spicy salmon poke bowl

Making poke bowls at home is simple and so much fun! Source some super fresh sushi-grade salmon, marinate it in a delicately spicy soy dressing, and top with crunchy bits of cucumber, juicy mango, and thinly sliced snap peas. Drizzle with hot wasabi mayo and a sprinkling of crunchy wasabi peas for extra punch!

Why I love it:

Bowls are my favorite meal hack for families with little kids.

For one, every kid loves to make their very own meal. And with the huge array of items, there’s bound to be something for everyone. Even if it’s a rice + mango dinner, I call that a win.

Grown-ups also get a delicious meal without making separate food for every person.

In this spicy salmon poke bowl, we love to start with sweet coconut rice and diced toppings of cucumber, avocado, mango, and snap peas.

Marinate the salmon in a soy dressing boosted with sweet mirin, chile flakes, and plenty of grated ginger. Most kids won’t look twice at this one, so make it extra spicy for yourselves. 

I love the drizzle of wasabi mayo with its fresh lime and intense kick, but if you aren’t into wasabi just swap the sauce for a classic sriracha mayo. You can’t go wrong.

Spread it all out in a buffet-style meal and go to town!

Keep reading for tips and variations to make your very own poke bowls. 

Ingredients for salmon poke bowls:

how to make salmon poke bowl:

1. Make wasabi mayo; chill until ready.
2. Make spicy soy dressing. Add salmon and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Make coconut rice.
4. Assemble bowls: coconut rice, marinated raw salmon, mango, cucumber, snap peas, and avocado. 
5. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, wasabi peas, and edible flowers.
6. Drizzle with wasabi mayo.
7. Enjoy!

shortcut this recipe for a weeknight dinner!

This is a great recipe for a weeknight meal! You need to do some prep ahead of time, but that work will pay off for several meals!

• Chop up the mango and veggies in the morning (save the avocado for right before serving).
• Make the marinade in the morning and refrigerate it.
• When you come home from work, dice the salmon and transfer it to the soy marinade. While the fish is marinating, make the coconut rice. 
• Assemble the bowls and serve!

Tip: Use leftover plain rice (or instant rice) to make it even faster!

sushi-grade salmon guidelines:

• Always buy sashimi-grade fish from a reputable fish market with a high turnover. Tell the fishmonger you’re looking for salmon to consume raw and they’ll give you their highest-quality fish. "Sashimi-grade" has no legal meaning, but it will convey you’re looking for the best they’ve got.
• Wild salmon can have parasites. I prefer farmed or previously frozen. When you get Atlantic salmon, it’s almost entirely farmed. These fish are fed parasite-free food, and are considered parasite-free. Wild salmon caught outside of their peak season can have parasites and must be previously frozen (at very low temperatures) to be safe.
• Blast-frozen salmon is great here! It's rapidly frozen immediately after being caught, so it’s super fresh and the process kills off any potential parasites. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight and enjoy.
• The fish should smell clean. Salmon is a fatty fish (especially if it’s big or farmed), and these oils quickly begin to smell if the fish hasn’t been stored properly. Don’t eat it if it has a fishy smell.
• Transport the fish on ice to keep it as cold and fresh as possible.
• Eat it the day you bring it home.

If you have a compromised immune system (sick, pregnant, young or old), the FDA recommends you avoid consuming raw fish.

make it a cooked salmon poke bowl:

If you don’t want raw fish, don’t stress! This recipe is equally delicious with cooked salmon.

Here are some ideas to get you started...

• Marinate the salmon in the soy dressing and bake it in the oven at 400°F for 7- 10 minutes.
• Grill the salmon and baste it with miso ginger sauce.
• Pan-sear the salmon and toss it with teriyaki sauce towards the end.
• Air fry the salmon fillets and glaze them with a maple soy dressing (400°F for 7- 10 minutes).
• Use smoked salmon! Cold-smoked or hot-smoked will be delicious flaked over the bowl.

more salmon recipes to try:

miso salmon bowl

salmon crudo

lemon herb-crusted salmon

salmon alfredo

salmon wellington

smoked salmon toast

salmon rillettes

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