Tako Poke (aka Octopus Poke) is a classic Hawaiian dish that you can find at many poke shops and supermarkets in Hawaii. We love it chilled and served as snack and or paired with rice to make a wonderful meal. Tako Poke is simply made of cooked tako tossed with pantry seasonings like soy sauce and sesame oil. Enjoy, enjoy!
Why This Recipe Works
Ever had tako poke? If you're from Hawaii, you definitely have ^_^
And if you're a visitor to Hawaii, make sure to seek out tako poke while you're here! You can find ahi poke all over the world these days, but tako poke is more rare outside of Hawaii.
Tako poke is octopus poke. You'll find it sold alongside ahi poke, salmon poke, tofu poke, and all the other types of poke in Hawaii. Tako poke typically sold by the pound at the market.
You can find it at supermarkets like Foodland (we like the Ala Moana Center location), Safeway Hawaii, and Hawaiian food places like Yama's Fish Market and Fort Ruger Market. Some places even make multiple types of tako poke (think kimchee tako poke!)
We love to eat tako poke as a snack...it's an especially good beach snack on a hot day! Pack it in the cooler when you go to the beach. We also eat tako poke as a meal. Buy a pound of tako poke (or better yet, make your own tako poke), then take it home. Cook rice and eat with rice for a super good and satisfying dinner. It's also pretty healthy!
Bonus points if you eat it with all the good sides like Poi, Lau Lau, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Luau Stew and much more. Don't forget Haupia for dessert 😉
What Is Tako?
Tako is the Japanese word for octopus.
Tako = octopus!
Note: He'e is the Hawaiian word for octopus, but this dish is called Tako Poke (not He'e Poke). Since we're in Hawaii, I'm not sure why we use the Japanese name instead of Hawaiian name, but that's just how it is!
This recipe calls for already cooked tako/octopus. You can find this at many supermarkets. We can even get it at Costco Hawaii.
A generous friend recently gifted us freshly caught tako. It's amazing!! One of the perks of living in Hawaii ^_^
We love to either boil or grill fresh tako. We always save a few tentacles to make this tako poke dish.
Whether you're buying already cooked tako or cooking fresh tako, you must try making tako poke. It is very easy and rewarding.
Ingredients
These are the ingredients you'll need:
- Tako/octopus tentacles, already cooked and chilled
- Onion
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Chili powder or flakes
Now let's get cooking ^_^
Step by Step Directions
Here's how to make tako poke! It's easy:
Slice tako/octopus.
Thinly slice the cooked octopus tentacles and place it in a large mixing bowl.
Add seasonings.
Add the onions, green onions, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili powder/flakes. You can just add all this directly onto the tako in the mixing bowl.
Note: the chili powder/flakes are optional, but add a really nice and subtle kick to it. All you need is a little bit. We're not trying to make a spicy dish, but the kiss of spice is very tasty.
Mix and eat!
Mix well until every octopus piece is seasoned. And then it is ready to eat! Serve the tako poke chilled. Enjoy with a big bowl of rice.
FAQs and Tips
2-3 days in the refrigerator, in a sealed container.
So do we! Make sure to also try our recipes for:
- Ahi Poke / Shoyu Poke (this poke also includes a guide to everything you need to know about poke in Hawaii ^_^)
- Tofu Poke
Yes! Tako poke is made from cooked tako (octopus).
Ahi poke and salmon poke and most other types of poke are made with raw fish. But in Hawaii it is also common to find poke made with cooked items. Tako poke is one of them. Tofu Poke is also technically cooked. We also have dishes like dried ahi poke and imitation crab poke.
There are many variations you can make. I recommend trying this classic version first. And then you can "jazz" it up with variations. These are other ingredients you can add to your tako poke:
- Kimchee (also spelled kimchi, but we use the kimchee spelling a lot in Hawaii).
- Thinly sliced jalapeno peppers.
- Ogo (purple seaweed good for poke). You can buy this dried online or fresh in Hawaii. A little goes a long way. This will give the poke dish a nice crunch.
The best and most simple thing is...rice! And from there you can really make it as simple or fancy as you desire. For me, a bowl of rice, fresh tako poke, and a package of nori makes for a pretty wonderful meal.
Tako Poke Recipe
See below and enjoy ^_^
Tako Poke
Tako Poke (aka Octopus Poke) is a classic Hawaiian dish that you can find at many poke shops and supermarkets in Hawaii. We love it chilled and served as snack and or paired with rice to make a wonderful meal. Tako Poke is simply made of cooked tako tossed with pantry seasonings like soy sauce and sesame oil. Enjoy, enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 octopus tentacles, already cooked and chilled
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 stalks green onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or flakes
Instructions
- Thinly slice the octopus tentacles and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the onions, green onions, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili powder/flakes (optional).
- Mix well until every octopus piece is seasoned. Ready to eat! Serve chilled. Enjoy with a big bowl of rice.
Hi! I'm also born and raised in Hawaii but am now a kotonk. Enjoyed your tako recipe, altho I use salt instead of shoyu. Just wanted to let u know that tako is a Japanese word, not Hawaiian. Didn't know, so looked it up to find, that he'e is the Hawaiian word for octopus. Thanks!
🥰suz
Thank you so much for catching that, Suz! Correction made ^_^
- Kathy
I too love tako poke. In fact, I love most types of poke, but especially the traditional Hawaiian style. When the wife and I go back home in October for vacation again, after a long hiatus due to covid, I will be eating a lot of local food again, including poke. I sent you an email asking for recommendations for dinner spots, but I did not receive a response. No problem if you don't care to respond, I am just commenting because maybe you did not see my email. I love your posts and it gives me good memories of good things to eat.
Hi Alan! Hope all is well! When did you send the email? I'm so sorry I didn't get it, otherwise I would definitely respond!! Let me check though my "spam" mail, it might have gone there. I'm always happy to give recommendations, especially for you and your wife 🙂
- Kathy
@Kathy, I sent it on 6/20/22 to [email protected]. Most of my usual and favorite places to eat have either closed up or are shut down.