This Hawaiian-style salmon poke bowl recipe is packed with veggies and Omega 3 fatty acids. Easy andquick to prepare, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner. Step by step, let me show youhow to build the perfect salmon poke bowl!
Poke…one of the great loves of my life.
Having a sister who lives in Hawaii, I have been lucky enough to enjoy poke for years and could not be happier about the trend of poke shops popping up everywhere here in Vancouver!
Poke (pronounced POKE-AY) is a traditional Hawaiian dish that you can find pretty much anywhere that carries food on the islands – from grocery stores, to restaurants, and even little beach shacks.
Whenever we’re in Hawaii I think it’s safe to say my diet consists of at least fifty percent poke. Haha There is nothing better than packing a cooler, a towel and a couple of cold ones and heading to the beach to watch the surfers.
I knew that it was about time I brought this tradition home, so I went on the hunt for all the necessary ingredients and today I am SO excited to be sharing 5 Easy Steps to Make The Perfect Poke Bowl!
Tip: I find that having a few meal ideas on hand frees up time for more family time, so I’ve created a list of my well-balanced meal recipes for you here!
STEP 1: How to Source Fish for Poke Bowls
Now this is a big one. You can’t eat just any fish raw. I think this is probably the biggest thing that was holding me back. When it comes to seafood I can be a little paranoid. So I got to researching…
What I learned is that there is a special process for sushi grade fish (fish that is safe to eat raw) . The process involves freezing the fish to kill parasites. There is no set regulation, but the FDA recommends either freezing it at −4 °F for 7 days or −31 °F for 15 hours.
In Vancouver, there were 3 places that came up in my searches with good reviews for sushi grade fish – H-Mart, Fujiya and Granville Island Market.
I initially went to H-Mart, being the closest option to me. The staff there was great and super helpful. I was so excited to see that they did in fact have sushi grade salmon. In my excitement I picked some up to get to recipe testing. I realized after that it was only farmed salmon that they had (Atlantic salmon), so I went on the hunt again for some wild salmon. I ended up heading to Granville Island and found some beautiful wild salmon at Longliner Seafoods. It was a bit of a hunt but it was definitely worth it!
STEP 2: Pick a Grain as the Base of your Poke Bowl
Typically Poke bowls are served on short grain Japanese sushi rice, but hey, there are no rules these days. I do love it served traditionally this way but decided to mix it up this time with a purple sticky rice (I used Level Ground Trading’s Violet Rice). You could also try it on brown or wild rice, or get really creative and try another grain like Farro or Quinoa.
STEP 3: Make a Flavorful Sauce for your Poke Bowl
For this bowl, I went with the traditional and simple sesame soy sauce. Another one of my faves is the spicy tuna poke (made with either actual chilis or a chili pepper sauce like Sriracha, Hawaiian sea salt and a bit of mayo).
Others I have seen popping up lately that I want to try are Kimchi flavored bowls and simple but delicious wasabi soy bowls. So many options to choose from!
STEP 4: Selecting your Poke Bowl Toppings
Here’s your chance to really get creative and tailor it to your tastes. The possibilities are endless!!
My favorites:
- Creamy avocado
- Pickled vegetables
- Edamame Beans
- Thinly sliced cabbage
- Carrots
- Beets
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Togorashi (a japanese spice mix)
STEP 5: Set The Mood For the Ultimate Enjoyable Meal!
This colorful and flavor packed meal is the perfect opportunity to practice mindful eating. The colors, textures and flavors naturally draw attention to the meal. I recommend throwing on some Bob Marley or maybe even the sound of some waves in the background to really get swept away in this Hawaiian delight 😉
Nutrition Benefits of Poke Bowls
Salmon
Salmon is packed with heart and brain healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. It also provides quality protein to keep you full and satisfied after your meal!
Avocado
Avocado contains antioxidant Vitamin E knows to support skin health. What may come as a surprise is that it also provides around 6g of fiber per half avocado!
Edamame Beans
Edamame Beans are whole, immature soy beans. They are a great source of plant based protein and fiber and also contain micronutrients calcium, vitamin C and iron.
Have you tried poke before? Let me know in the comments below where your favorite poke place is, or better yet, if you have a great recipe to make it from home!
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The Perfect Salmon Poke Bowl Recipe
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This Hawaiian-style salmon poke bowl recipe is packed with veggies and Omega 3 fatty acids. Easy and quick to prepare, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner. Pescatarian. Gluten Free.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup rice (I used Level Ground Trading’s Violet Rice), cook according to package directions
- 1 lb sushi grade wild salmon
- ½ cup edamame beans, shelled
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- ½ cup wakame salad
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Optional toppings: pickled ginger, wasabi, Togorashi (Japanese spice mix)
Sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½–1 tsp chili flakes
- ¼ cup green onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp roasted seaweed, chopped (or use a premade seaweed snack mix)
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, prepare your veggies and toppings and set aside .
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine your sauce ingredients and whisk with a fork until well combined.
- Next, cut your salmon into bite sized cubes (approx 1 inch) and add them to the bowl with your sauce mixture. Stir to coat pieces evenly, adding more of any of the sauce ingredients to taste if needed.
- When rice is cooked, divide between 4 bowls. Top with your salmon mixture and arrange your toppings around the bowl as you like.
- Finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, turn on some Bob Marley and ENJOY!
Notes
- Swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos to make this recipe gluten free
- Meal Prep Tip: For an even quicker meal, prep a batch of rice at the beginning of the week to make this a 15 minute meal.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Bowl Assembly
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Keywords: Poke Bowl, Meal Prep Recipe, Buddha Bowl
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Rachel Richard says
Jang! You should try the sushi grade salmon at The Fish Counter on Main Street (all Ocean Wise/ sustainable). It was delicious!!!! Love your blog/instagram. Miss ya xoxox
Lindsay says
Thanks Rach and thanks for the tip! I will definitely have to try it 🙂 Hope your move back home was smooth! Miss you too! xo