Whether you order it at a restaurant or buy it at the grocery store, poke bowls and sushi are generally not a cheap thing to eat. 

Which is why I’m constantly thinking of ways to enjoy poke or sushi on a budget. 

There’s good news: There are SEVERAL ways to get your sushi fix without spending a lot of money. How do I know? Because I make these recipes all the time.

If you like them too but don’t want to spend a fortune, please keep reading!

How To Create Poke Bowls On A Budget

There are poke bowl fast food restaurants popping up all over the place, and the average bowl costs about $10.00 or $11.00. 

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, two large servings cost $4.98 – or $2.49 each.

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, green onion, radishes, mandarin oranges, pineapple, celery, jalapeno, edamame, cabbage, red bell pepper, cream cheese or tofu.

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

Copycat ALDI Poke Bowls

ALDI sells a poke bowl that contains smoked salmon, rice, sauce, and seasoning.

This is a super easy poke bowl to recreate at home! Just build your bowl with a base of rice (or quinoa), a portion of smoked salmon, your favorite sushi sauce (eel sauce, yum yum sauce, etc.), and some toasted sesame seeds and/or furikake.

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)

Homemade quinoa sushi rolls

California roll salad

Spicy tuna bowls (fully cooked)

Continue to Content

Cheap And Easy Poke Bowls

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

See variations, above, for more toppings ideas. Use what you already have on hand to save money.

Print

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. To make sauce: Mix mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, and honey (or sugar).

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