In Hawaiian, poke means “to slice,” which is the “hardest” part of putting together a delicious poke bowl. Everything about this keto-friendly poke recipe is easy: from the ingredients to the prep to the clean-up.
This makes it the perfect dish when you want something quick, delicious, healthy, and keto-friendly. Once you get the hang of making it yourself, you will no longer have to wonder how many carbs and calories are hiding in your takeout poke bowl.
What is a Poke Bowl?
Poke is one of the main dishes of Native Hawaiian cuisine, which typically consists of cubed raw fish quickly marinated in soy sauce and other seasonings. It was traditionally made with skipjack tuna or octopus, but salmon and ahi tuna have become the more common feature fish.
As the dish evolved, other ingredients accompanied the fish and seasonings such as vegetables, seaweed, fish roe, herbs, nuts, and rice.
Is Poke Keto? Can you Order it on Keto?
If we look at poke bowl with a keto-friendly lens, it’s traditional version is very low carb and great for keto. However, most poke restaurants will serve their bowls with higher carb vegetables and rice accompanying the fish. They may also come with a sugary sauce as well.
For this reason, we recommend making the poke bowl yourself, so you know exactly what goes into it. That being said, if takeout is your only option for keto poke, make sure your bowl doesn’t have any rice, starchy vegetables, or sauces you are not sure about.
Is the Keto Poke Bowl Salmon Cooked?
No, the fish in poke bowls is typically not cooked. In this case, the salmon is marinated, which “cooks” it to some degree. Make sure that you have a trustworthy source of fish, or you purchase sashimi-grade fish when making this.
If you are not a fan of eating salmon like this, feel free to bake it as you prepare the other ingredients for your poke bowl.
Can I Make This Poke Bowl Recipe Ahead?
For the quickest possible keto poke bowl, it’s best to keep your components separate and assemble them when you want to eat:
- For the vegetables and herbs – Prep and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. For the easiest cleanup, use this container as the bowl for your poke.
- For the salmon – Slice it and marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Add to the bowl when you are ready to eat.
- For your mayo – Make sure you have keto-friendly mayo ready for you in the fridge. Follow the salmon with a mayo drizzle and optionally, some sesame seeds.
How to Store Your Keto Salmon Poke Bowl
It is best to store your poke bowl ingredients individually (as mentioned above) and throw them together right before serving. This will allow you to store it in the fridge for up to three days.
Keep in mind, however, your salmon may become mushy if you let it marinate for longer than 24 hours.
Can I Make This Poke Bowl with Ahi Tuna or Meat Instead?
Don’t have salmon? No problem. Simply swap it out for ahi tuna, skipjack tuna, or any other preferred fish.
If you don’t like seafood, use a fully-cooked chicken thigh or breast instead. As with any other changes you make to the recipe, don’t forget to consider the changes it makes to the fat, carb, protein, and calorie content of your keto poke bowl.
Yields 2 Keto Poke Bowls
The Preparation
- 8 ounce fresh salmon, skinless
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce, or tamari
- salt, to taste
- 6 ounce cabbage, thinly sliced
- 4 ounce cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 medium avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 drops liquid stevia
The Execution
1. Gather all ingredients and prep as needed. We use red and green cabbage for aesthetic appeal, but you can use all of 1 color.
2. Cut the salmon into small cubes and place into a bowl.
3. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt to the salmon and mix together. Set aside and let salmon marinate.
4. In a bowl, place the cabbage, cucumber, avocado, and cilantro to act as a bed for the salmon.
5. In a separate container, mix together the mayonnaise, soy sauce, and liquid stevia.
6. Place the marinated salmon over the vegetables. Drizzle the mayonnaise mixture over the top and optionally garnish with sesame seeds as well. Enjoy immediately after serving!
This makes a total of 2 Keto Poke Bowls. Each serving comes out to be 501 calories, 40.1g fats, 6.3g net carbs, and 26.9g protein.
| NUTRITION | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | FIBER | NET CARBS | PROTEIN |
| 8 ounces fresh salmon, skinless | 471 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 |
| 1 tablespoon sesame oil | 120 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 teaspoon soy sauce, or tamari | 2.8 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| salt, to taste | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 ounce cabbage, thinly sliced | 39 | 0.1 | 9.4 | 3.2 | 6.2 | 3.8 |
| 4 ounces cucumber, sliced | 17 | 0.1 | 4.1 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 0.7 |
| 1/2 medium avocado, diced | 161 | 15 | 8.6 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 2 |
| 1/4 cup cilantro | 1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| 2 tablespoon mayonnaise | 187 | 21 | 0.2 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| 1 teaspoon soy sauce | 2.8 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| 2 drops liquid stevia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 1001.6 | 80.2 | 23 | 10.5 | 12.5 | 53.7 |
| Per Serving (/2) | 500.8 | 40.1 | 11.5 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 26.9 |
Keto Poke Bowls
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh salmon skinless
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- salt to taste
- 6 ounce cabbage thinly sliced
- 4 ounces cucumber sliced
- ½ medium avocado diced
- ¼ cup cilantro
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 drops liquid stevia
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients and prep as needed.
- Cut the salmon into small cubes and place into a bowl.
- Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt to the salmon and mix together. Set aside.
- In a bowl, place the cabbage, cucumber, and avocado to act as a bed for the salmon.
- In a separate container, mix together the mayonnaise, soy sauce, and liquid stevia.
- Place the marinated salmon over the vegetables, then garnish with cilantro. Drizzle the mayonnaise mixture over the top and optionally garnish with sesame seeds as well. Enjoy immediately after serving!
