This Spicy Tuna Poke Bowl is made with chunks of fresh tuna, avocado, cucumbers, spicy mayo and scallions cut on the bias served on a bed of steamed rice – YES please!!
Spicy Tuna Poke Bowl
My poke bowl obsession runs as deep as my sushi obsession, and I am not alone! In the past few years, New York has exploded with poke restaurants. The great news is that it’s just as easy to make them from scratch! The beauty of this Poke Bowl Recipe is that you can customize it to your taste. Love salmon? Use that instead. Don’t like raw fish, sear it a few minutes on each side? Don’t like spicy food, leave the spicy mayo out. Easy! More recipes like this Spicy Tuna Poke Bowl that you may like, Ahi Poke Bowls with Mango, these vegan poke bowls or this Tuna Poke Salad.
Poke Bowl Recipe
My friend went tuna fishing and gave me some fresh tuna (lucky me!), which inspired these spicy poke bowls. They are so easy to make – my version of a poke bowl recipe is made with marinated ahi tuna, sticky brown rice, crunchy cucumber, creamy avocado, and of course, plenty of spicy mayo. It’s the perfect combination of spicy, salty, crunchy, sticky, warm and cold. When I first made them, I shared them on my Instagram stories and got so many questions that I knew I had to share the poke bowl recipe on my blog.
What is Poke?
Poke, which has been popular in Hawaii for decades, is a dish traditionally made with fresh raw fish served over rice with toppings like onions and seaweed.
Are poke bowls healthy?
Yes! Tuna poke bowls can be very healthy, and a great way to get more fish into your diet. For this poke recipe, I use tuna and avocado, which have healthy fats served over brown rice for extra fiber. For the poke sauce, I use a small amount of light mayo and soy sauce, which is low in calories. I mix in cucumber and green onions, but you can always add more veggies for a nutritional boost. If you are on a weight watchers diet, these poke bowls are also weight watcher friendly.
What is usually in a poke bowl?
What I love most about poke bowls is how customizable they are! The base consists of rice or salad topped with protein choices of tuna, salmon, tofu, etc. Sauces are an essential part of a poke bowl and can consist of spicy mayo, eel sauce, etc. Below are some variations to create the perfect bowl with flavors you’ll love:
- Fish: Sushi-grade salmon or tuna, cooked shrimp, chicken, tofu
- Base: Brown rice (I use Trader Joe’s frozen rice, which heats up in just three minutes), sushi rice, black rice, cooked rice, or mixed greens, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles for a low-carb alternative
- Vegetables: Cucumber, avocado, green onion, pickled red onions, shredded or pickled carrots, shredded cabbage, edamame, radishes, pineapple, ginger
- Toppings: Sesame seeds, furikake (Japanese seasoning), cilantro, nori, wasabi
- Sauce: Spicy mayo, sesame vinaigrette, soy sauce, wasabi mayo, eel sauce, sriracha, fresh lime juice
How To Buy Sushi Grade Fish
- Find a reputable fishmonger or market. Look for one that sells in high volume, gets in regular shipments, and has a knowledgeable staff.
- Ask questions. Always talk to the vendors before buying the fish to make sure it’s safe for raw consumption. If your fishmonger is storing unwrapped sushi-grade fish in the same refrigerated case as non-sushi-grade fish, this should be a big red flag.
- Use your senses.The fish should smell fresh like the ocean – never fishy – and the color should be vibrant.
How long does a poke bowl stay fresh?
It’s best to eat fresh raw poke the day you make it, but it will keep in the fridge up to two days.
Is the rice in a poke bowl hot or cold?
Poke bowl is made with super cold tuna or fish served over warm sushi rice, brown rice, or black rice. The contrast between the warm and cold is delightful.
What is poke bowl sauce made of?
I used spicy mayo for the poke sauce. You can also top your poke bowl with soy sauce and extra sriracha if you like it really spicy. Spicy mayo is so simple to make with just two ingredients – mayo and sriracha. You can make it as spicy or mild as you wish and use full-fat or light mayo. I use whatever I have on hand and make extra, which I keep refrigerated in a squirt bottle to make it easy to drizzle over my poke bowl.
More Tuna Salad Recipes:
- Sesame Crusted Tuna
- Seared Tuna Salad with Wasabi Butter Sauce
- Shoyu Ahi Tuna Poke
- Grilled Tuna over Arugula with Lemon Vinaigrette
- Ahi Poke Bowl
Your comments are helpful!! If you’ve tried this healthy, Poke Bowl Soup recipe or any other recipe on Skinnytaste, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below!
Spicy Tuna Poke Bowl
Ingredients
For the tuna
- 1/2 pound sushi grade tuna, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
For the spicy mayo
- 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
For The Bowl
- 1 cup cooked short grain brown rice or sushi white rice
- 1 cup cucumbers, (from 2 Persian) peeled and diced 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 medium Hass avocado, (3 ounces) sliced
- 2 scallions, sliced for garnish
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- Reduced sodium soy or gluten-free tamari, for serving (optional)
- sriracha, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and sriracha, thin with a little water to drizzle.
- In a medium bowl, combine tuna with scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil and sriracha. Gently toss to combine and set aside while you prepare the bowls.
- In 2 bowls, layer 1/2 the rice, 1/2 the tuna, avocado, cucumber and scallions.
- Drizzle with spicy mayo and sesame seeds and serve with extra soy sauce on the side, if desired.
Last Step:
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Nutrition
Photo credit: Jess Larson
