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Don't delay making a Shrimp Poke Bowl with amazing creamy poke sauce! It's an easy, healthy shrimp recipe you'll put on repeat.
Are you in love with poke restaurants where you move along a buffet line to construct the ULTIMATE bowl filled with colorful Hawaiian ingredients?
I am! So I've started making budget-friendly versions at home using cooked shrimp and easy-to-find ingredients, like carrots, mangoes, and edamame.
They don't replace authentic versions. But the flavorful combination of crunchy veggies and sweet fruit pulled together with a spicy dressing is delicious.
The concept is similar to sushi salad but allows for a wider variety of tastes and textures, including low-carb ones.
You don't have to buy specialty items, either. Use the ideas below to create homemade Shrimp Poke Bowls with things you have in your refrigerator right now!
Why you'll love this recipe:
- It's easily customized.
- It's healthy and can be made low-carb and gluten-free.
- It's ideal for meal planning and make-ahead meal prep.
- Great way to use leftovers in a delicious new way.
Jump to:
What is a Poke Bowl?
If you're still not sure what the heck I'm talking about, let me introduce you to this dish.
Poke “POH-keh” bowls originated in Hawaii. The term poke means to cut or slice into pieces and comes from anglers cleaning, cutting into small pieces, and seasoning raw fish to snack on.
Fast forward to the craze going on today. These bowls are not just served with yellowfin (ahi) tuna. You'll find a variety of proteins used, including pork belly, beef, tofu, and chicken.
Typically, you have choices in these categories: protein, grains, vegetables, sauce, and crunchy and specialty toppings.
Everything is diced and presented so the final poke bowl is easily consumed with chopsticks or a fork.
Poke Bowl Ingredient List
Wondering what exactly is in a shrimp poke bowl? Below you can see what we included in ours.
Use our choices or customize your bowl with the ideas below. The goal is to create a dish with a balance of flavors and textures with a rainbow of colors.
- Shrimp - Buy cooked shrimp, saute shrimp, or use leftovers from last night's dinner. Marinated cilantro lime shrimp, which is a copycat of Costco's cold shrimp, is delicious in a poke bowl. Shrimp is usually chilled and chopped into smaller segments.
- Quinoa - Brown rice, white rice, and sushi rice are also options.
- Low-carb bases include:
- Spiralized zucchini noodles
- Cauliflower rice
- Spinach or any leafy salad greens
- Low-carb bases include:
- Edamame - The firm texture offsets the softer ingredients. We buy it frozen and shelled, so it's easy to defrost and add to salads and bowls. Once it's heated in the microwave, run it under cool water.
- Another option is chickpeas, like these sweet and spicy roasted chickpeas.
- Cucumber - Use an English cucumber for fewer seeds and cut or slice it into bite-sized pieces.
- Carrot - Dice, cut into matchsticks, or slice thin. Fresh veggies add a nice crunch, and you can add anything, including, cauliflower and broccoli.
- Mango - Adds a sweet pop of flavor. Pineapple is also delicious.
- Cilantro adds color and flavor. Green onions are delicious too!
- Poke Sauce - See more detail about the creamy dressing we used in the next section. Other options:
- Any Asian dressing will work in a pinch, such as the sesame ginger dressing we used for Napa Cabbage Salad.
- Yum Yum Sauce by A Couple Cooks is creamy without the kick!
- Ponzu sauce like this one from Just One Cookbook has a citrusy soy sauce flavor.
Other fresh veggies and toppings:
- Pink pickled onions
- Green or red peppers
- Raw sweet onion or red onions
- Corn kernels - Microwave corn in the cob and remove the kernels or keep a bag of frozen corn in the freezer.
- Jalapenos
- Sliced avocado
- Seed sprouts and microgreens
- Nuts (peanuts, cashews, slivered almonds)
- Seeds (sesame, chia)
Specialty toppings:
- Pickled ginger
- Wasabi peas
- Seaweed Salad
- Seaweed snacks broken into pieces
It goes without saying that you can double up on your favorites!
Creamy Poke Sauce
If you like creamy and sweet with a hint of heat, then this spicy mayo dressing is what you need for your shrimp poke bowl.
Make it vegan or low-carb. But, whatever you do, please try it. I've hooked many a skeptic.
Simply combine mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, honey, and seasoned rice vinegar.
Low-carb version: Use plain rice wine vinegar and your sweetener of choice to make this NO CARB! I'm carb-conscious, but I don't make substitutions for this recipe.
Make-Ahead and Serving Tips
- Prepare the ingredients ahead of time for this Shrimp Poke Bowl recipe. Refrigerate everything until you're ready to enjoy it.
- For meal prep, mix everything together and portion in airtight containers. You'll have lunch or dinner for the next few days.
- For parties, prepare the ingredients and allow guests to assemble their own poke bowls.
- Refrigerate leftover shrimp poke bowls in an airtight container for about 3 days.
FAQ
Depending on the ingredients used, poke bowls are healthy. Good choices include fresh vegetables and fruit, legumes, lean protein, and toppings like seeds and nuts.
Yes. Shrimp is marinated or seasoned and can be cooked in a variety of ways, including sauteed, baked, or boiled.
More Recipes To Try
Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?
📋 Recipe
Shrimp Poke Bowl and Creamy Poke Sauce
Ingredients
Salad
- ⅔ cup quinoa, dry to yield 2 cups cooked; rinsed
- ½ pound cooked shrimp peeled and deveined; tail removed; chopped in smaller pieces if shrimp is large
- 1 cup carrot diced
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- 1 cup edamame cooked and shelled
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 cup mango diced
Creamy Poke Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise any type
- 1 teaspoon sriracha use ½ teaspoon for a less spicy version
- 1 teaspoon honey or sweetener or choice
- 1 Tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
Instructions
- Combine quinoa and 1 ⅔ cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until water has absorbed.
- Add the remaining ingredients to a bowl and toss to combine.
- Stir in quinoa when finished.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Drizzle creamy poke sauce over the top and enjoy.
Notes
- For lower-carb version use spiralized zucchini, cauliflower rice or salad greens for the base.
- Use plain rice wine vinegar and your sweetener of choice to make the poke sauce NO CARB!
- ALL of the ingredients can be prepared ahead of time. Shrimp Poke Bowls can be served hot or cold.
- For meal prep, mix everything together and portion in sealable containers for lunches or dinners the next few days.
- For parties, prepare the ingredients and allow guests to assemble their own poke bowls.
Donna T says
My grandson is working close to my home. So, I told him I would make him his lunch. This recipe looks so good except for one item. He doesn't like quinoa. What else can I replace it with. Would cooked brown rice work? I always have brown rice cooked and in the freezer.
Marjory Pilley says
Absolutely. Brown rice would be perfect. To check the list of options in the post, which will give you more ideas for mixing in different ingredients. Enjoy!
Anne P says
The sauce is amazing. I used honey as suggested. I made extra and have been adding a little to almost everything. Definitely recommend.
Marjory Pilley says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!