Name: Baked Salmon Poke Bowls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients: 1 lb salmon fillet, skinless; 2 cups cooked sushi rice; 1 cup diced cucumber; 1 cup edamame, shelled and cooked; 1 medium avocado, sliced; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; 1 tablespoon sriracha mayo; 1 tablespoon sesame seeds; 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Let Me Tell You Why Baked Salmon Poke Bowls Are a Life Saver

Okay, so confession time: the first time I made poke at home, I was wildly overambitious. I mean, who do I think I am? A sashimi chef with superhuman slicing skills? Nope. Then it hit me—wait, why am I fighting with raw fish when baked salmon is right in my comfort zone? This bowl was born out of two things: love for salmon, and a healthy respect for food safety. (Plus, one less mishap with the fish knife, and my bandaid stash can rest easy.)

Now, every time I make these baked salmon poke bowls, I’m transported back to that evening I had too many uni assignments due and still managed to put together something that tasted like summer in a bowl. And yeah, it’s not “authentic” poke—my Hawaiian friends would probably roll their eyes—but it hits the spot every single time.

Why You’ll Love This Bowl (Trust Me)

I make this when it’s too darn cold out for real sushi, or when my family is begging for something different but won’t touch raw fish (I get it, really!). My sister, who thinks capers are “spicy,” can hammer down one of these bowls in five minutes. They’re sort of ideal when you want to look like you’ve tried hard but are actually just catching up on that series you’ve been meaning to watch. (True story: I once forgot to cook the rice and had to improvise with microwave quinoa. Not recommended, but it still disappeared.)

The Kind of Stuff You Need (a Little Flexible, Honestly)

2 salmon fillets (about 300g-ish total)—I honestly just grab whatever’s freshest or on sale; frozen works if you’re lazy like me. Defrost it all the way though. Nobody wants icy poke.
2 cups cooked rice (sushi rice is classic, but jasmine rice or even leftover brown rice has happened in my kitchen—don’t tell anyone)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I usually use Kikkoman, but whatever’s in the fridge is fine)
1 tablespoon sesame oil (I’ve gone without and it’s, well, less exciting. But not tragic)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (if you’re out, a little lemon juice or cider vinegar does ok in a pinch)
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (sometimes I just use white sugar—lazy day fix)
Half an avocado, sliced (or skip if you just paid rent and your wallet’s empty)
1-2 green onions, thinly sliced (I sometimes sub chives; not traditional, sure, but green is green)
Handful of shredded carrot or cucumber (optional, but adds crunch—whatever’s lurking in the veggie drawer)
A sprinkle of sesame seeds (toasted if you remember, untoasted if you don’t)
Sriracha or mayo (or both—go wild)
Optional extras: seaweed snacks, pickled ginger (sometimes I just use those sushi takeout packets—no shame), edamame, or even mango!

How I Throw It All Together (Step by Step, Sort Of)

Heat up that oven to around 400°F (about 200°C). Line a little tray with foil—makes clean-up a breeze. Pop the salmon on, brush it with a tiny bit of oil, sprinkle with pinch of salt and pepper, then bake for about 12–15 mins. (And hey, don’t panic if it looks a bit pale at the edges—just means it’s juicy inside.)
Meanwhile, make your rice if you haven’t already. (Or, you know, use last night’s. Give it a zap in the microwave.)
Whip up the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and honey. This is where I usually sneak a taste. Sometimes I end up pouring in a little more soy than I plan to—oops—just adjust to taste.
Prep all your veg: Slice the avocado, trim the green onions, and chop anything crunchy for topping. (This is where someone inevitably wanders by and nabs a cucumber slice off the cutting board. Every. Single. Time.)
When the salmon’s done, let it cool for a tick, then flake it with a fork. (Watch for bones if your fishmonger got lazy!)
Build your bowls: Rice first, then pile on salmon bits, scatter over the veg, drizzle with the sauce, and fire up your toppings—sesame seeds, squirt of sriracha, and so on. Tidy people will want to arrange ingredients in neat rows. I’m more of a “toss it all on there and call it rustic” kind of cook, myself.

Notes from the Trenches

Once, I tried broiling the salmon to “save time”. Spoiler: it cooked wayyy too fast. Stick with regular baking unless you like surprise ceviche.
If the sauce tastes too strong (it can, sometimes), splash in a bit of water to tone it down. Or heck, more rice solves anything.
I swear these bowls are tastier after a night in the fridge, but then again I’m the weirdo who likes cold pizza better than hot—so take that with a pinch of salt.

Ways I’ve Messed With This (Some Good, Some Meh)

Added canned corn once. Not traditional, but pretty good when you want a pop of sweet.
Tried it with tofu cubes (marinated and baked). Veggie friends gave it a thumbs-up.
Once tried smoked salmon instead of baked—honestly, it was a bit weird with the sauce; maybe that’s just me?
Sometimes, I add a spoonful of this homemade spicy mayo from Just One Cookbook—it never fails.

Tools I Use (And What to Do If You Don’t Have ‘Em)

Baking tray (or honestly, any oven-safe dish—once, I used a pie pan and it worked just fine)
Sharp knife and decent cutting board
Small mixing bowl for the sauce (or the mug you forgot to put in the dishwasher—no judgment)
If you’re flat out of ovens? Maybe try this air fryer method. My mate swears by it.

Leftovers (If You Even Get That Far)

Truth is, in my house, leftovers from this bowl almost never happen—kids will argue over the last spoonful, I swear. But if you do have a bit stashed away, keep everything separate (especially the salmon) in airtight tubs, and just reheat the rice gently. The salmon’s okay cold or room temp the next day. But I wouldn’t keep it longer than 2 days, just in case. Oh, and don’t microwave the avocado. Learned that the hard way.

How to Serve It Up (And Other Family Oddities)

Set everything out and let people build their own—seriously, even picky eaters go wild when they can “design” dinner. My brother likes to add potato chips on top (don’t ask, just let him). I love a drizzle of extra olive oil, or sometimes a runny-yolk egg. Try it! Or not—no pressure.

Pro Tips (a.k.a. Stuff I’ve Learned by Fumbling)

I once tried to de-skin the salmon before baking—just don’t. It falls apart, and you lose half the tasty bits. Just peel skin off after cooking; it’s easy and saves you grief.
Don’t rush the cooling step for the salmon. If you chuck it on steaming hot, it wilts the toppings and makes the rice kind of sad-looking.
Actually, I find letting the rice cool slightly before assembling gives a better texture—I used to pile it up straight from the pot and got a gooey mess more than once.

FAQ (Real Questions I’ve Heard, Scout’s Honor)

Can I use frozen salmon? Absolutely. Just make sure it’s fully thawed and pat it dry, or it’ll steam instead of bake (been there, soggy pants salmon isn’t fun).
Do I have to use sushi rice? Not at all! Use whatever you have knocking about. My cousin uses microwave packet rice and nobody noticed.
Can I prep this ahead? You bet—you can cook the salmon and rice earlier, but don’t slice the avocado until right before serving or it’ll go that odd brown color (and nobody wants a sad avocado).
Gluten free? Yep, just grab tamari instead of soy sauce. Easy peasy.
What do you do with leftovers? Honestly? Eat them for breakfast. Cold poke bowl is a secret joy.
Why is my salmon dry? Oof, probably left it in too long. Next time, stick to the lower end of the baking time—or maybe check your oven temp. They all lie a little, don’t they?

So that’s my not-so-scientific, definitely home-cooked approach to baked salmon poke bowls. Give it a go—it’s way less intimidating than it looks. And if you end up inventing a wild topping combo, let me know! Unless it’s banana slices. Been there, done that, don’t recommend.

Baked Salmon Poke Bowls