This spicy ahi (also known as bluefin) tuna poke recipe is simple, fresh, and delicious. It's inspired by the Hawaiian poke bowls that my husband enjoyed while surfing the North Shore as a teenager. Best of all, the whole thing comes together in under 20 minutes with minimal ingredients!
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One of my favorite parts about moving back to Florida is the abundance of fresh seafood that's in my life these days.
My brother and his friends are constantly catching huge, beautiful fish and letting me reap the rewards.
This past week, he went offshore with a few buddies and they slayed.
He came home with beautiful fillets of mahi and big dark pink steaks of bluefin tuna.
Since he's the best brother, he always drops Jerm and I off a bag for dinner.
And since Jerm is a creature of habit, he always asks me to make Hawaiian style poke.
On these bowls, there's no spicy mayo, no colorful toppings, nothing extravagant. It's just simple, clean and flavorful... just like the tuna itself!
But that's not to say you can't add any toppings you'd like. In fact, go for it!
I always love when you use my recipes as a base and then transform it into something that speaks to you!
Ingredients & Substitutions
(scroll all the way down for exact measurements and a printable recipe card!)
- Toasted Sesame Oil - regular sesame oil would work too but I prefer this as it's more flavorful!
- Ponzu - if you don't have ponzu, swap it for soy sauce or coconut aminos!
- Sambal - this chili garlic sauce is kind of irreplaceable. But if you need to sub it, you could try to use 1 tablespoon of sriracha as it's much more spicy than sambal.
- Scallions - Chives could work too if you had to use them.
- Bluefin Tuna - We use bluefin because it's what we catch off of our coast but you could use another fish such as salmon, yellowtail, or another type of tuna.
- Avocados - not really a sub for this but you could just leave it out if you don't like avocado.
- Sweet Onion or Maui Onions - I can't find maui onions here but you could use a sweet vidalia onion or a red onion if you had to. A regular ole' white onion could work, too!
- Sushi Rice - you could def swap this out for brown rice, white rice, salad greens or whatever you'd like!
How to make it
Making this bluefin tuna poke recipe is super easy and is ready in under 5 minutes if you've got great knife skills!
First you'll want to make the poke sauce. Like I said, it's super simple!
Just combine the toasted sesame oil, ponzu, sambal and scallions and whisk together until emulsified. Set aside.
Now in a large serving bowl, add your diced tuna, avocado, and sweet onion.
Pour your sauce from step one over everything and gently toss everything together,
Give it a taste and add more sambal if you'd like it spicier.
Now let it rest for at least 10 minutes for the flavors to absorb into the tuna.
While it's resting, portion out your rice (or whatever you're using for the base) and then add a scoop of poke right on top!
Enjoy!
Can you prepare this ahead of time?
Since this is a fish based recipe, I would say it's probably only a good idea to prepare this spicy tuna poke recipe ahead of time if it's eaten within 24 hours.
You don't want it losing its freshness or texture!
And you don't want it stinking up your fridge.
What to pair it with
If I were to pair a bowl of bluefin tuna poke with something, it would most definitely be these Xi'an Style Smashed Cucumbers or some Air Fryer Shishito Peppers with dipping sauce.
You know it would be delicious with these pink pickled onions or a big bowl of this curried coconut cauliflower soup!
And if you'd like another tasty tuna recipe, try these canned tuna lettuce wraps with a spicy peanut sauce,
If you've got a vegetarian in your life, you could also try this loaded vegetarian tofu poke recipe.
Save this Spicy Bluefin Tuna Poke recipe for later
If you’re looking to save this recipe for bluefin tuna poke for another day, then go for it!
That’s why I create these pretty pin-able images for your pinterest page!
And if you don’t already, feel free to follow me for more daily inspiration for tasty meals!
Spicy Bluefin Tuna Poke Recipe
Recipe
Spicy Ahi Bluefin Tuna Poke
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup toasted sesame oil
- ⅓ cup ponzu or soy sauce
- ¼ cup sambal (chili garlic sauce)
- ½ cup scallions finely diced
- 3 cups bluefin tuna, diced into small chunks
- 2 medium avocados cut into chunks
- ½ medium sweet onion thinly shaved
- 4 cups sushi rice cooked
Instructions
- Combine sesame oil, ponzu, sambal and scallions in a medium bowl and whisk together until emulsified.
- Add tuna, avocado, and sweet onion to a large bowl and pour the sauce over it.
- Toss everything together and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Serve over rice and enjoy!
Joe
Yes I believe she is probably thinking of blackfin.
Ahi is yellowfin
I dont believe many bluefin are caught off of Florida they like colder waters.
Blackfin is very abundant in Florida and is also excellent table fare.
I would be willing to bet that is what she is referring too.
BTW love poke bowls , tartare, sashimi, sushi etc its all good!
Bob
Ahi is yellowfin