Quinoa Poke Bowls (Easy & Budget-Friendly)
These easy quinoa poke bowls are a budget-friendly way to get your poke bowl or sushi fix at home. Instead of spending $15 or more on a restaurant poke bowl, you can make a customizable bowl with quinoa, smoked salmon, fresh vegetables, fruit, and spicy mayo for a fraction of the price.
Whether you order it at a restaurant or buy it at the grocery store, poke bowls (and sushi rolls in general) are not a cheap thing to eat.
Which is why I’m constantly thinking of ways to enjoy poke bowls or sushi on a budget.
There’s good news: There are SEVERAL ways to get your poke bowl fix without spending a lot of money.
If you like poke bowls but don’t want to spend a fortune, please keep reading!
Budget-Friendly Poke Bowl Toppings
There are poke bowl fast food restaurants popping up all over the place, and the average bowl costs about $15.00.
Why spend that kind of money when you can have a plentiful poke bowl for right around $3.00?
Here’s what I paid:
- Quinoa (purchased in bulk) = $1.23
- Mango = $1.00 on sale
- Carrot = $.25
- Avocado = $1.50
- Cucumber (I used half) = $.50
- Sauce = $.50
Without the smoked salmon, these two large quinoa poke bowls cost just $4.98 total, or about $2.50 per serving.
The only higher cost ingredient was the smoked salmon.
The rest of the ingredients were odds and ends I found in my fridge and cupboards (like crunchy onions and black sesame seeds).
Money-saving tip: Inventory your fridge and pantry for ingredients you may already have on hand, such as:
- Kimchi
- Seaweed
- Sliced green onions
- Radishes
- Mandarin oranges
- Pineapple
- Chopped celery
- Sliced jalapeno
- Edamame
- Cabbage
- Red bell pepper
- Cream cheese
- Tofu
- Imitation crab salad
- Homemade Mexican chili crisp
Salmon Alternatives
I found salmon on the grocery store salad bar, and I was able to get enough for these bowls for about $2.50. Other budget-friendly fish/protein options:
- Spicy tuna: Mix canned tuna with mayonnaise and a bit of sriracha sauce
- Imitation crab
- Crab salad (some grocery stores sell this in the deli section)
- Fresh or frozen shrimp (baby shrimp are really inexpensive)
- Tofu (fresh or fried): Great option if you are looking for a non-fish poke bowl
- Tempeh
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Best Sauce On a Homemade Poke Bowl
There are many types of sauces that taste great on a poke bowl. Try sriracha mayonnaise, eel sauce, yum yum sauce, Japanese-style sesame dressing or a simple soy sauce.
Get Your Sushi Fix On A Budget
If you’re looking for cheap sushi recipes, check out these:
Homemade teriyaki chicken rolls (Just $1.40 per person!)
Homemade California rolls (just $1.50 per roll)
Spicy tuna bowls (fully cooked)
Make-Ahead Tips
These poke bowls with quinoa can be prepped ahead of time and assembled later. Prepare quinoa and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Prep other ingredients and keep in separate airtight containers. Then, assemble bowls as you need throughout the week.
Keeping the ingredients separate is the best way to ensure your poke bowls taste fresh throughout the week.
Cheap And Easy Poke Bowls
See variations, above, for more toppings ideas. Use what you already have on hand to save money.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh strainer
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 large carrot, spiralized
- 1 mango, peeled and cubed
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1/2 cup smoked salmon
- Black sesame seeds
- Crispy French fried onions
For sauce
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
Instructions
- Place quinoa and 2 cups of water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, uncover, and allow to cool to room temperature.
- To assemble quinoa poke bowls: Place half of quinoa in each bowl. Top with cucumber, carrot, mango, avocado, smoked salmon, sesame seeds, and onions. Top with sauce.
- To make sauce: Mix mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, and honey (or sugar).