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Cheaper than Takeout Poke Bowls

  • Aug 11
  • 3 min read

If you're like me and my family, you love sushi and love Poke but don't love spending $20 or more per bowl. This is how I make Poke Bowls at home to save a bunch of money but making sure I don't skip out on any of the flavor.


Most people find that the biggest hurdle in making a poke bowl or sushi at home is the fish. When I was at Sam's club, I spotted a Poke variety pack on sale for $14 for three options (Spicy Salmon, Spicy Tuna, and Shoyu Tuna). These were delicious and came with the sauce and the fish was pre-cut. All you had to do was thaw it out!


Now, there are some ingredients in here that may be a bit pricey up front but you'll be able to use them for many bowls to come so it should save you money in the long term. The best part about these bowls are that you can fully customize it to your preferred ingredients, toppings, sauces, spice level, and even quantity.


Personally, I love everything spicy so I usually add some wasabi mayo and some sriracha mayo but you can leave all that out if you prefer a milder spice-level. Don't like an ingredient? Skip it. Want to add something else? ADD IT! The bowl is your canvas and you're the artist.


Ingredients

  • ½ Cup of Uncooked Rice (Short Grain Preferred)

  • 1 TBSP Rice Wine Vinegar

  • 1 TBSP sugar

  • 1 Cucumber

  • Shredded Carrots

  • De-shelled Edamame

  • Pickled Ginger

  • ½ Avocado

  • AnnaSea Poke Pack (Sam’s Club)

  • 2 Green Onions

  • Spicy Mayo (Optional)

Servings: 2 Bowls

Cost: ~ $14 ($7 per bowl)

*Used cost per serving at my local Kroger and Sam's Club. If you don't have the exact ingredients, you may have a higher up-front cost but you can use the remaining for future recipes or more bowls! Additionally, I find that the amount of fish in each package could be stretched to a 3rd or 4th bowl if needed because it's truly a decent sized portion.

Preparation

  1. Wash and Cook Rice: Wash rice under water until it runs clear. Cook rice according to the package using a stove or rice cooker. 

  2. Make Rice Seasoning: In a small bowl, combine Rice Wine Vinegar, sugar, and 1 tbsp of water until dissolved. TIP: microwaving for 15-30 seconds will help sugar dissolve. 

  3. Thaw Fish: Follow the instructions on the box. I always forget to pull it out, so I follow the water method by taking the serving out of the box and submerging the sealed package under cold water. Usually it'll thaw in 10-15 minutes.

  4. Prep Veggies and toppings: Cut the cucumber in half length-wise and then into 1/4 inch half moons. Cut the avocado into slices. If you bought a whole carrot, shred it with the large holes on a cheese grater. Prepare the de-shelled edamame according to the package (I usually microwave and then add salt). Slice the green onions, separating the whites from greens. Save the greens for garnish.

  5. Marinade the fish: If you'd like, you can add the whites of the green onion to the marinade for the fish along with the fish. I find that this adds a bit of extra flavor but it's not required.

  6. Finish the Rice: Pour the rice seasoning mixture into the rice and combine. I prefer to allow this to cool a bit before adding the rest of the toppings.

  7. Assemble: Add all the toppings to the bowl on top of the rice. Make it pretty and use your imagination. Add any spicy mayo or sriracha to your liking. Garnish with green onion.


Tips and Best Practices

  • Be Creative! Pick and choose your favorite toppings and experiment with what you like.

  • Optional Toppings:

    • Sriracha Mayo

    • Seseme seeds

    • Wasabi Mayo

    • Seaweed Salad

    • Fresh Peppers

    • Pineapple

    • Tempura Flakes



 
 
 

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