Nordic smoked salmon poke bowls are a tasty alternative to a classic poke bowl. Just cook some brown rice, add smoked salmon, and pile on your favorite toppings for a fuss-free bowl you can pull together in no time.
What is a Poke Bowl?
Poke (pronounced poh-kay) means “cut into pieces.” It’s a traditional Hawaiian dish, usually made with fresh salmon or tuna, that’s cut into bite-size pieces and served over warm rice with flavorful toppings and a simple poke sauce.
This version puts a Nordic spin on the dish, swapping the raw fish for smoked salmon while keeping the rest of the ingredients fresh and flavorful, just like traditional poke bowls.
Key Ingredients
If you’re craving something light and refreshing, this salmon poke bowl is exactly what you need. The bowls come together in 20 minutes using simple, fresh ingredients, makeing them ideal for a busy weeknight or weekly meal prep. Here’s what you’ll need to get started.
- Rice: Smoked salmon poke bowls are an easy, no-cook meal, apart from the rice. Cook the brown rice according to the package, or save time with a microwave-ready rice packet so you don’t have to cook at all. You can also swap it out for white rice, quinoa, farro, barley, or even cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Smoked Salmon: This meal is an easy way to add salmon to your weekly rotation. Pick up a package (or two) of cold-smoked salmon in the deli section of most grocery stores. It’s usually thinly sliced or chopped, ready to use, and perfect for quick, flavorful meals.
- Toppings: Load up the salmon bowl with fresh vegetables like mixed greens, cucumber slices, pickled beets, radishes, shredded red cabbage, and chopped dill for some extra flavor. And don’t forget some crushed walnuts for a nice little crunch.
- Mustard Sauce: Dress the bowl with a quick, homemade mustard cream sauce made with plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, chopped dill, sea salt, white pepper, and white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
Addition and Substitutions
Smoked salmon poke bowls are entirely customizable. Use what you have and load them up with all your favorite ingredients—veggies, grains, or sauces.
- Switch up the sauce. Try topping off the bowls with yogurt dill sauce, lemon dill aioli, sour cream, dill pickle ranch dressing, crème fraîche, or a tangy mustard vinaigrette.
- Use another fish. Gravlax, lox, pickled herring, or smoked trout are tasty alternatives to smoked salmon, or you can go the classic route with sushi-grade fish.
How to Make Smoked Salmon Poke Bowls
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Cook the brown rice in a saucepan according to the package instructions, or warm up a package of ready-made rice. Set the rice aside to cool.
Step 2: Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the mustard sauce by whisking Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, chopped dill, white wine vinegar, sea salt, and white pepper in a small bowl.
Tip
Spread the rice in a thin, even layer on a large plate to help it cool faster.
Step 3: Start with a scoop of cooked rice or greens, then layer on the toppings: cucumber slices, pickled beets, radishes, and red cabbage.
Step 4: Top it off with smoked salmon slices, walnuts, extra dill, and a spoonful of mustard sauce. And don’t forget to serve it with lemon wedges on the side.
If you enjoy the smoked salmon rice bowl, try more salmon recipes!
Build Your Own Salmon Bowl
What is the best part about turning smoked salmon into smoked salmon poke bowls? They’re easy to make and totally customizable. You can keep it simple with store-bought ingredients or make everything from scratch. Here are some ideas to help you build a tasty, balanced bowl for a quick lunch or dinner.
Choose a Base
- Brown Rice
- Mixed Greens
- White Jasmine Rice
- Barley
- Quinoa
- Farro
- Cauliflower Rice
Pick Your Toppings
- Cucumber Slices
- Pickled Beets
- Radishes
- Shredded Cabbage
- Dill
- Capers
- Avocado Slices
- Pickled Red Onions
- Pressgurka
- Micro Greens
- Soft-Boiled Egg
- Shredded Carrots
- Pickled Yellow Onions
- Roasted Vegetables
- Pickled Herring
- Boiled New Potatoes
- Spring Onion or Green Onions
Select a Sauce
- Mustard Cream Sauce
- Yogurt Dill Sauce
- Lemon Dill Aioli
- Poke Dressing
- Spicy Mayo
- Dill Pickle Ranch Dressing
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover rice, smoked salmon, mustard sauce, and toppings in separate airtight containers for 3-4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe in advance?
Smoked salmon poke bowls are meal-prep friendly, and an easy recipe to make ahead of time. I recommend storing all the ingredients separately and assembling them just before serving.
Smoked salmon lasts about 3–4 days in the fridge once opened. Keep the rice in an airtight container for 3 days, and the dressing will stay fresh for one week.
Smoked Salmon Poke Bowls
- 1½ cups brown rice (makes 4 cups of cooked rice)
- 2½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons dill leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1-2 cups mixed greens
- ½ medium cucumber, thinly sliced or ribboned
- pickled beets
- 4-6 radishes, grated
- ½ cup shredded red cabbage
- 2 packs cold smoked salmon
- 1 bunch dill leaves, finely chopped
- walnuts, crushed
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Cook the brown rice in a saucepan according to the package instructions, or warm up a package of ready-made rice. Set the rice aside to cool.Tip: Spread the rice in a thin, even layer on a large plate to help it cool faster.
- Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the mustard sauce by whisking Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, chopped dill, white wine vinegar, sea salt, and white pepper in a small bowl.
- Start with a scoop of cooked rice or greens, then layer on the toppings: cucumber slices, pickled beets, radishes, and red cabbage.
- Top it off with smoked salmon slices, walnuts, extra dill, and a spoonful of mustard sauce. And don’t forget to serve it with lemon wedges on the side.