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
-
1/2 avocado, diced
-
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
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1/2 cup cooked cauliflower rice
-
sriracha sauce, optional
-
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.
Add cauliflower
Add cauliflower rice to a bowl or the center of a biscuit cutter. Top fresh salmon poke on the cooked rice. Remove mold and top with sriracha if using.
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.
Pat your salmon dry before cutting and keep it on a cold plate while you prep. At room temperature, sushi-grade fish cuts ragged and the cubes lose that firm bite before they hit the bowl. I figured that out on a hot afternoon, rushing, kitchen already working against me. Never went back.nnToast your sesame seeds fresh in a dry pan right before assembling, about thirty seconds on medium. Seeds from a jar go flat over time. Freshly toasted ones bloom when they hit the sesame oil and tamari in a way that makes the whole bowl smell completely different. Both steps together take ninety seconds, which is why this is what I make on hot nights when I don't want to turn anything on.
Figured out on my second batch that slightly warm cauliflower rice makes a real difference. When it comes straight from the fridge, it mutes everything. Once I let it sit out a few minutes, the tamari and sesame oil actually came through the way they should. I also started mixing the sriracha into the marinade instead of drizzling it on top, and it coats the salmon so much more evenly. Small adjustments, noticeably better result.
Room temp rice is a real thing. Cold fat doesn't coat the same way, it just sits on top. And mixing sriracha into the marinade is cleaner, more even heat throughout the salmon instead of one spicy bite and then nothing.
Made this for dinner a few nights ago and it was genuinely good, but by the time I sat down the cauliflower rice had released a lot of liquid and the whole bowl got watery. I pressed it out beforehand and thought I had it pretty dry, but apparently not. My guess is the tamari pulls out more moisture as things sit. Do you let yours drain longer after cooking, or is there a trick to getting it really dry before you build the bowl? I've used cauliflower rice in plenty of stir-fries and it's usually fine, so I'm wondering if the cold marinating step is what changes things here.
I've tried making poke bowls at home a few times and always ended up with something watery or flat. The tamari and sesame oil here actually clings to the salmon instead of just pooling at the bottom, which is what kept tripping me up before. The cauliflower rice holds up under it too, no mushiness. Four stars because I'm still figuring out my sriracha ratio, but that's on me, not the recipe.
The tamari-to-sesame ratio is what makes it cling. On the sriracha, start at half a teaspoon and taste before you add more. It builds faster than you'd think.
I meal prep Sundays and this would be perfect for weekday lunches. If I marinate the salmon the night before, will it still be good by Wednesday? I'm paranoid the lemon juice will start breaking down the texture before I even eat it. Better to just keep everything separate and dress it before eating?
Keep everything separate. The lemon juice starts cooking the fish past 10 minutes (edges go opaque, texture falls apart), so anything marinated overnight is going to be mushy by Wednesday. Store the salmon plain, mix the sesame oil and tamari fresh each day, toss right before eating.
Used coconut aminos instead of tamari and let the salmon marinate for about 15 minutes. The sesame oil came through so much cleaner, and the whole bowl felt more balanced. One thing: press the cauliflower rice dry first, or it'll loosen everything up by the time you're eating.
Coconut aminos does taste cleaner here. And yeah, 15 minutes is too long - the lemon juice starts cooking the edges past 10. Good call on pressing the rice.
Brought this to a spring cookout last weekend and set it up as a build-your-own bowl next to my sister's regular grain bowl. The salmon was gone before the other bowl was half empty. Two people asked if it was from somewhere because of the sesame marinade, and I had to explain the rice was cauliflower. Genuinely one of the better reactions I've gotten from a dish I brought somewhere. Double batch next time for sure.
The 'wait, where did you get this' moment is the best part. They taste the sesame marinade and assume restaurant, then you have to explain the cauliflower rice situation. Double batch for sure.
Brought this to a spring get-together with a bunch of people who aren't keto and was nervous about the cauliflower rice situation. Gone before the actual sides. Would dial up the sriracha next time but that's on me.
Non-keto crowd is the real test. And on the sriracha - mix it into mayo 2:1 and drizzle that over instead of going straight. Sticks better, heat builds slower but lands harder.
I was skeptical about cauliflower rice as a poke base (every other version I've tried tastes like sad wet cauliflower). This one actually works, and I think it's the sesame oil soaking in while everything sits. Weeknight dinner, didn't want to turn on the stove, under 10 minutes. Regular sushi rice feels too heavy now. The cauliflower rice just lets the salmon be the whole point.
Yeah, the sesame oil is doing most of it. Pan-drying the cauliflower in a hot skillet before assembling helps too, it absorbs instead of just washing everything out.
I've never bought sushi-grade salmon before so I went in fully expecting to mess this up. The sesame oil and tamari come together so fast I kept waiting for the catch. Four stars because I'd add more sauce next time, but that's a me problem.
More sauce is never wrong here. I drizzle an extra tablespoon of tamari right before serving when I want it bolder. And yeah, once you've bought sushi-grade salmon once the whole thing gets way less scary.
Been making this every Sunday for the past three weeks for my work lunches and I finally figured out the system. Keep everything separate until you eat, especially the avocado. Mixed it all together the first time and by Tuesday it was not pretty. Now I do the salmon and the tamari sesame mixture in one container, cauliflower rice in another, avocado sliced fresh right before I eat. Takes two extra minutes of prep but the Wednesday bowl tastes just as good as the Sunday one. The cauliflower rice doesn't get soggy either, which I was genuinely worried about. This has completely replaced my sad desk lunch rotation and I don't see that changing.
Three Sundays in and you've got the full system down. Slicing the avocado fresh is the one thing I won't skip no matter how rushed I am. Once it browns it's just wrong.
I've made three or four keto poke bowls from different recipes this year and they all had the same problem: the cauliflower rice just sat there like filler and threw off the whole ratio. This one actually works because the sesame oil and tamari pull everything together, so the cauliflower stops tasting like a compromise and starts tasting like part of the bowl. The lemon juice on the salmon is subtle but it lifts everything. I've tried versions with coconut aminos thinking it would be lighter, but it doesn't have the same depth as tamari. The sriracha drizzle at the end is non-negotiable for me now. This has replaced my usual go-to and I've made it twice in the last ten days.
The tamari thing is real. Coconut aminos are sweeter and thinner, so the whole bowl reads lighter in a way that doesn't work here. Twice in ten days is the right pace.
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.
Every time. The sesame and tamari just don't read as 'raw fish' once it's in the bowl.
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.
The pooling thing catches everyone the first time. I almost didn't include the pan-dry step in the recipe and I'm glad I kept it in. Completely different bowl.
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.