This Hawaiian Salmon Poke Bowl recipe is so easy to make at home, you can enjoy a taste of the islands any time the craving hits. Comforting warm rice, homemade salmon poke in a creamy spicy sauce, fresh avocado, and a ton of delicious toppings make every bite memorable.
I've enjoyed this flavor combination my whole life thanks to my grandma that grew up in Hawaii. The healthy Japanese & Hawaiian fusion of ingredients packs a ton of flavor into such an easy simple recipe. Like my Ahi Tuna Poke Nachos, it is hard to share something this good.
Poke bowls (pronounced “poh-KAY bowls”) are basically deconstructed sushi rolls. If you have never had poke and love sushi; you are about to fall in love. My easy-to-make Spicy Salmon Poke inspired this recipe. It was so good, I had to turn it into a meal.
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Ingredients for Salmon Poke Bowl
The key to making a great poke bowl is fresh ingredients. Be sure the salmon in the poke mixture is sushi-grade or sashimi-grade. Only purchase from a market that specializes in this type of seafood.
Fresh raw vegetables & ripe avocados are important for a tasty salmon poke bowl. The crunch of the crisp cucumber and the creaminess of the buttery avocado pair perfectly in this recipe.
- Spicy Salmon Poke Recipe - made from Sushi-grade Salmon (sockeye typically), mayo, Sriracha, sesame oil, soy sauce, & red onion
- Short-Grain White Rice (Jasmine or long-grain also)
- Cucumber
- Avocado
- Red Onion
- optional - Jalapenos (fresh or pickled)
- optional - Furikake
- optional - wasabi & pickled ginger
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make a Salmon Poke Bowl at Home
The star of these rice bowls is the fresh salmon poke. In these bowls, I am using my recipe for fresh salmon poke in a creamy spicy mayo sauce.
You can find the full recipe here for Spicy Salmon Poke. It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare & uses 6 ingredients. Assemble this & store it in the refrigerator to keep it cold & for the flavors to marinate as you prepare the rest.
Here is a summary of how to prep the salmon poke with the spicy creamy mayo sauce.
- Using a sharp knife cub the salmon into ½" bite-sized pieces. Place it in a medium-sized bowl & add diced onions.
- In a small bowl combine the sauce ingredients & whisk.
- Add the sauce to the salmon and gently stir to combine so that all pieces are coated.
- Refrigerate until time to use.
Cook the Rice & Prep the Produce
Cook the rice in the rice cooker according to your favorite recipe or the manufacturer's instructions. It typically takes about 10 minutes for 2 servings of rice to steam. This is the perfect amount of time to prep the rest of the ingredients.
Using a sharp chef's knife, slice & dice the cucumber, avocado, & onion.
- Slice the cucumber into thin slices. Set aside.
- Remove the pit & remove the skin from the avocado. Dice it into small cubes. Set aside.
- Slice the onion into thin slices. Set aside.
HINT: assemble the poke bowls just before it is time to eat. Poke bowls do not keep well & are best enjoyed immediately.
How to Assemble a Poke Bowl
Now for the fun & creative part, assembling the salmon poke rice bowls. Begin by grabbing medium-sized bowls. It is as easy as 1-2-3!
- Divide the cooked steamed rice and add to the bottom of each bowl.
- Scoop ½ cup of salmon poke onto the rice on one side of the bowl. To the other side, top with cucumber, avocado, and onion.
- Sprinkle on the jalapenos & furikake so they are evenly distributed between the two bowls.
Grab your chopsticks and dig in!
Poke Bowl Topping Ideas
Add additional toppings as desired. Drizzle on a bit of soy sauce, ponzu, or additional hot sauce. Another great suggestion is serving with a bit of wasabi and pickled ginger like sushi restaurants do.
Here are some other delicious poke bowl topping ideas. Personalize it with what you love and take it up a few more tasty notches.
Here are a bunch of ideas for topping poke that are too yummy to pass on.
- Pineapple Chunks
- Diced Mango
- Edamame
- Sesame Seeds
- Crushed Macadamia Nuts
- Seaweed Salad or Strips
- Bonito Flakes
- Crispy Fried Onions or Shallot
- Yamagobo
- Pickled Julienne Vegetables
- Kewpie Mayo
Top Tips
All of these great tips are shared in the post. But these are so good and important they are worth mentioning again so you don't miss them.
- Use only sushi-grade fish when working with raw salmon
- Assemble poke bowls just before eating, they are best enjoyed fresh
- Personalize it with topping choices that are endless
Substitutions & Variations
Here are some great recipe variations & ingredient substitutions that can be made. Add, omit, or use one of these alternatives. These may help you enjoy this recipe even with dietary, health, or personal nutritional preferences.
Substitutions
- Homemade Spicy Poke - purchase poke from a local market, store, or restaurant instead of making it at home
- Salmon - use sushi-grade ahi or hamachi instead
- Raw Salmon - use cooked salmon instead
- Rice - use brown rice instead of white rice
Variations
- Low-Carb or Grain-Free - omit the white rice & use cauliflower rice
- Deluxe - add a scoop of kani crab salad/crab sticks & more vegetables like green onions, daikon radish, or shredded carrot
- Nacho-Style - instead of over rice top tortilla or corn chips.
Poke bowls are often healthier than sushi. They can also be keto-approved when enjoyed as a seafood salad. Make this for lunch or a light meal at dinner by serving it over fresh mixed lettuce greens.
Poke Bowls for a Party or Crowd
Making poke bowls for parties or a lot of people is so easy & a lot of fun. You can easily scale this recipe to make it for 6, 10, 20, or even up to 50 people.
What I recommend is making a buffet station with all the amazing ingredients. There is nothing more fun than a build-your-own-poke-bowl party! Adults and kids love making their own poke bowls.
On a large table or counter, place all the ingredients in small bowls or platters. Keep the rice warm in the rice cooker. Offer a ton of different toppings. And don't forget pretty bowls, chopsticks, sake, & cocktails like my Pina Colada on the Rocks.
IMPORTANT - keep the raw seafood and pokes cold! Place it in a bowl sitting on top of a large bowl filled with ice. Or keep it in a small cooler next to or on the counter.
Equipment
The right ingredients, supplies, & equipment help recipes taste amazing & turn out well. Here are recommendations for products that are needed for making this recipe. Shop this recipe & buy these top-rated items today.
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Storing Poke
Like other raw seafood recipes, fresh is always best. Once the rice bowl is assembled, enjoy it immediately. The poke will hold for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. I do not recommend storing it for any longer than that or freezing it.
FAQ
Here are answers to some common questions. I hope you find what you need but if not, you are always welcome to send me a comment and I will get back to you.
Poke is translated literally into "cut into pieces". The bulk of the ingredients in the seafood mixture is diced or sliced into small pieces. You may find it on menus listed as either poké/poki.
I am fortunate to live in an area with a lot of Asian markets & local fresh seafood - California living has a ton of perks. If you are not as lucky, finding quality raw seafood that is sushi-grade may be a bit more difficult. Some restaurants may sell you some - often they will cut it for you too for a bonus!
My best suggestion is to check your area for local stores & seafood markets for fish counters that specialize in offering safe raw fish options. Always make sure you confirm it is "sushi-grade" not just simply fresh & caught today, for example. Some freezer sections & stores like Whole Foods or Costco offer it seasonally.
There is a difference between regular salmon and salmon that is sushi-grade. Do not substitute regular salmon in this recipe. It is not safe to eat raw salmon that is traditionally caught, cut, & stored.
Hawaiian Salmon Poke Bowl
Equipment
- sharp fish or chef's knife
- rice cooker
Ingredients
- 2 cups Spicy Salmon Poke Recipe see ingredients below
- 1.5 cups uncooked short grain rice (or 4 cups cooked rice)
- 1 small cucumber sliced thin
- 1 medium avocado cut into cubes
- ½ cup red onion sliced
- ¼ cup fresh or pickled jalapeno pepper slices optional
- ½ teaspoon furikake optional
Spicy Salmon Poke Ingredients
- ½ pound sushi-grade salmon
- 1 tablespoon mayo
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ cup red onion slice or dice
Instructions
- Rinse & prep rice to go into your rice cooker with water. Set to cook.
- While the rice is cooking, prepare the poke according to the recipe on this site. Let it store in the refrigerator to stay cool while prepping the other ingredients.
- Slice the cucumber into thin slices. Set aside.Remove the pit & remove the skin from the avocado. Dice it into small cubes. Set aside. Slice the onion into thin slices. Set aside.
- Once the rice is done cooking, it is time to assemble the poke bowls.
- In two large bowls, divide the cooked steamed rice and add to the bottom of each bowl.
- Scoop 1 cup of salmon poke onto the rice on one side of the bowl.
- On the other side of the rice, top with cucumber, avocado, and onion. Sprinkle on the jalapenos & furikake so they are evenly distributed between the two bowls.
- Grab a pair of chopsticks & dig into your yummy Hawaiian Salmon Poke Bowl!
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 600 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 18.7g | 24% |
| Saturated Fat 3.5g | 18% |
| Cholesterol 89mg | 30% |
| Sodium 400mg | 17% |
| Total Carbohydrate 65.5g | 24% |
| Dietary Fiber 5g | 18% |
| Total Sugars 2.4g | |
| Protein 40.7g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 63mg | 5% |
| Iron 5mg | 28% |
| Potassium 1015mg | 22% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Food Safety
Working with raw seafood can be intimidating. Follow these tips to ensure you have delicious results.
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw fish
- Wash hands after touching raw fish
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Enjoy raw fish within 48 hours
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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