Nov 16, 2015

Ahi Tuna Poké

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Diced raw ahi tuna tossed in a simple soy or shoyu sauce and served over sushi rice with whatever other additions you want in this Hawaiian favorite.
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I love fish, especially raw fish. Sushi, crudo or poké, call it what you want, I will eat it and love it. When eating raw fish it is so important to buy sushi grade and to make note of how long the store or fishmonger has had it. You don’t want to consume raw fish that has been sitting around in a display case forever. Having a bad experience with raw fish will definitely scar you. That being said, feel free to experiment with what other toppings you put on your poke bowl, I love adding edamame, crispy onions, cilantro or sriracha mayo.

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl

How do I Pronounce Poke?

Always unsure of how to pronounce poke? Poke is pronounced phonetically as po-kay not like pokémon.

What is Poke?

The Hawaiian favorite translates to “cut fish”. Diced pieces of raw fish or seafood are tossed in sauce (typically a shoyu sauce made from soy sauce and sesame oil with green onions. Some add sliced onions and other favorite toppings and serve it over warm rice. While this recipe is not traditional since it has other toppings along with the fish, it’s one of my favorite ways to serve it.

Using Raw Fish

While it can seem intimidating since you are working with raw fish as long as you buy fresh high-quality ingredients there is no reason for it to be daunting. I have an ongoing love for raw fish, especially salmon and tuna, and this satisfies my cravings in the comfort of my own home.

Ask your fishmonger for sushi grade fish, they should be able to provide much more information about whether their fish can be eaten raw.

It is important to buy sushi grade and to make note of how long the store or fishmonger has had it. I buy the sushi-grade fish from my local seafood market the day of, or day before, making dinner as fresh as possible.

Where to Buy Sushi Grade Fish

  • At your local fish market. Many fish markets offer selections of fresh fish like tuna or salmon that can be used for spicy tuna crispy rice. Then, ask your fishmonger for more advice! They are a great resource.
  • At a Japanese market. Many markets sell pre-packaged cuts of sushi-grade tuna in the refrigerated section. This keeps it easy for use in this recipe!
  • Buy online. So, if you don’t have a place to buy fresh high-quality fish locally, I recommend ordering online. There are plenty of places where you can get fish shipped quickly – I particularly like Honolulu Fish Co. also available on Goldbelly.
Ahi Tuna Poke recipe

How to build a poke bowl

Step 1:

Cut the tuna into cubes

Step 2:

Mix together the sauce: stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha, green onions and sesame seeds.

Step 3:

Toss with the tuna and onion (if using). Add any additional fillers if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 4:

Make the rice. I use a rice cooker but you can easily make it on the stove.

Step 5:

Serve the tuna and avocado over the warm rice.

Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Poke recipe with avocado over white rice with chopsticks

Ahi Tuna Poké 

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound sushi grade Ahi tuna
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced sweet yellow onion (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
  • 1 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds
  • 1 cup sushi rice
  • teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon mirin
  • 1 medium avocado, pit removed and thinly sliced

Instructions:

  • Cut the ahi tuna into ½-inch cubes. In a large bowl whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha, green onions and sesame seeds.
  • Gently toss with the tuna and onion (if using). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the poke until ready to serve.
  • Place the sushi rice in a fine mesh strainer and run cool water over the rice until the water runs clear. In a saucepan or rice cooker combine the rice and 2 cups of water.
  • Simmer until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and gently mix in rice vinegar and mirin.
  • Serve the poke and avocado over the warm rice.

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Recipe Rating




  1. 5 stars
    Perfect homemade poké. Super easy sauce but exactly what you’d get from a high quality poké establishment 10/10

  2. 5 stars
    I love this recipe! We make it two or 3 times a month. I double the sauce recipe because I love the taste of it on the tuna.

  3. I was given some tuna freshly caught. I put it in vacuum seal bags and froze it. How long is it ok in the freezer before it has to be eaten? I plan on eating it raw so I don’t want to mess it up.

  4. Quickly becoming my go to! I love not having to turn on the stove to make this for dinner. If you get great quality ingredients you are all set. The sauce that you toss the tuna in is SO GOOD and that is an understatement- it’s got a little nutty flavor from the sesame oil and the all mixed together it’s just delicious. I also added edamame to the tuna mix to get some greens in.

  5. This recipe was amazing. My relatives and I were complaining about how much we have to pay for Poke in the pacific northwest and I thought – why not make it? I found your recipe and made it for all of us and it was a huge hit! I plan on spicing it up a bit and adding wasabi mayo. Don’t think we’ll be buying it anymore. Thanks!

  6. I didn’t think I could get good Poke in Alabama, but with this guide I had the confidence and the know-how! Following this guide and preparing your own Poke should be a requirement for manhood…