Poke bowl shops are popping up all over the country, but how nice would it be if you could make them even better at home?! These easy salmon poke bowls are packed with flavor and tons of fun toppings! This is a meal I crave so much whenever the temps start rising and i’m wanting something fun and fresh!
We got back from our anniversary trip from Palm Springs on Monday after spending four days in beautiful sunny California weather! Our days were filled with lounging by the pool, lathering a lot of sunscreen on this Oregon skin, and exploring and eating our way through the city together. Since it was our first wedding anniversary, we exchanged “paper” gifts on the last night – I made a scrapbook for him of all of our wedding and honeymoon photos, our vows, love notes, and little tidbits over the last year together, and he gave me a framed picture of our first dance song printed on a canvas. Sweetest gift ever. I of course boo-hooed like a baby, especially reading our vows back to each other. I’ll try and not get any more mushy gushy with you – but I highly recommend doing something in whatever way that fits your style to celebrate milestones! It creates such a great tradition and I’m looking so forward to all the anniversaries to come!
I absolutely loved Palm Springs. The people, the food, the weather, everything! I am making a full guide on how to spend a couples weekend in Palm Springs to share with you guys.
So now lets get down to business! These salmon poke bowls are somethin’ else and I can’t gettem off ma mind! Sorry, I just finished Where the Crawdads Sing in Palm Springs and I can’t stop talkin’ like a backwoods marsh gal! Ok i’ll stop.
But really, these are SO GOOD and super easy to make. Buying good fish can be expensive, however I have found that I can make a much bigger bowl and the exact way that I want it (topping overload) compared to the fancy poke places down the street. You can Google your local Japanese market or New Seasons/Whole Foods has great options as well!
These bowls are so customizable – if you prefer tuna over salmon, sushi rice vs. brown rice, ponzu or spicy mayo – the options are endless!
Easy Salmon Poke Bowls
Ingredients
Rice (brown rice or sushi rice)
Salmon
– 1 pound of sushi-grade salmon (cubed or thinly sliced)
– 1/2 cup of soy sauce
– 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
– 2 teaspoons sesame oil
– 2 teaspoons sriracha
Cucumbers
I typically make a jar of picked cucumbers, so this recipe will give you extra after the recipe.
– 1 large English or hothouse cucumber thinly sliced
– 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar,
– 1/4 cup water
– 1/4 cup honey
– 2 teaspoons salt
– 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
Spicy Mayo
– equal parts sriracha and mayo/greek yogurt. You can make this as spicy as you want. I usually just do a big spoonful of both mayo and greek yogurt and then just stir in sriracha until it reaches the spiciness level I’m looking for!
Toppings
These are some of the toppings I love!
– Edamame, sliced radishes, avocado, fried garlic or shallots, everything bagel seasoning, sliced jalapeño, scallions, seaweed salad and pickled ginger. Use a combo of any of these!
What to do
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In a medium-sized bowl whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and sriracha. Add in thinly sliced or cubed salmon, toss to coat, cover and place in the fridge until ready to use! I use the leftover marinade from the fish and drizzle a little over the rice in my bowl for extra flavor!
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Get your rice boiling and start on the cucumbers. Combine vinegar, water, honey, salt and chili flakes in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling turn off heat, add cucumber slices and stir. Let them rest for 10 minutes, then transfer cucumber to a container.
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Make spicy mayo and prep other toppings.
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To build your bowl, use rice as your base and then add in the salmon and any toppings your heart desires!
Enjoy!
