Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls

OK, Poke! These homemade Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls are deliciously fresh, exceedingly easy to throw together, and SO much cheaper than at a restaurant.

Both of my kids love Poke bowls, and I love all the fresh ingredients they contain! What I don’t love, though: It’s somewhat cost prohibitive to feed a whole family Poke, at around $16 per bowl at our local restaurants. So let’s try this at home instead, where we can create yummy Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls to feed a family of four — at less than the cost of one restaurant bowl.

Oh, and did I mention that this recipe will also just take you 30 minutes to put together? You can substitute salad greens for that rice, if you’d like to keep your Poke low carb.

We’re talking 30 minutes to greatness, that is. And yes, ALDI actually carries sushi-grade ahi tuna in their freezer section: This 12 oz package with two good-sized steaks ran just $5.39 at my store. Wherever you shop, though, you’ll want to be sure to look for sushi grade (also sometimes called sashimi grade) frozen tuna for this recipe. Thaw it safely in the refrigerator overnight so that you’re ready to create these Poke bowls the next day.

Note: Poke bowls are best served with raw sushi-grade tuna. If raw fish makes you nervous, you can sear the tuna in a little canola oil for about 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat until medium rare. I would not recommend cooking it any more than that, because fully cooked tuna will be dry.

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls

Ingredients

– for the sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
1 Tbsp sesame oil
Juice of 1/2 a small lime
1 tsp powdered ginger
1/4 – 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (depending on your tolerance for spice)

– for the bowls

12 oz sushi grade ahi tuna, thawed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 packs seaweed snacks, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 of a medium onion, thinly sliced into half moons
12 radishes, thinly sliced
4 green onions, chopped

– to serve

Cooked rice

Directions

*** Optimally: Start thawing your tuna in the refrigerator the night before. ***

Cook up a pot of rice. While the rice is going:

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Cut the thawed tuna into bite-sized chunks, which will be easier to do if it is still very slightly frozen.

Peel the cucumber and remove its seeds with a spoon, then chop it into bite-sized pieces.

Slice up the avocado, onion, radishes, and green onions, then cut up the seaweed with kitchen shears.

Assemble your Poke bowls: Scoop cooked rice into each bowl. Top bowls with chopped tuna, seaweed, and veggies. Serve with sauce to taste.

Note: Spice these homemade Poke bowls up with different sauces, if desired. Try teriyaki, for instance, or for a sweet & spicy take substitute a little honey & sriracha for the lime juice & crushed red pepper in the sauce recipe here. You can also top with sesame seeds for additional flavor & crunch, if you have any on hand.

Make your Poke bowl your own

Seriously, just how pretty & fresh are these bowls? I like to do a make-your-own Poke bowl experience for the boys over here, setting out the different toppings and letting people assemble each bowl to their own taste. (This also works well when one kid, for instance, hates seaweed and the other won’t touch cucumber.)

Usually I’ll also add shelled edamame instead of radishes, but just didn’t have any on hand today. Likewise, you can mix things up with your own favorite Poke toppings or with what you have available: Try pineapple, mango, or corn for a pop of sweetness; try thin slices of jicama, carrots, or red cabbage for crunch; swap out the green onions for cilantro; add pickled ginger for tang, or jalapeño for spice. Just make sure you have some contrasting colors, textures, and flavors going on for the best experience.

High School Kid proclaimed these homemade Poke bowls “bussin'” last night, which is quite high praise indeed from a teenager. Enjoy your own bussin’ bowls, however you choose to top yours.

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls, printable recipe

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