Make your own tuna poke bowl in just 20 minutes! Fresh raw tuna is marinated in tamari sauce and sesame oil, then served on a bed of rice with spicy mayo and a rainbow of tasty toppings.
I’m convinced that tuna poke bowls are the ultimate meal: they’re easy to make, yet they feel fancy and taste amazing. You can adjust this recipe to include your favorite veggies, sauces, and so on. Just remember that like this spicy tuna recipe, you’ll want to be sure to stick with sushi-grade tuna, as this means it’s safe to eat raw.
Why These Poke Bowls Are the Fresh & Flavorful Meal You Need Right Now
Tuna poke bowls are one of those dishes where you can just look at it and know it’s going to taste incredible and you’ll feel energized after eating. They’re colorful and vibrant, with the best mix of textures!
- Fresh, clean flavors. The tuna is lightly seasoned so its natural flavor shines through. It’s so rich and delicious, the perfect pairing with crisp veggies and nutty jasmine rice.
- Low effort, high reward. With minimal cooking and simple assembly, these bowls are quick and easy, but they look (and taste!) like something you’d get at a restaurant.
- Make them your own. You can swap out the rice for quinoa or cauliflower rice, add extra veggies, or adjust the heat level to make your poke bowls exactly how you like them.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the list of what you’ll need for these tuna poke bowls. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Tuna – I like using bluefin tuna for this recipe, but you can use other types, such as yellowfin, if desired.
- Toasted sesame oil – Be sure it’s toasted; if the label just says sesame oil, it won’t have the toasty, nutty flavor.
- Low-sodium tamari – Tamari keeps the recipe gluten-free, but if that doesn’t matter to you, you can use soy sauce.
- Rice wine vinegar – Sometimes this is labeled as rice vinegar.
- Black sesame seeds – Packed with antioxidants, black sesame seeds bring great flavor and texture to this dish.
- Fresh ginger – Don’t use dried ground ginger! Fresh has a warmer, spicier flavor.
- Green onion – Adds mild onion flavor, along with a pop of color and texture.
- Mayonnaise – Kewpie mayo is extra rich and often used with sushi, but any mayo is fine!
- Sriracha – Feel free to adjust the amount to your liking.
- Jasmine rice – The rice should be cooked shortly before your bowl is assembled.
- Vegetables – Crisp cucumber and carrots, along with creamy avocado.
How to Make a Tuna Poke Bowl
This 20-minute meal is anything but complicated. Here’s how to make the perfect tuna poke bowl!
- Make the sriracha mayo. Stir together the mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl and set aside.
- Season the tuna. Gently toss the tuna with sesame oil, tamari, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, ginger, and green onion. Let sit for about 15 minutes.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide the rice between the bowls and top with tuna, cucumber, carrots, and avocado.
- Finish and serve. Drizzle with sriracha mayo and garnish with extra sesame seeds and green onion.
Tips for Success
I have a few additional pointers before you start this tuna poke bowl recipe:
- Marinate for 15 minutes. It’s important to marinate the tuna for at least 15 minutes before assembling the bowls. Just don’t let it sit for more than an hour.
- Serve the rice warm. I love the contrast between the warm rice and the cool tuna. I suggest cooking the rice while the fish is marinating.
- Go to a reputable fish market. The best way to get sushi-grade tuna is from a reputable fishmonger. It should never be packaged with non-sushi-grade fish, and it shouldn’t smell fishy.
- Use what you like. You can make substitutions as desired or add more yummy toppings to your poke bowls like dried seaweed, pickled ginger or edamame.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re wondering what to serve with tuna poke bowls, I’ve got a few tasty ideas!
- Pair with sliced mango. I love serving my poke bowls with mango slices on the side. It’s so simple and it adds a sweet element that goes great with the flavors in the bowl.
- Add an Asian-inspired appetizer. Like these fresh summer rolls.
- Serve with a refreshing cocktail. While it’s not exactly Asian, the fresh clean flavors of a classic mojito would work well with this recipe.
How to Store Leftovers
Tuna poke bowls are best enjoyed fresh. If needed, store the tuna mixture and bowl components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Reheat the rice in the microwave before assembling.
More Meal Bowl Recipes
Tuna Poke Bowls
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These fresh tuna poke bowls are light, flavorful and so easy, they come together in just 20 minutes. Don’t skip the sriracha mayo on top!
Ingredients
For the Tuna
- 1 lb sushi grade bluefin tuna, diced into 1/2” cubes
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari
- 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon black sesame
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion
For the Sriracha Mayo
- 3 tablespoons mayo
- 3 teaspoons sriracha
For the Bowl
- 1 cup jasmine rice, cooked
- 2 cups cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shaved carrots
- 2 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- To a small bowl, add mayo and sriracha sauce. Mix together and set aside.
- To a medium bowl, add sushi grade tuna, toasted sesame oil, tamari, black sesame seed, ginger, rice wine vinegar and green onion. Gently toss and let sit for 15 minutes (no longer than 1 hour).
- In the meantime, cook your rice and prep veggies.
- Assemble the poke bowl: add 1/4 cup jasmine rice, 4 oz of tuna, 1/2 cup sliced cucumber, 1/4 cup of shaved carrots and 1/2 avocado sliced.
- Garnish with more green onion, black sesame seed and drizzle of sriracha mayo.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 poke bowl
- Calories: 466
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 606 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
