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 the 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
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.
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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💗 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.
♻️ 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.
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.
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📖 Recipe
Cooked Tuna Poke Bowl
Ingredients
For the bowl:
- 1 lb tuna steak, cut into small cubes (Note 1)
- 2 cups sushi rice, raw, cooked (yields about 4 cups / 800g cooked - 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 the sauce:
- 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, cooked (yields about 4 cups / 800g cooked - 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
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