our recipe for Tuna Poke Bowls below, and let us know what you think! (It’s one of our most highly rated meals, by the way!) And if you’re looking for the ultimate pairing to round out this refreshing summer meal, download our free Best-Ever Smoothie Mini Recipe Book and enjoy a smoothie alongside your poke bowl. There is a mango ginger smoothie in that book that is just meant to be with this dish!
Prepping Smarts
- Poke bowls are all about prep, and then the rest comes together seamlessly. Learn how to quickly and efficiently prep the toppings with the videos below to make this a fast and easy meal.
How to Dice Cucumbers
Learn how to dice cucumbers for a refreshing addition to summer salsas and salads.
How to Chop Avocados
Watch this simple how-to video for chopping avocados.
How to Prep Kale, Chard, or Collard Greens
Learn how to prep these big leafy greens, so you can enjoy in sautes, salads, soups, and curries.
Equipment Smarts
- Saucepan
- Dutch Oven
- Rice Cooker
- Any of these equipment can be used to cook the rice – whichever you prefer!
For more kitchen and equipment and tool smarts, visit our Essential Kitchen Cookware and Tools
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise - 4 Tbsp
- Chili-garlic sauce - 2 tsp
- Cucumbers - 8 oz, diced
- Limes - 1, wedges
- Green onions - 2 stalks, thinly sliced, white and green parts
- Avocados - 1, cubed
- Kale - 6 oz, very thinly sliced
- Edamame, shelled - 3/4 cup
- Rice, uncooked white or brown - 1 cup
- Tuna, sushi-grade - 12 oz, ½” / 1.3cm cubes (sub sushi-grade salmon; pre-cooked shrimp)
- Soy sauce, low-sodium - 1 Tbsp
- Oil, toasted sesame - 2 tsp
- Vinegar, rice - 2 tsp
- Oil, cooking - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Sesame seeds, any color (opt) - 2 tsp
- Pickled ginger (opt) - for serving
Instructions
Prep
- Make spicy garlic mayo – Whisk together mayonnaise and chili-garlic sauce. Taste and add more chili-garlic sauce if you’d like. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Cucumbers / Limes / Green onions – Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- Avocados / Kale / Edamame – Prep as directed. If using frozen edamame, defrost.
Make
- Rice – For white rice, rinse until clear. Fill a saucepan or Dutch oven (or rice cooker) with rice, water (use 2:1 ratio for water to rice), and some salt. Cover with lid and bring to a boil. Once water boils, stir, lower heat to a low-medium, and cover. Check white rice after ~20 min; brown at ~45 min. Rice is done when it’s absorbed all the water. If it’s not done, leave the cover on until all water has been absorbed. Take cover off to release steam and fluff with a wooden spoon after 5 minutes.
- While rice is cooking, slice tuna into ½” / 1.3cm cubes. Toss tuna with green onions (green and white parts), soy sauce and sesame oil.
- Toss kale with vinegar and cooking oil. (For more tender kale, massage the vinegar and cooking oil into the leaves.) Season with a pinch of salt.
- Assemble bowls by dividing rice and kale between serving bowls. Top with avocado, edamame, cucumber and tuna. Finish with sesame seeds and a drizzle of spicy garlic mayo.
- Serve bowls with lime wedges and pickled ginger on the side.
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