A healthy, delicious, vegetarian/vegan twist on a classic Poke bowl perfect for the last few weeks of summer!
Who said vegetarians can’t enjoy a Poke bowl too?! Have I got the perfect, and might I add delicious, solution for all my vegetarian and vegans who want to indulge in this beautiful, healthy, bowl of color! As I’ve mentioned in the past, I am non-vegetarian, but my household is vegetarian and I always wondered what a vegetarian Poke bowl would be like. Normally, I’m used to seeing it with salmon or tuna and there never seemed like a good enough alternative to either of those that was vegetarian. So I got to thinking, and one day, when I was eating watermelon, I realized that it sort of looked like the tuna I’ve had in my Poke bowls. Then, I happened to watch a video where a watermelon was being slow roasted in the oven for a barbecue and got this beautiful pink color after being baked. So I thought to myself, why not try and replace the tuna with watermelon! I’ve never tried watermelon in an Asian/Hawaiian style dish before but I figured I could make some sort of marinade to resemble the taste of these beloved Poke bowls.
These bowls are wholesome, healthy, and so flavorful, you’ll forget that the watermelon is a fruit! The savory marinade bursting with Asian flavors paired with the rice and fresh vegetables is the perfect summer treat! It’s a change from your usual routine and the watermelon is refreshing and light! Normally, Poke bowl marinades use soy sauce, but I wanted a healthier, low sodium option, so I opted for coconut aminos! It was actually my first time using it, but wow, it did not lack in flavor at all! It felt like I was having soy sauce, but without the guilt! I do like the element of rice in my Poke bowls as it makes it more filling, however, you can opt to just use salad mix if you’re extra health conscious or even use brown rice instead of sushi or short grain rice. You can also prep the marinated watermelon a day in advance and just have it ready for a quick and easy assembly the next day! This recipe can be easily doubled to serve more people!
I marinated my watermelon for about an hour and a half but the longer it marinates, the deeper the flavor will get. Also, baking the watermelon right after coating it in the marinade helps the flavors permeate throughout to achieve the depth it needs for this dish. Here are few things to note and use for this recipe:
- White Sushi rice is typically used in Poke bowls, however, I used Lotus Foods Organic Jade Pearl Rice, which is also a form of sushi rice
- I also used Mother In Laws Gochugaru Chili Flakes to add some spice to the marinade, but you can just use red chili flakes if you don’t want to get too fancy
- There are a ton of vegan mayo options, especially at Whole Foods, but I used JUST Mayo
- You can marinate the watermelon and cook the rice a day in advance so you have everything ready to just assemble
- The garnishes take it to the next level so please try not to skip but feel free to replace with other things you like! Get creative!
I’m so happy I have this veg friendly Poke bowl to make at home now! I hope you guys will give this one a try because it is SO good! I promise! And you’ll want to have all the watermelon before summer ends! What are you waiting for? Go try it out now! Happy eating, folks!
Vegan Watermelon Poke Bowl
Ingredients
For the Bowl
- 2 cups seedless watermelon cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 cup sushi rice cooked
- 1 cup spinach packed
- 1/2 avocado sliced into thin strips
- 1/2 cup edamame shelled
- 1 cup cucumber halved and sliced
Marinade
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp honey
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp gochugaru flakes or red chili flakes
- 1 tbsp scallion (light green part) chopped plus extra for garnish
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger shredded
Garnish
- 1 tbsp vegan mayo
- 2 tsp Sriracha sauce plus extra for garnish
- 1 tsp nori strips, black, and white sesame seeds seasoning
Instructions
Marinating
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While oven is heating, whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade and add the watermelon to it. Allow mixture to evenly coat the watermelon chunks
- Spread 2 tbsp olive oil on a baking sheet and put the coated watermelon on the sheet, reserving the marinade on the side, and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through
- Once the watermelon is baked, put it back in the marinade mixture and put into the refrigerator for at least an hour up to 24 hours
- While watermelon is marinating, slice all the vegetables and make the spicy mayo by mixing together the vegan mayo and Sriracha sauce
Assembly
- Add half cup of the cooked sushi rice to each bowl and half cup of spinach to each bowl so it is side by side
- Add 1/4 sliced avocado on top of the rice and spinach in each bowl, followed by 1/4 cup edamame, and 1/2 cup cucumber
- Then add the marinated watermelon on top and use a few spoons of the marinade liquid to drizzle on top of the rice and spinach for added flavor
- Garnish with scallions, drizzle the spicy mayo and Sriracha on top, followed by the nori/sesame seed seasoning and enjoy!
Notes
- I used Lotus Foods Organic Jade Pearl Rice as my sushi rice, but you can substitute with brown rice or any other short grain rice
- I used Mother In Laws Gochugaru Chili Flakes
- I used JUST Mayo, also available at Whole Foods
