Keto Poke Bowl: The Best Sauces For Your Low-Carb Diet

A poke bowl is a traditional Hawaiian dish typically made with diced marinated raw salmon or tuna and served over sushi rice. A keto poke bowl replaces the rice with cauliflower rice and is topped with a keto-friendly sauce.

Spicy mayo

To make the spicy mayo, you will need to combine mayonnaise with a spicy sauce such as Sriracha, Tabasco Sriracha, or another hot sauce of your choice. You can adjust the amount of spicy sauce you add to the mayonnaise to suit your taste. Some recipes suggest adding red pepper flakes for extra heat.

Once you have combined the mayonnaise and spicy sauce, you can transfer the mixture to a squeeze bottle or a small dish. If you are using a dish, you can spoon the spicy mayo out and drizzle it over your poke bowl.

Avocado oil

When making a keto poke bowl, avocado oil can be used in the preparation of cauliflower rice. Simply heat some avocado oil in a pan and add the cauliflower rice, frying until tender. Avocado oil can also be used as a base for a spicy mayo sauce, a common topping for poke bowls. To make the sauce, simply blend avocado oil with mayonnaise and sriracha to taste.

Avoiding high-carb toppings

A poke bowl is a traditional Hawaiian dish typically made with diced marinated raw salmon or tuna and served over sushi rice. However, if you're on a keto diet, you should avoid grains and focus on proteins and good fats instead.

• Omit the rice: Instead of using rice as the base of your poke bowl, opt for cauliflower rice, greens, cabbage, or zucchini noodles. Cauliflower rice is a great low-carb alternative that adds more fiber and nutrients to your meal.
• Choose the right proteins: Go for sushi-grade salmon, ahi tuna, shrimp, scallops, tofu, or chicken without marinade if possible. Salmon is an excellent choice as it is high in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Select low-carb toppings: Some good options include avocado, cucumber, green onion, sesame seeds, nori strips, kale, cilantro, and even edamame or macadamia nuts. Avoid high-carb toppings like crab salad, seaweed salads with added sugar, wonton chips, and garlic or onion crisps.
• Be mindful of sauces: Choose high-fat, no-sugar sauces like spicy mayo, wasabi mayo, or sesame oil. Avoid sauces with added sugar, such as sweet chili gochujang, in-house made sauces, and anything with "sweet" or "honey" in the name.

By following these guidelines, you can create a delicious and nutritious keto-friendly poke bowl that fits within your dietary restrictions.

Using cauliflower rice

A poke bowl is a simple meal served in a bowl, usually made with a layer of lukewarm sticky rice topped with cubes of raw marinated tuna or salmon and topped with raw crunchy vegetables or pickles.

Classic poke bowls are not keto-friendly because they contain many carbs from the rice, and the raw vegetables added on top are often pickled in sugar.

However, you can easily make a keto poke bowl at home by swapping out the rice for cauliflower rice. This simple swap lowers the carbs and increases the nutrients in the dish.

To make cauliflower rice, you can use either fresh or frozen cauliflower. Simply heat some sesame oil in a large skillet, add the cauliflower rice and sliced scallions, and stir fry for 3-5 minutes. When the cauliflower rice starts to soften, drizzle in some lime juice, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

You can then divide the cauliflower rice into large shallow serving bowls and top with your choice of toppings.

Toppings

For a keto poke bowl, it is best to use sushi-grade tuna steaks that are skinless and have a lovely red-pink flesh. Cut the fish into 1-2 inch cubes, depending on your preference. Be sure not to make the cubes too large, or they won't soak up the marinade well.

For the marinade, combine soy sauce or tamari sauce, lime juice, Tabasco sriracha sauce, and erythritol (optional). Be sure to check the ingredient list of the sauce you choose, as some brands add sugar, which will increase the carb count.

In addition to the marinated fish, there are plenty of keto-friendly toppings you can add to your bowl. Some options include:

• Seaweed (salad or dried nori)
• Shredded cabbage (purple or red)
• Seeds (sesame, sunflower, or pumpkin)
• Avocado
• Radishes
• Cucumber
• Shredded lettuce

Marinating the fish

The marinade itself is a combination of spices and sauces. The specific ingredients can be adjusted to personal preference, but some common components include soy sauce or tamari sauce (ensure these don't have added sugar), lime juice, sriracha or another spicy sauce, and erythritol for a touch of sweetness.

To prepare the marinade, simply whisk together the desired ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Then, add the fish cubes and toss gently to coat them evenly. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator. The fish should marinate for no longer than 2 hours, as leaving it for a more extended period will effectively cook the fish, similar to how ceviche is prepared.

Once the fish has marinated, it's time to assemble the poke bowl. Place the desired amount of cauliflower rice (or another chosen base) into a bowl and top it with the marinated fish and selected vegetables. Finally, drizzle your favourite keto-friendly sauce over the bowl, such as spicy mayo or wasabi mayo, and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions