I love creating dishes that make people say “wow”—whether it’s in the stunning presentation or the amazing taste. This Ahi Tuna Salad with an Asian flair is a perfect example, bursting with vibrant color and texture. The seared tuna is incredibly tender, almost like butter melting in your mouth. What really elevates this dish, though, is the combination of the Asian salad dressing and the peanut sauce, which bring all the flavors together in a truly irresistible way.
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce
- 5 tablespoons Peanut Butter
- 3 tablespoons Teriyaki Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Water
- 1 ½ teaspoons Hot Sauce (like Tabasco)
- 3 tablespoons Raw Honey
- 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
Asian Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon Garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
- ½ cup Grapeseed Oil
- 2 Green Onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons Black and White Sesame Seeds
Asian Arugula Salad with Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks
- Grapeseed Oil (to cover ½ inch of the bottom of a cast iron pan)
- 4 Ahi Tuna Steaks
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Black and White Sesame Seeds (for coating Tuna)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper (to season)
- 4 cups Spring Mix
- ¾ cup Shelled Edamame
- ¾ cup Shredded Carrots
- ¾ cup Shredded Red Cabbage
- ¾ cup Thinly Sliced Red Bell Pepper
- ¾ cup Coarsely Chopped Lightly Salted Peanuts
- ¾ cup Rice Noodles
INSTRUCTIONS
Peanut Sauce
- Combine peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, and water in a microwave-safe dish.
- Heat on medium for about 1 minute.
- Whisk in honey, hot sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
Asian Vinaigrette
- In a food processor, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and lemon juice.
- With the processor running, slowly drizzle in sesame oil and grapeseed oil.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, then whisk in green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a week.
Seared Tuna Salad
- Coat tuna steaks with olive oil, and generously season with salt and pepper.
- In a shallow dish, combine black and white sesame seeds and coat both sides of the tuna.
- Heat grapeseed oil in a cast iron pan over high heat until it begins to smoke (about ½ inch of oil).
- Add the tuna steaks and sear for 1 minute per side. Remove from heat and allow the tuna to cool slightly before slicing into ½ to ¾-inch strips.
- In a salad bowl, layer the spring mix and arrange edamame, shredded carrots, red cabbage, red bell pepper, peanuts, and rice noodles in a pinwheel pattern.
- Place the seared tuna slices in a circular pattern on top of the salad.
- Serve with the peanut sauce and Asian vinaigrette.
NOTES
- For the best searing results, use wild-caught Ahi tuna (yellowfin or bigeye). Check the label to ensure it’s wild-caught, not farm-raised.
- Always thaw tuna in the fridge or using a cold water bath, never on the counter.
- For searing, use grapeseed oil as it can withstand high heat. Heat the oil until it’s almost smoking before adding the tuna steaks.
