Full of fresh, healthy ingredients, this shrimp poke bowl is a feast for the eyes and your stomach. It’s a satisfying meal filled with lean protein, whole grain brown rice, fresh veggies, and topped with a Sriracha mayo that packs a spicy punch!
If you’ve never had a poke bowl before, it’s like a deconstructed sushi roll. Sometimes poke bowls contain raw fish, like sashimi grade salmon or ahi tuna, but in our version, it contains beautifully cooked shrimp.
The thing I love most about shrimp poke bowls, is that they are easy to customize, based on personal preference and what fresh ingredients you have on hand.
Shrimp Poke Bowl Ingredients and Substitutions
- Rice– While the recipe below calls for brown rice, you can use whatever you have on hand. Wild rice, white rice, black rice (also known as forbidden rice), or even quinoa would be a great option.
- Shelled Edamame– I tried to find edamame at two different stores when I was working on this recipe, and couldn’t find them in stock anywhere (which is nuts, because normally I can find them everywhere). Cooked black beans or adzuki beans are a perfect substitute!
- Cabbage– For visual appeal, I prefer to use purple cabbage, but you can also use green cabbage, Napa cabbage, or savoy.
- Other Veggies– Carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes – oh my!! Poke bowls are a wonderful way to use up those leftover veggies you have lurking in your refrigerator.
- Shrimp– I prefer to use wild caught, small to medium-sized shrimp in this recipe, but any size (even prawns) would be delicious. Other good substitutes would be crab meat, leftover cooked salmon or tuna (or raw sashimi grade), or tofu for a vegan/vegetarian option!
- Mayo– Since I started Weight Watchers, I’ve been using lite mayo, because it is less points than full fat. You can use whatever you prefer here. A homemade or organic mayo would also be lovely!
Other Optional Seasonings and Toppings
- Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, Gluten-Free Tamari, or Coconut Aminos– If you made me choose which of these I would use, I’d reach for the Bragg’s Liquid Aminos – every time. It has a more robust flavor profile than tamari. I generally don’t use coconut aminos at all, but it’s an excellent substitute for those who cannot have soy. If you do use coconut aminos in this recipe, you might need to give your poke bowl a sprinkle of salt.
- Sesame Oil– Sesame Oil has such a wonderful toasted and nutty flavor. A tiny bit of it goes a long way, so make sure you use it sparingly.
- Sesame Seeds (white or black)– These tiny seeds are always a good idea, so sprinkle as many as you like on!
- Avocado– Heart healthy, creamy avocado goes perfectly with the flavor profiles in this bowl, so definitely add several slices if you have it available!
- Jalapeño– Spice it up as hot as you like it; pile on jalapeño slices!
Poke Bowl Variations
Hawaiian Poke Bowl
To put an “island spin” on your poke bowl, add several slices of fresh pineapple or mango!
Vegan Poke Bowl or Vegetarian Poke Bowl
For a vegan take on this meal, opt for tofu instead of shrimp, or omit the shrimp altogether and increase the amount of vegetables used. I have one daughter that LOVES tofu, so a tofu poke bowl would be right up her alley!
Homemade Poke Bowl FAQ
How Should I Cook the Brown Rice?
I use a rice cooker for our rice, but if you don’t have one, simply rinse 1 cup of brown rice using a strainer. Place the brown rice, and 1 ¾ cup water in a saucepan and bring to a soft boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, or until the moisture is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand another 10 minutes. Fluff and serve. Makes about 2 ⅔ cups cooked.
How Should I Cook the Shrimp?
My favorite way to cook shrimp is by boiling them. Bring several cups of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water, and carefully place the uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp in the hot water. Stir, and keep stirring occasionally until the shrimp are opaque, and the tails have curled in on themselves. It won’t take long for them to cook through (just a few minutes), so don’t walk away from your pot! Strain the shrimp using a colander.
What Size Bowl Should I Use?
I like to use a shallow pasta bowl or a salad bowl. Just to give you an idea of size, the blue bowl you see in my pictures has a diameter of 7.5″, and is about 2.25″ tall.
Do I Serve the Rice and Shrimp Hot or Cold?
The right answer to this question comes down to personal preference. I actually prefer to serve the rice and shrimp at room temperature, with the other ingredients cold, but you can serve it any way you like it.
In the summer, this would be a great meal idea, as all of the ingredients could be served cold. Just like my Sesame Zucchini Noodle Salad or my Quick Kimchi Cucumbers!
Shrimp Poke Bowl Recipe
Shrimp Poke Bowl
Full of fresh, healthy ingredients, this shrimp poke bowl is a feast for the eyes and your stomach. It's a satisfying meal filled with lean protein, whole-grain brown rice, fresh veggies, and a spicy mayo that packs a spicy punch!
Ingredients
For the Sriracha mayo:
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha (or more to taste)
- 1-2 teaspoons cool water
For the shrimp poke bowl:
- ⅓-1/2 cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
- ¼ cup shelled edamame (or cooked, rinsed & drained black beans)
- ¼ cup julienne carrots
- ¼ cup sliced cucumber
- ½ cup cooked shrimp
- 1 green onion, sliced
Optional toppings & seasonings:
- sesame oil
- Braggs Liquid Aminos (or gluten-free tamari, or coconut aminos)
- sliced avocado
- sliced raddish
- diced cherry tomatoes
- sesame seeds (either black or white)
Instructions
To make the Sriracha mayo:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise and Sriracha, and then add a teaspoon of cool water to thin out the mixture. Whisk until smooth. If the Sriracha mayo is still too thick, use more water to thin it out until it reaches the desired consistency.
To assemble the shrimp poke bowl:
- Place the brown rice, purple cabbage, and shelled edamame in a shallow pasta or salad bowl.
- Top with the carrots, cucumber, shrimp, and green onion.
- Drizzle on the spicy mayo (whatever amount is desired), then top with any additional desired toppings or seasonings.
Notes
This recipe is more of a how-to or a guide. You can use whatever amounts of ingredients and toppings you like.
Weight Watchers Notes: 1 tablespoon of lite mayo is 1 point, so if you use only 1 tablespoon of lite mayo, and no sesame oil, this meal is a total of 1 point (on purple).
How Should I Cook the Brown Rice? I use a rice cooker for our rice, but if you don't have one, rinse 1 cup of brown rice using a strainer. Place the brown rice and 1 ¾ cup water in a saucepan and bring to a soft boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes or until the moisture is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for another 10 minutes. Fluff and serve. It makes about 2 ⅔ cups cooked.
While the recipe calls for brown rice, you can use whatever you have. Wild rice, white rice, black rice (also known as forbidden rice), or even quinoa would be great options.
How Should I Cook the Shrimp? My favorite way to cook shrimp is by boiling them. Bring several cups of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water, and carefully place the uncooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp in hot water. Stir, and keep occasionally stirring until the shrimp are opaque, and the tails have curled in on themselves. They will take a little while to cook through (just a few minutes), so don't leave your pot! Next, strain the shrimp using a colander.
Do I Serve the Rice and Shrimp Hot or Cold? The correct answer to this question comes down to personal preference. I prefer to serve the rice and shrimp at room temperature, with the other ingredients cold, but you can do it any way you like.
*Did you make this shrimp buddha bowl? Please give it a star rating and leave an honest review below!
Don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @allergyfreeak and #allergyfreealaska with your healthy shrimp poke bowl recipe pics!
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