If you thought going vegan meant saying goodbye to the joys of poke bowls, think again! With a few creative twists, you can create a vegan poke bowl that's every bit as satisfying as its seafood-based counterpart.
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Poke restaurants have been popping up everywhere in the past few years, and for good reason! Creative bowls laden with fresh veggies and delectable sauces – what's not to love? 😍 But if you're vegan, you might feel left out of the poke party. Fear not, because I'm here to show you that vegans can enjoy utterly delicious poke bowls too!
The best part about poke bowls? They're incredibly customizable, so you can let your creativity run wild and mix and match your favorite ingredients to craft your perfect bowl. In this post, I'll share my tried-and-true vegan poke bowl recipe and give you plenty of ideas for tasty add-ins to keep things fresh and exciting.
🙋What's A Poke Bowl?
A poke bowl is a Hawaiian dish that traditionally features cubed raw fish, such as tuna or salmon, served over rice with various toppings and sauces. The word "poke" (pronounced "poh-keh") comes from the Hawaiian word meaning "to slice or cut."
In recent years, poke bowls have become so popular that even vegan options are easy to find. A vegan poke bowl, like the one I've given you the recipe for below, replaces the raw fish with plant-based ingredients like marinated tofu, tempeh, or watermelon tuna while still maintaining the essence of the dish with rice, vegetables, and flavorful toppings.
👨🍳How To Make A Vegan Poke Bowl
Prepare The Rice
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Combine the rice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. If you want to make your sushi rice in a rice cooker, follow these instructions: How To Make Sushi Rice In A Rice Cooker.
- Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir this mixture into the cooked rice.
Prepare The Tofu
- In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sriracha, ginger, garlic, green onions, and sesame seeds.
- Add the cubed tofu to the bowl and gently toss to coat. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Cook the Tofu (Optional but recommended for added texture):
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil.
- Once the skillet is hot, add the marinated tofu cubes (reserve the marinade) and cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until the tofu is golden and slightly crispy.
- Pour the reserved marinade over the tofu and cook for another 1-2 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
For The Toppings
- Divide the cooked rice among serving bowls.
- Arrange the cooked tofu on top of the rice.
- Add the avocado, edamame, shredded carrots, cucumber, radish, seaweed salad, and pickled ginger around the tofu.
- Sprinkle with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Make The Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sriracha, and ginger. If you prefer a creamier sauce, why not try my vegan Sriracha aioli sauce?
Customize It!
- Pickled ginger adds a zingy, sushi-like kick to your vegan poke bowl.
- Seaweed salad contributes a briny, ocean-fresh flavor and a unique texture.
- Crispy fried onions add a satisfying crunch.
- Chopped macadamia nuts add a buttery, tropical crunch.
- Mango salsa introduces a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy twist to your poke bowl.
- Pickled vegetables, such as carrots or radishes, contribute a tangy, acidic note and they amp up the color factor.
- Sriracha mayo drizzled on top adds a creamy, spicy kick that ties all the flavors together.
- Wasabi peas add a fiery, horseradish-like heat and an interesting texture contrast.
- Sliced jalapeños bring a fresh, green spiciness to the dish for those who enjoy a little extra heat.
- Chopped kimchi adds tangy, spicy, and slightly sour flavor that's wonderful in a vegan poke bowl. Just be sure to check the ingredients. Some kimchi isn't vegan.
Use me in your vegan poke bowl!
Vietnamese Peanut Sauce
This Vietnamese Peanut Sauce would we a fabulous dressing for a vegan poke bowl!
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
Try my watermelon tuna recipe. You'll be surprised how much it tastes like the real deal!
No, not everything in a poke bowl is necessarily raw. While traditional poke bowls feature raw fish as the main ingredient, many other components are cooked or prepared in various ways.
In a vegan poke bowl, the main protein source, such as tofu, tempeh, or watermelon, is often marinated and sometimes cooked. Tofu can be pan-fried, grilled, or baked to enhance its texture and flavor. Tempeh is usually steamed, marinated, and then pan-fried or baked. Watermelon is typically marinated and served raw as a fish alternative.
You Might Also Enjoy These Recipes
Vegan Potstickers With Dipping Sauce
Korean Vegetable Pancakes - With Dipping Sauce
Vegan Sweet Potato Sushi Rolls
Korean Cucumber Salad - Oi Muchim 오이무침
📖 Recipe
Vegan Poke Bowl
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 1 cup sushi rice or brown rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Tofu Poke:
- 1 block 14 oz firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or other hot sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the Toppings:
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 cup edamame shelled and cooked
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 1 cucumber thinly sliced
- 1 radish thinly sliced
- ½ cup seaweed salad optional
- ¼ cup pickled ginger optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or other hot sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Instructions
Prepare the Rice:
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Combine the rice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir this mixture into the cooked rice.
Prepare the Tofu Poke:
- In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sriracha, ginger, garlic, green onions, and sesame seeds.
- Add the cubed tofu to the bowl and gently toss to coat. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Cook the Tofu (Optional but recommended for added texture):
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil.
- Once the skillet is hot, add the marinated tofu cubes (reserve the marinade) and cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until the tofu is golden and slightly crispy.
- Pour the reserved marinade over the tofu and cook for another 1-2 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
Assemble the Poke Bowl:
- Divide the cooked rice among serving bowls.
- Arrange the cooked tofu on top of the rice.
- Add the avocado, edamame, shredded carrots, cucumber, radish, seaweed salad, and pickled ginger around the tofu.
- Sprinkle with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Prepare the Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sriracha, and ginger.
Serve:
- Drizzle the dressing over the assembled poke bowls.
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