This Vegan Poke Bowl is perfect for a healthy, fresh and light dinner. It’s made with rice, tofu, and fresh greens like edamame, green apple, and avocados and is easy to put together. Top it off with some ginger soy poke sauce!

tofu rice and vegetables in a while ceramic bowl

This Vegan Poke Bowl is perfect for when you want something easy to make and filling, that still feels light and fresh. This recipe also happens to be amazing for meal prep! Prep all the ingredients and keep them stored in the fridge. Then when you’re ready to eat, simply add everything to a bowl and enjoy!

What is a poke bowl?

A traditional poke bowl is usually made with dived raw fish served over rice with a variety of vegetables. This dish in native to Hawaii with Japaense roots. The term “poke” itself means “to slice” or “to cut.”

Since we are making a Vegan Poke Bowl, instead of fish, we’re using tofu which is an amazing ingredient to use as a vegan substitute that can be prepped in many different ways. The tofu is layered on top of some sushi rice, and then has a variety of vegetables and some fruit (in this case, some apple) layered on top.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Easy and healthy. You know sometimes when you just want a simple healthy dinner? This Tofu Poke bowl is the perfect solution. It has a mix of grains, protein, healthy fats and veggies for a perfectly balanced meal.
  • Plant-based and gluten-free. This recipe is not only vegan, but it is also gluten-free. Just make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce
  • Great to make ahead. Prep all the ingredients ahead of time and have dinner ready to go. You can also make individual poke bowls in containers to have for easy on the go lunches.

Poke bowl ingredients

  • Tofu: in a traditional poke bowl, this would be made with fish. But to keep it vegan, we’ll be using Tofu as the protein source for the bowl. You can also experiment with other vegan protein sources to add to the bowl.
  • Rice: sushi rice is what is traditionally used in a poke bowl, but you can use any type of rice you like. Jasmine rice or brown rice would be great options. You could also substitute the rice for another grain like farro, or quinoa.
  • Vegetables: there’s a big variety of vegetables you can use in a poke bowl to give it texture, nutrients and some crunch! Some traditional vegetables to use are cucumber, avocado and edamame beans. Feel free to experiment here and add in any vegetables you like. You can even try some pickled radishes or onions!
  • Fruits: This adds a hint of sweetness to the bowl. While you may not see this ingredient in all poke bowls, it’s delicious! In Hawaii, they’ll often use Mango, but in this bowl, we’re using green apple for some crunch and texture.
  • Sauce: there are many different types of sauces you can add to a poke bowl. For this recipe, we’re making a ginger-soy sauce that is simple, light and tasty. You can also experiment with other sauces if you like!

Step-by-step instructions

Cut the tofu into cubes, then pan-fry the tofu in some vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

  • cubes of tofu in a clear mixing bowl
  • a white pan with cubes of cooked tofu in it

Cook the rice according to package directions, cut the veggies, and layer all the ingredients into a bowl as shown below.

How to assemble a poke bowl

Layer rice on the bottom of the bowl, then add small piles of each topping around the circumference of the bowl, and in the middle.

  • a bowl with rice
  • a bowl of rice with cucumber
  • bowl with rice cucumber and cut up green apple
  • bowl with rice, cucumber, apple, and green sprouts
  • a poke bowl with tofu
  • poke bowl with tofu avocado and green vegetables

Topping Ideas

One thing I love about this tofu poke bowl is how versatile they are and how many different topping options you can add to them! Here are a few of my other favourites:

  • Mango
  • Thinly sliced radishes
  • Pickled red onions
  • Kimchi
  • Nori
  • Tempura
  • Sesame seeds
  • Wasabi
  • Pickled ginger

Expert tips

  • Use sushi rice: traditional poke bowls use sushi rice, which has a different texture than long grain rice like basmati. Sushi rice will give you the best tasting poke bowl!
  • Use firm or extra-firm tofu: and squeeze out as much water as possible from the tofu. If you use soft tofu, you won’t end up with crispy tofu bites.
  • Be patient with your tofu: allow a cook 2 minutes for your tofu to cook on each side so it becomes nice and crispy
  • Use a deep bowl: or a bowl with a high rim so it will be easy to mix up your poke bowl when you add the sauce.

Storage tips

Fridge: Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If meal prepping, store everything separately and put it together when you want to eat.

Reheat: Reheat the tofu on the stovetop or in the oven. You can also reheat the tofu in the microwave, however it won’t stay crispy if you do. Rice can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave.

mixed up rice, veggies and tofu in a bowl with chopsticks

Related recipes

If you tried this Vegan Poke Bowl or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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mixed up rice, veggies and tofu in a bowl with chopsticks

Vegan Poke Bowl

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  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 4 bowls 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Hawaiian
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This simple Vegan Tofu Poke Bowl is light, fresh and packed with flavour!

Ingredients

Scale

Poke bowls

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 pack extra firm tofu, cut into cubes
  • 1 tsp soy sauce 
  • 1 cup sushi rice, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 green apple, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup cucumber, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup edamame, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 cup sprouts of choice (I like radish sprouts) 
  • 1 avocado, sliced

Poke sauce

  • 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if needed) 
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp sesame oil 
  • 1/2 tsp sriracha 

Instructions

  1. Cook the tofu: Heat the oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat then add the tofu and let cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy. Remove from heat and toss with 1 tsp soy sauce. 
  2. Prepare the sauce: Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Taste and adjust if needed (I like mine spicy!) 
  3. Put it together: Place the rice at the bottom of your bowl and make little piles with all your toppings. Pour sauce on top of your bowl and mix it all up together. (That’s the fun part!)

Notes

Make sure to use sushi rice for these bowls! Other types of rice will work, but sushi rice goes the best in a poke bowl. 

Give your tofu enough time to cook on each side so it becomes nice and crispy. 

Taste your sauce before putting it in your bowl and adjust to your taste if needed. I like my sauce spicy so I usually add more sriracha. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
  • Calories: 460
  • Sugar: 10g
  • Sodium: 500mg
  • Fat: 17g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Carbohydrates: 50g
  • Fiber: 7g
  • Protein: 11.5g