Who else loves Poke Bowl? I personally think it is a great dish to enjoy in the summer time. And honestly, this Vegan Watermelon Tuna Poke Bowl tastes amazing and is loaded with delicious fresh ingredients.
The only thing I miss about eating a mostly plant-based diet is raw fish. I personally used to love salmon or tuna. And to be honest – at least in my opinion – it definitely does bring a Poke Bowl to the next level. This is the reason why I wanted to come up with a vegan mock tuna recipe. Who would have thought that it is possible to turn a watermelon into some sort of vegan tuna? Well to be honest when I first heard about it, I definitely could not believe it. So I started experimenting a little in the kitchen. And holy guacamole!! This vegan watermelon tuna definitely blows my mind. Want to know how I did it? Then keep on reading.
What is Poke Bowl?
If you never heard of Poke Bowl, don’t worry. Poke Bowl is a traditional Hawaiian dish. Usually it contains some sort of raw fish and is served with rice, fruits and veggies. Poke is a regional American-based cuisine from Hawaii, however traditional poke seasonings have been heavily influenced by the Asian cuisine.
How to make mock tuna?
As I mentioned above I created a vegan mock tuna out of a watermelon. When I think about it, this cooking method is still mind blowing to me. Here’s how I did it:
- First, it is important to slice the watermelons into cubes. Try to remove the seeds as good as possible.
- Then, it is time to create a bomb tasting marinade. I used lemon, miso paste, sesame oil, nori flakes, sriracha, tahini, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.
- Coat the watermelon in a bit of marinade and bake it in the oven for about 60 minutes. Save the rest of the marinade for later.
- When the watermelon has finished baking, it is time to marinate. You can do so by just storing the watermelon in a container and coating it with the rest of the marinade you made earlier. The longer it sits in the marinade the more intense the watermelon tuna is going to taste. I marinated mine for about 24 hours. But a shorter period will work as well. Just keep in mind, that the flavor may be not as strong then.
- That’s it. You are ready to serve it! Definitely not as complicated as you may have thought right?
If you enjoyed this recipe you might also like some of my other healthy recipes too:
Finally, if you try this Vegan Watermelon Tuna Poke Bowl out yourself, do not forget to rate this recipe and to tag me on Instagram @aboutannella. I am always happy to connect with you and see your beautiful recreations. For more food related content and inspiration make sure to follow my Pinterest account. Other than that, happy cooking!
Vegan Watermelon Tuna Poke Bowl
Equipment
- Food Processor (Optional)
Ingredients
For the Vegan Tuna
- 4 tbsp Tahini
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Miso Paste
- 6 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 1 Lemon (Juiced)
- 2 tbsp Nori Flakes
- 2 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
- 1 tsp Ginger (Minced)
- 6 tbsp Water
- 1/2 Watermelon
For the Bowl
- 1 1/2 cups White Rice
- 1/2 Cucumber
- 2 medium sized Carrots
- 1 Avocado
- 1 handful Spinach
- 2 tbsp Spring Onions
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
For the Vegan Tuna
- Preheat the oven to 180°C//360°F.
- Cut the Watermelon into cubes. Try to remove the seeds, if possible.
- Combine the Tahini, Soy Sauce, Miso Paste, Sesame Oil, Sriracha, Lemon Juice, Nori Flakes, Minced Garlic, Minced Ginger and Water into a bowl. Mix until everything is well incorporated by using a whisk. If you have a food processor, you can also blend the ingredients in there.
- Pour half of the marinade over the cubed Watermelon. Give it a toss and make sure the water melon cubes are all coated.
- Bake the Watermelon for about 60 minutes. Flip halfway through.
- After cooking, store the Watermelon into a container and pour the rest of the marinade over. Let it at least sit overnight. For optimum flavor I marinated mine for 24 hours.
For the Bowl
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the White Rice according to the instructions.
- Next, wash and prep your veggies. Slice the cucumber as well as the avocado. Shred the carrots. Cut the spring onions into thin rings.
- Once the White Rice is cooked, divide between two bowls. Top with the vegan Watermelon Tuna. Then, add all the remaining toppings (Cucumbers, Avocado, Carrots, Spring Onions, Spinach). Sprinkle on some Sesame Seeds for garnishing.
- Enjoy! I served my Poke Bowls with some leftover marinade on the side.
Mhhhhh yummy!