This Shrimp Poke Bowl turns simple ingredients into a vibrant, restaurant-worthy meal in minutes. It’s approachable, endlessly customizable, and delivers incredible flavor and texture. You get a taste of tropical paradise with plump shrimp, fluffy rice, and crunchy veggies.

Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Poke Bowl

• Fresh & vibrant: Every bite mixes tender shrimp, crisp veggies, and creamy avocado.
• Total creative freedom: Easily swap in your favorite veggies, grains, or toppings.
• Ready in 30 minutes: Quick marinade and assembly make it a weeknight lifesaver.
• Addictive flavor: Savory-sweet soy-ginger marinade clings beautifully to the shrimp.

Ingredients & Tools

• 450 g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp sriracha (optional, for heat)
• 200 g sushi rice or jasmine rice, cooked
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, julienned or grated
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
• 1 sheet nori, sliced into thin strips (optional)
• Lime wedges, for serving

Tools: Medium mixing bowl, small whisk or fork, skillet or frying pan, sharp knife, cutting board

Notes: Use fresh or thawed raw shrimp (not pre-cooked). Fresh ginger and garlic are essential for the marinade’s zing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Get your rice going first. The single best thing you can do for a seamless poke bowl experience is to have your rice cooked and slightly cooled before you even start on the shrimp. It gives the grains a chance to firm up a bit so they can support all those glorious toppings.
• Don’t skip the marinade time, but don’t over-marinate either. For shrimp, 10-15 minutes is the sweet spot. It’s just enough time for the flavors to penetrate without the acid in the marinade starting to “cook” the shrimp and make the texture rubbery before they even hit the pan.
• Prep all your toppings before you cook the shrimp. This is a fast-paced recipe once the cooking begins. Having your cucumber sliced, carrot julienned, and avocado ready to go means you can assemble your beautiful bowls the second the shrimp are done, ensuring everything is fresh and at its best.
• Embrace the crunch. The textural contrast is what makes a poke bowl so exciting. Don’t be shy with the crunchy veggies, sesame seeds, or even some crispy fried onions or wonton strips if you’re feeling fancy.

How to Make Shrimp Poke Bowl

Storage & Freshness Guide

• Fridge: Store components separately for up to 2 days; slice avocado just before serving.
• Freezer: Not recommended; fresh textures will be lost upon thawing.
• Reviving: Gently reheat shrimp and rice; assemble with fresh toppings.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• Simple Miso Soup — A warm, savory cup of miso soup makes for a perfect starter, balancing the cool, fresh elements of the bowl.
• Seaweed Salad — Its briny, slightly sweet flavor and unique texture add another layer of oceanic freshness to your meal.
• Edamame with Sea Salt — A classic, easy side that everyone can nibble on. The salty pods are fun to eat and complement the soy flavors in the bowl.

Drinks

• Iced Green Tea — Its clean, slightly bitter notes cut through the richness of the avocado and the savory marinade perfectly.
• Crisp Lager or Pale Ale — The carbonation and hop bitterness are a fantastic palate cleanser between bites of the flavorful shrimp and rice.
• Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic) — The spicy-sweet kick of ginger beer mirrors the ginger in the marinade, creating a wonderfully harmonious pairing.

Something Sweet

• Mochi Ice Cream — These little chewy, icy treats are the ideal finale. The subtle sweetness and fun texture are a light finish to a vibrant meal.
• Fresh Pineapple with Chili-Lime Salt — A refreshing and simple dessert that continues the tropical theme with a little sweet-heat action.
• Matcha Tiramisu — For a more indulgent end, the earthy matcha and creamy layers feel sophisticated and satisfying after the fresh bowls.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Over-marinating the shrimp. Shrimp are delicate. Leaving them in an acidic marinade for too long (more than 20-30 minutes) will start to break down the proteins, giving them a mushy, ceviche-like texture instead of a firm, juicy bite when cooked.
• Crowding the pan when cooking the shrimp. If you dump all the shrimp in at once, they’ll steam instead of sear. You want that nice, quick caramelization on the outside, which only happens if they have space. Cook in batches if your pan is small.
• Skipping the reduction of the marinade. That leftover marinade is liquid gold! Boiling it for a minute not only makes it safe to consume but also transforms it into a sticky, flavor-packed glaze that makes the dish.
• Using warm rice for assembly. Hot rice will wilt your fresh, crisp vegetables and make the avocado warm and mushy. Let your rice cool to room temperature or just slightly warm for the best textural experience.

Expert Tips

• Tip: For an extra layer of flavor, toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for a minute or two until fragrant before sprinkling them over the bowl. It unlocks their nutty essence and adds a deeper aroma.
• Tip: If you have time, let your sliced cucumber and carrot sit in the rice vinegar (a tablespoon or so) for 10 minutes. It gives them a lovely quick-pickled tang that cuts through the richness of the dish.
• Tip: To get picture-perfect avocado slices that don’t brown, wait to cut the avocado until the very last second before assembling. A squeeze of lime juice over the top after slicing also helps keep it vibrant green.
• Tip: If you want a creamier element without adding dairy, mash half an avocado and thin it out with a little lime juice and water to create a simple, delicious creamy drizzle for the top of your bowl.

FAQs

Can I make this Shrimp Poke Bowl ahead of time?
You can prep all the components ahead of time, but I’d recommend assembling just before eating. Cook the shrimp and store them (with their glaze) separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep the chopped veggies and rice in their own containers. The avocado is the trickiest—only slice it right before serving. When you’re ready, gently reheat the shrimp and rice (if desired) and build your bowls fresh to maintain the best textures.

What can I use instead of shrimp?
Absolutely! This recipe is very adaptable. Cubed, sushi-grade raw tuna or salmon would be the most traditional swap. For a cooked option, diced and seared chicken breast or thigh works wonderfully. For a vegetarian version, try pan-fried cubed tofu or tempeh. Just adjust the marinating time—tofu can handle a longer marinade, while fish would be served raw after a brief marinate.

My marinade/glaze burned in the pan. What happened?
This usually means your heat was too high. The honey in the marinade has sugar that can caramelize and then burn quickly. When you add the reserved marinade to the pan to make the glaze, reduce the heat to medium. It should bubble and reduce, not smoke and blacken. Stir it constantly for that short 30-60 second window and pull it off the heat as soon as it looks glossy and slightly thickened.

Is it safe to cook with the marinade that held raw shrimp?
Yes, but you must cook it thoroughly. That’s why we reserve it and then boil it in the hot pan for at least 30-60 seconds after the shrimp are cooked. This boiling process kills any potential bacteria from the raw shrimp, making it perfectly safe and turning it into that delicious, concentrated glaze.

Can I use a different type of rice?
Of course! While short-grain sushi rice is classic for its sticky texture, you can use any rice you like. Brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice are all excellent, healthy alternatives. Just keep in mind that the cooking times and liquid ratios will differ, so adjust your prep accordingly. The bowl is all about making it your own.