Salmon Poke Bowl
Fresh, flexible, and dinner is basically assembled for you.
When you’re too tired to think but still want something that feels like an actual dinner, this salmon poke bowl is a good move. It gives you the poke bowl experience without a lot of cooking: quick rice, chopped salmon, a simple savory-sesame sauce, and whatever crunchy toppings you have around. It’s especially helpful on nights when you want dinner to feel fresh instead of heavy, but you do not want a project. Expect a bowl that comes together fast, tastes balanced, and leaves plenty of room for substitutions. If your energy is low, this is a choose-your-own-adventure dinner with very little risk.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sushi rice — or short-grain white rice
- 1.5 cup water
- 12 oz salmon — skinless, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 unit avocado — sliced
- 1 cup cucumber — diced
- 0.5 cup edamame — thawed if frozen
- 2 unit scallions — thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 unit lime — cut into wedges
Method
- 1 Rinse the rice, then cook it with the water according to package directions until tender. Keep covered off heat for 5 minutes, then fluff.
- 2 Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and honey in a small bowl.
- 3 Pat the salmon dry and season lightly with salt and pepper if you like. Heat the neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- 4 Add the salmon in a single layer and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until just cooked through and lightly browned on the outside.
- 5 Divide the rice between bowls. Top with salmon, avocado, cucumber, edamame, scallions, and sesame seeds.
- 6 Drizzle with the sauce and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace the salmon with cubed extra-firm tofu and sear it the same way until browned.
- Faster swap — Use microwave rice and pre-cut cucumber or coleslaw mix to cut the active time to about 15 minutes.
- Easy substitutions — Swap edamame for shredded carrots, avocado for mango, or sushi rice for brown rice if that is already cooked.
Notes
For the best texture, keep the salmon pieces fairly small and do not overcook them. If you want a cooler, more classic poke-style bowl, let the salmon rest 2 minutes after cooking before assembling. Use any crunchy vegetable you have for the cucumber, and add a little extra soy sauce if the bowl needs more salt.
Equipment that helps
- Medium saucepan — It cooks the rice evenly without needing extra attention.
- Large skillet — It gives the salmon enough contact with the pan to brown quickly.
- Small bowl — It makes the sauce easy to whisk together before you start assembling.
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