Poke Bowl
Published August 7, 2022 • Updated March 13, 2026
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I make this keto poke bowl whenever I want something fresh and filling without turning on the stove. Sushi-grade salmon tossed in sesame oil and tamari over cauliflower rice, ready in under 10 minutes.
I started making this at home after I realized the marinade is the simplest part. Sushi-grade salmon, toasted sesame oil, tamari, and a squeeze of lemon. That’s the whole thing. Five minutes of hands-on work and you’re eating something that tastes like it came from an actual poke shop.
If raw fish isn’t your thing, my garlic butter shrimp or paprika shrimp work over the same cauliflower rice base with the same marinade drizzled on top.
Traditional versions use short grain white rice and sweetened marinades loaded with sugar. I swap the rice for cauliflower rice (pan-dried in a hot skillet so it doesn’t turn into a soggy mess) and skip the sugar entirely. The toasted sesame oil and tamari do all the work on flavor. I’ve tested the marinade window dozens of times: 5-10 minutes is the sweet spot. Go shorter and the soy hasn’t settled into the fish. Go past 10 and the lemon juice starts cooking the salmon into ceviche.
This is one of the most flexible keto dinners on my site. Swap salmon for ahi tuna. Add spicy mayo. Throw in pickled ginger or sliced cucumbers. If you’re building a bigger spread, my chicken stir fry works alongside, or lean into the Hawaiian angle with huli huli chicken using the same cauliflower rice base.
This is also one of the most allergy-friendly recipes I make. No eggs, no nuts, no dairy. The only potential flag is soy, and coconut aminos handles that swap cleanly. I top mine with avocado, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of sriracha. The contrast between cold salmon, warm cauliflower rice, and creamy avocado is what makes this low-carb version work as a full meal.
One more thing: where you source your salmon matters. Not all fish is safe to eat raw. I cover exactly what to look for (and where I buy mine) below.
How to make a poke bowl
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Cut the fish into small bite-sized chunks and add them to a medium bowl.
- Add lemon juice, green onions, tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil, avocado, and sesame seeds to the fish. Gently stir to combine.
- Serve over cauliflower rice and top with sriracha if you want a little heat.
Pro Tip: Don’t marinate the salmon longer than 10 minutes. The lemon juice will start cooking it, and you’ll end up with ceviche instead of what you were going for. I aim for 5 minutes, just enough for the soy and sesame to settle into the fish.
Key ingredients
- Sushi-grade salmon: Not all fish is safe to eat raw. Look for the ‘sushi-grade’ label, which means the fish has been frozen to kill parasites. I order mine from Oshen Salmon because the quality is noticeably better than anything I’ve found at the grocery store. You can also use sushi-grade tuna if you prefer.
- Toasted sesame oil: Don’t swap this for another oil. The nutty, toasted flavor is what makes the whole dish taste real. Reader after reader has told me the sesame oil is the thing that makes this taste like a restaurant version. I agree with them.
- Soy sauce: Tamari or regular soy sauce both work in the marinade. For a completely soy-free version, use coconut aminos instead.
- Avocado: Adds filling fats and a creamy texture that contrasts with the fish and rice. I use half an avocado per serving, diced into chunks.
- Cauliflower rice: Replaces the short grain rice you’d normally see. Pan-dry your cauliflower rice in a hot skillet for 3-4 minutes before building the bowl. If you skip this step, liquid pools at the bottom and the whole texture falls apart. I learned this the hard way, and I’ve seen readers discover the same thing independently.
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Ingredients
4 oz sushi grade salmon -
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
-
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
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2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
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1 teaspoon sesame oil
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1/2 avocado, diced
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1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
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1/2 cup cooked cauliflower rice
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sriracha sauce, optional
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biscuit ring, optional
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Prep salmon
Rinse and pat salmon dry with a paper towel. Cut salmon in bite sized chunks and add to a large bowl.
Make poke
To the bowl with the salmon, add lemon juice, sliced green onion, soy sauce or tamari, toasted sesame seed oil, diced avocado and sesame seeds. Stir to combine.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ahi tuna instead of salmon?
I've made this with both. Ahi tuna has a firmer texture and milder flavor than salmon, so the sesame oil and tamari come through even stronger. The nice thing about tuna is that yellowfin and bluefin don't need to be flash frozen before eating raw (salmon does), so sourcing is a little easier. I still prefer salmon for this recipe because the fattier texture works better with the avocado, but tuna is a solid swap.
How long should I marinate the salmon?
I aim for 5 minutes. That's enough time for the soy and sesame to settle into the fish without the lemon juice starting to cook it. I've tested this a lot, and past 10 minutes the edges of the salmon start turning opaque and the texture shifts toward ceviche. If you're tossing and eating right away, the flavors won't have time to develop, so give it at least a few minutes.
How do I keep cauliflower rice from getting watery in the bowl?
Pan-dry it. I cook my cauliflower rice in a hot skillet for 3-4 minutes with no oil until the moisture evaporates and it starts to look dry and slightly toasted. The first time I made this, I used steamed cauliflower rice straight from the bag and ended up with a pool of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Pan-drying it completely changed the dish.
How do I make spicy mayo for this?
I mix mayo with sriracha in a 2:1 ratio. Two tablespoons mayo, one tablespoon sriracha. That's the whole recipe. I resisted adding it to my bowl for a long time because I thought the sriracha alone was enough, but the mayo adds a creamy layer that ties the toppings together. Now I drizzle it on every time.
Is this similar to sushi?
They share raw fish as a base, but the prep and origin are different. Sushi comes from Japan and usually involves vinegared rice shaped into rolls or nigiri. Poke originated in Hawaii and is more of a deconstructed bowl with marinated fish tossed over rice. I think of this as the easier version to make at home because there's no rolling, no seaweed, and no precision shaping. Just chop, toss, and eat.
How many net carbs are in this?
My keto version comes in at 3.4g net carbs per serving. Traditional versions run 30-60g because of the white rice and sweetened marinades. I cut the carbs by using cauliflower rice and keeping the marinade sugar-free. It's one of the lowest-carb meals I make, and I don't feel like I'm missing anything. The low-carb swap doesn't change the flavor profile at all.
How do I safely thaw frozen fish?
I take the salmon out of its packaging and place it in a container in the refrigerator overnight. That's the safest method and gives you the best texture. If I'm in a rush, I put the fish in a sealed plastic bag and submerge it in cold water. It thaws in about 30-45 minutes that way. Never use warm water or the microwave for fish you're going to eat raw.
Made this for a spring dinner and the two guests who told me upfront they don't eat raw fish cleared their bowls without a word.
The salmon marinade is the thing that makes this work. Soy, sesame oil, and lemon in that ratio is exactly how a good poke shop does it, and I've tried a lot of at-home versions that miss the balance. One thing I'd warn about: dry your cauliflower rice in a hot pan before it goes in the bowl. I made the mistake of using it straight after steaming and the liquid pooled at the bottom and ruined the texture of the whole thing. Pan-dried second time around and it was a completely different dish. The avocado and sesame seeds pull real weight here, so don't skip them. Worth making this right.
First time using sushi-grade salmon and I kept second-guessing myself the whole prep, but the sesame oil and soy sauce came together so fast I was kind of shocked it worked. Is it better to let the salmon sit in the seasoning for a few minutes before serving, or is the idea to toss and go right away?
Few minutes is actually better. The soy and sesame need a little time to settle into the fish, 5 minutes or so. Go past 10 and you start losing that fresh texture.
Oh that tracks. I was tossing and eating right away so that explains it.
Never cooked with sushi grade salmon before and almost talked myself out of it, but the lemon juice and soy sauce come together so fast. The cauliflower rice fooled me more than I expected.
The sesame oil is what sells the cauliflower rice. It's doing more work than people realize.
Before I went keto two years ago I had a poke place I'd hit every Friday, spicy salmon bowl, white rice base, the whole thing, and I just kind of quietly grieved it when I started cutting carbs because I figured that chapter was closed. Made this last Sunday when it was freezing out and I wasn't expecting much, just something different for dinner, and the second I drizzled the sesame oil over the salmon I was back in that spot (the smell is exactly the same, I don't know how). The cauliflower rice absorbing the tamari the way real rice does, the avocado going in cold against the warm salmon, I kept stopping to just look at the bowl. It tasted like a Friday again. I keep coming back to how something this simple, just lemon juice and sliced green onion on good salmon, packs that much flavor. Going in the rotation permanently.
'Tasted like a Friday again.' That one got me. If you haven't added the sriracha yet, that's what gets it closest to the spicy salmon bowl.