Pan-seared tuna and chicken over sushi rice with fresh toppings and a soy-sesame-hot honey sauce. No raw fish, no fuss finding a fishmonger.
I used to think poke bowls were one of those things you either had the right fish for, or you didn't bother. Sashimi-grade tuna isn't sitting in every grocery store, and even when it is, it's not cheap. So this cooked tuna poke bowl is the version I actually make quite often - searing the tuna instead of leaving it raw solves th e fish problem completely, and it's on the table in under 20 minutes.
📷 Recipe Snapshot
📌 Recipe: Cooked Tuna Poke Bowl
⏲️ Time: 17 minutes (15 min prep, 2 min cook)
👥 Serves: 4
🌏 Cuisine: Hawaiian-inspired
📝 Quick Summary: Seared tuna cubes served over sushi rice with avocado, edamame, mango, kimchi, and a soy-sesame-hot honey sauce. No raw fish required.
🌟 Main Ingredients: Tuna steak, sushi rice, avocado, edamame, mango, and kimchi.
💡 Pro Tip: Cut the tuna into cubes before cooking. They sear in under a minute, making this bowl quick and easy to assemble.
💡 Summarize and save this recipe on
If building your own bowl at home is your thing, you'll probably also like this easy tuna rice salad recipe, which uses the same rice-and-tuna base in a colder, salad-style version, or these easy Japanese spicy tuna onigiri if you want the same flavors in a portable, kid-friendly shape.
If you're after another quick Asian-inspired dinner, my Korean BBQ beef bowl easy bulgogi follows the same rice-bowl format, and this 15-minute noodle miso soup makes a good starter if you're feeding a bigger table.
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My family's pretty simple to please, honestly - fresh, colorful, something a little different from the usual, and the kids are happiest when it's not overcomplicated. Those are the dinners that get eaten without a single complaint. No negotiating, no "what's this," they just go straight into munching mode.
This cooked tuna poke bowl was one of those. I'll admit chicken usually wins in our house - it just does - but this time, with the glaze on it, the tuna held its own. Genuinely good. Seventeen minutes start to finish, and there wasn't a single complaint at the table, which in my house is basically a five-star review.
💗 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No sashimi-grade fish required. Searing solves the "where do I even buy raw-safe tuna" problem completely.
- One sauce, two options. Same five ingredients season the tuna or the chicken swap - see variations below.
- Genuinely fast. The tuna is in the pan for about a minute. Most of your time goes into chopping vegetables.
- Leftovers hold up. Unlike raw poke, this keeps in the fridge for a couple of days without the fish turning on you.
🥒 Ingredients
*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Tuna Steak: Standard fresh tuna steak from the seafood counter works perfectly here. You don't need to spend extra on sashimi-grade fish since you'll sear it in the pan.
- Sushi Rice: Rinse the raw rice before cooking to remove excess starch so it stays light and fluffy. Let it cool until warm before assembling your bowls so it does not wilt the fresh toppings.
- Avocado: Slice this last, right before serving. A quick splash of rice vinegar or lemon juice over the cut pieces keeps them bright green and prevents browning on the table.
- Edamame: Pre-cooked, shelled edamame keeps prep fast. If using frozen, thaw them in warm water for a few minutes and drain well before adding to the bowl.
- Kimchi: Adds a tangy, spicy crunch that cuts through the rich tuna and creamy avocado. Look for it in the refrigerated produce section of most grocery stores.
- Hot Honey & Sweet Chili Sauce: Combining these in the marinade gives the seared tuna a sweet heat without making the dish overly spicy.
♻️ Substitutes & Variations
Brown Rice or Quinoa: Swap the sushi rice for brown rice, quinoa for extra fiber or a bed of greens.
Tofu: Use firm tofu cubes instead of chicken or tuna for a vegetarian version. Press the tofu first to remove excess liquid.
Pineapple: Replace the mango with fresh pineapple cubes for a brighter, sharper tropical flavor.
Spicy Mayo: Combine equal parts mayonnaise and Sriracha with a splash of lime juice if you prefer a creamier drizzle over Sriracha alone.
👩🍳 How To Make Cooked Tuna Poke Bowl
Step 1: Prepare and cut/dice the veggies Dice or slice the avocados, carrots, cucumber, and mango into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2: Season and cook the tuna. Mix the sauce, toss in the cubed tuna, and sear in a hot skillet for 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 3: Gather all the ingredients. Set out your rice, seared tuna, chopped veggies, edamame, kimchi, pickled onions, sriracha, and sesame seeds.
Step 4: Build the bowl. Add rice to bowls, arrange the toppings around, and finish with sriracha and sesame seeds.
*See the recipe card for detailed instructions.
Claudia's top Tips
Slice your avocado last, just before serving, and toss the cubes in a tiny splash of rice vinegar or lemon juice. This keeps the avocado bright green and prevents it from turning brown if the bowls sit on the table for a few minutes.
Common Mistakes
- Overcrowding the pan. Too much tuna at once drops the pan's temperature and steams it instead of searing it. Work in batches if your skillet is small.
- Skipping the dry-pat step. Any surface moisture on the tuna stops a proper sear from forming - you'll get gray, not browned.
- Adding avocado too early if the bowls sit before serving. It browns fast once cut.
For more recipes and inspiration, visit the Life's Good Kitchen: Home Cooks' Way
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes. Searing the outside and cooking it to your preference removes the concerns that come with eating raw fish, so sashimi-grade isn't required here.
Yes - see the chicken swap above. Same sauce, same steps, just a longer cook time since chicken needs to be cooked through.
Cook the rice and chop the vegetables up to a day ahead and store separately. Sear the tuna fresh - it doesn't reheat well.
Store the components separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. Add the avocado fresh when you reassemble, since it browns quickly once cut.
Yes, as long as it's fully thawed and patted completely dry before it goes anywhere near the pan.
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📖 Recipe
Cooked Tuna Poke Bowl
Video
Ingredients
For the bowl:
- 1 lb tuna steak, cut into small cubes (Note 1)
- 2 cups sushi rice, raw (yields about 4 cups / 800g cooked rice - Note 5)
- 2 avocados cubed
- 1 cup cooked edamame
- 2 medium carrots cut into thin strips
- 1 English cucumber sliced
- 1 mango cubed
- 1 cup kimchi
- ½ cup pickled red onion
- Sriracha to taste
- 2 teaspoon sesame seeds for serving
For tuna marinade:
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot honey
Instructions
- Make the sauce. Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sweet chili sauce, and hot honey together in a small bowl.1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce, 1 tbsp hot honey
- Season the tuna. Pat the tuna dry, cut it into small cubes, then toss it in the sauce to coat.
- Sear. Get a skillet very hot over high heat. Add the tuna and sear, tossing often, for about 45 seconds to 1 minute for a rare center, up to 2 minutes if you want it cooked through (Note 2).
- Build the bowls. Divide the rice between four bowls. Arrange the avocado, edamame, carrots, cucumber, mango, kimchi, and pickled onion around the rice. Top with the tuna. Finish with sriracha and sesame seeds.1 lb tuna steak, cut into small cubes (Note 1), 2 cups sushi rice, raw (yields about 4 cups / 800g cooked rice - Note 5), 2 avocados, 1 cup cooked edamame, 2 medium carrots, 1 English cucumber, 1 mango, 1 cup kimchi, ½ cup pickled red onion, Sriracha, 2 tsp sesame seeds
Leah says
Loved the chicken version for this one--was a nice change to the ahi version I usually make.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Swapping in chicken is such a fun way to mix up a familiar meal, Leah! Delighted to hear that version turned out so well for you.
Holly says
This was such a good mix of fresh toppings, tender tuna, and chicken. I loved the sweet heat from the soy sesame hot honey sauce.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
That sweet hot honey mixture is easily my favorite part of the whole dish. So glad everyone at your table enjoyed it!
Elizabeth says
SO delicious! I loved every component of this yummy poke bowl!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Hearing that brings a huge smile to my face, Elizabeth! Appreciate you taking the time to let me know.
Rosa says
I love a poke bowl. This one is fantastic!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Quick homemade bowls are such a game changer for busy days. Really glad this one worked out so well for you!
Amy Dong says
I tried this recipe for lunch, and everyone loved it. It was colorful, satisfying, and packed with fresh flavors!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Thank you, Amy! Bright, colorful meals always seem to brighten up lunchtime. Glad it was a hit with your group!
Molly says
One of our favorite lunches we made this month. We had some frozen tuna steaks, that we thawed and dabbed dry, as you suggested and it cooked beautifully, especially after coating it with the sauce. We absolutely loved the addition of kimchi - adds so much flavor! Will try the chicken version too soon.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Keeping frozen tuna steaks in the freezer is such a life saver for quick meals! Drying them off first really is the secret to getting that nice quick crust without overcooking the inside. Hope the chicken variation is just as much of a success next time!
Daisy says
This poke bowl made a terrific dinner last night. So healthy and delicious! Make it again soon!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Wonderful to hear, Daisy! Having something quick to put together that still feels fresh makes weeknight cooking so much easier.
Amy Dong says
I tried this recipe for lunch, and everyone loved it. It was filling, colorful, and packed with so much flavor!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Thanks again, Amy! Simple ingredients coming together fast is always what I aim for, so reading this made my day!
Swathi says
This cooked tuna poke bowl is delicious and easy to put together I am going to make it again for our dinner.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
Thank you, Swathi! Hope your family enjoys having it for dinner just as much tonight!
Lilly says
These were delicious, we tried the tuna version and we absolutely loved the hot honey sauce! Fresh, but filling and we love how customiseable it is!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
That sauce definitely brings a fun kick to the dish! Being able to set out all the toppings so everyone can build their own bowl is always a big win around here too.
Diana says
So many amazing flavors and textures. We loved the sweet and spicy sauce too.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
So happy you liked it, Diana! That balance of sweet chili and hot honey really ties all the bowl ingredients together nicely.
Zoey says
I made this with chicken instead of tuna, and it turned out amaizng. It was such a refreshing lunch.
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
That chicken alternative is such a handy option when someone isn't in the mood for seafood! So happy it made a great lunch for you!