Vegan Poke Bowl

A Vegan take on Poke; this Vegan Poke Bowl will take you to the sands and seas of Hawaii!

With crispy, creamy and flavorful ingredients; this bowl is super easy to make and delicious! Plus, it is Vegan and Gluten-free.

Warm days are coming up and we are getting ready for easy to make, almost NO-cook recipes that are healthy too.

The recipes that fit the bill are definitely bowls of various kinds. And when you talk of bowls; there are SO many delicious meals that come up.

From Indian and Mexican to Asian and Salad, the options are unlimited. Bowls are always great as they have an amazing mix of crunchy, spicy, sweet and creamy ingredients.

Making a Vegan Poke Bowl is my latest obsession as it is so easy to make and a welcome change from the regular bowls. A variation of the classic, this one is loaded with SO many delicious ingredients.

What is Poke

A popular Hawaiian recipe, Poke is generally made from raw fish. The word Poke refers to 'slice' or 'cut crosswise' in Hawaiian. That is how the fish is prepared for the bowl. Learn more about Poke here.

The main ingredient is raw fish and the bowl becomes inaccessible to vegetarians. Thus, making a vegetarian version works well.

In order to replace the raw fish we use raw tofu. While a lot of recipes ask for tofu to be sautéed till crispy, I like to leave it raw and marinate them in a soy based marinade.

To make the bowl I add the tofu with a bunch of other colorful ingredients like salad leaves, rice, edamame, seaweed and a spicy sauce.

Together they make a delicious bowl thats healthy, delicious and super easy to make. Try it and you will surely be addicted.

This Vegan Poke Bowl Recipe

• is a perfect mix of crisp and creamy ingredients
• is super easy and quick to make; literally 20 minutes of active time!
• makes a great meal on weeknights or lazy weekends
• is super filling and healthy too. Plus, super customizable!
• is made Vegan and Gluten-free

A super customizable bowl, this one can be made with rice, veggies, other crunchy bits and bites. You can swap the rice for quinoa or likewise, veggies for the ones you like and definitely make the sauce more or less spicy.

Plus, this recipe is SUCH a great one for meal prep. Make the rice and sauce before hand. Chop the veggies and steam the edamame too.

Marinate the tofu a day before and you have a bowl ready in under 10 minutes when ready to eat.

Also, it is a great recipe for take-along lunch too. Marinade the tofu before you leave and it will super flavorful by lunch time. Mix it with all the prepped add-ins and you have a healthy bowl for lunch!

Video Recipe

Ingredients for the Tofu Poke

For making the tofu poke we use firm or extra firm tofu. It stands well and does not disintegrate with the sauces. Anything softer will give away with the sauces.

Plus, fried or baked tofu will not absorb the sauces well and taste bland.

So try and stick to using firm or extra firm tofu for the recipe.

To add flavor, I have used finely minced garlic and ginger in the marinade.

As for the sauces to marinate the tofu, we use dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili sauce, a hint of wasabi and some honey. While rice vinegar is great for its umami flavor, regular vinegar can also be used.

The sauces are all salted and the recipe does not need any extra salt. If you would like to add some, go ahead and add it with the other ingredients.

Other ingredients for the Poke Bowl

To make the Spicy Mayo

The sauce is generally the star in Poke bowls. Made from mayonnaise, toasted chili oil and chili sauce, this spicy and flavorful sauce is perfect for any kind of Poke bowl.

Thin it out with water if required to make it pourable.

Add-ins to the bowl

Once the tofu poke is ready and so is the sauce, the rest of the ingredients can change based on taste and availability.

• Brown Rice: I use cooked brown rice for the bowl. Quinoa or wild rice will work too.
• Salad Greens: I used a mix of greens in the bowl. Spinach, Arugula, Kale, Lettuce and Watercress will work individually or as a combination.
• Avocado: A creamy avocado is perfect for the bowl. It adds creaminess and so much nutrition to the bowl.
• Edamame: Steamed edamame makes a great addition to the bowl. Add them shelled so its easy to blend it with the other ingredients of the bowl.
• Chopped vegetables: I use julienned carrots and cucumber for the recipe. Adding daikon, beets etc is a great idea too.
• Toasted Seaweed: A great ingredient to replicate the original poke bowl, sea weed
• Seeds: I used toasted sesame seeds and hemp seeds for texture. Adding other seeds is great idea too.

Steps to make this Vegan Poke Bowl

1- Cook the brown rice as per the instructions in this post. Allow it to cool completely and refrigerate till needed.

2- Drain the tofu and place it in multiple layers of paper towels to drain. Cut it into ½ inch pieces and set aside.

3- In a bowl mix together all the ingredients for the tofu poke. Add ½ cup water and mix till the wasabi mixes in.

4- Transfer the evenly cut tofu pieces in the marinade and coat them well. Set aside for 60 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

5- Mix all the ingredients for the poke sauce and set aside.

6- When ready to assemble the bowl, place some brown rice, sliced avocado, greens, steamed edamame, tofu and julienne vegetables in each bowl.

7- Pour the sauce, add the seeds and serve cold or room temperature.

Tips and Notes

• Use firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe. Softer versions tend to give away with the marinade and are no fun to eat.
• Swap brown rice for white rice, quinoa, couscous or farro if you like.
• Make sure the tofu marinates for at least an hour for it to absorb maximum flavor.
• Elements like edamame, seaweed and seeds add a LOT of texture to the recipe. Try not to skip them.