Ahi Tuna is the Hawaiian name for two different types of tuna: yellowfin and bigeye. I have used yellowfin in this Ahi Tuna Salad as it is easier to get hold of in the UK. It has a bright colour, firm, meaty texture and rich flavour which makes it perfect for making this seared Ahi Tuna Salad (it also grills really well and is popular in sushi and sashimi recipes - you could use it for my Crispy Rice Paper Rolls with Spicy Tuna ). It also has a higher fat content than other types of tuna (like Albacore) which gives it the most delicious buttery texture.

What other sides would work well?

Pretty much anything goes in this Ahi Tuna Salad so feel free to go off piste and use my suggestions as a guide. You can switch the nutty brown rice for sticky sushi rice or fragrant jasmine rice (feel free to make your own, but popping a pouch in the microwave will keep this recipe super low-key and I am all about finding time-saving hacks that reduce the stress) and use all sorts of different veggies… thinly sliced sweet red peppers, cooling crunchy cucumbers, carrot matchsticks, buttery edamame pods, shredded cabbage - the list goes on (if you want a tropical fruity vibe, some diced mango and/or pineapple is delicious!). You can also jazz it up even further with extra toppings like toasted cashew or peanuts, crispy fried onions, sliced spring onions, a spoonful of kimchi or a drizzle of chilli oil.

Can I meal prep this ahi tuna salad?

You can make the dressing in advance and chop the veggies in advance too (but don't chop the avocado as it will go brown). I would only prepare and cook the tuna just before serving.

Ahi Tuna Salad

Name: Ahi Tuna Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tsp runny honey; 1 tsp grated garlic; 1 tsp grated ginger; Juice of ½ lime; 1 tbsp black sesame seeds; 1 tbsp white sesame seeds; 1 tsp sesame oil; 2 thick yellowfin tuna steaks; 1 packet pre-cooked brown rice; 1 ripe avocado, diced; 4 radishes, finely sliced; Jalapeños; Fresh coriander leaves; Fully-prepared ready-to-eat rocket leaves

Ahi Tuna Salad

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Discover the most delicious seared Ahi Tuna Salad with a toasted sesame seed crust, served with nutty brown rice, crunchy radishes, creamy avocado and a wonderful sweet and salty ginger, soy and sesame Asian-style dressing.

Author: Margie Nomura
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
Category: Seafood & Fish
Method: Pan-frying
Cuisine: Hawaiian

Ingredients

Scale

For the dressing:

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp runny honey
1 tsp grated garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
Juice of ½ lime

For the tuna:

1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame oil
2 thick yellowfin tuna steaks

To serve:

1 packet pre-cooked brown rice
1 ripe avocado, diced
4 radishes, finely sliced
Jalapeños
Fresh coriander leaves
Fully-prepared ready-to-eat rocket leaves

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Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, runny honey, grated garlic and ginger and lime juice. Taste and adjust the flavours, as necessary.
For the tuna, mix together the black and white sesame seeds and tip onto a plate. Brush the tuna steaks with sesame oil on both sides, then place onto the sesame seeds, pressing down and turning to evenly coat each side.
Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once piping hot, sear the tuna fillets for 1 minute on each side (we aren’t looking to cook the steaks all the way through - we want them to be raw in the middle). Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Cut into 2cm slices roughly. I prefer juicy thick slices of tuna rather than thin.
Divide the rice between 2 plates. Arrange a sliced tuna steak on top of each one, followed by some diced avocado, sliced radishes, jalapeños, coriander and rocket. Drizzle generously with the dressing and serve.

Notes

Perfect tuna: you really only need to cook the tuna very briefly to sear the tuna on the outside. The perfect timing will depend on the thickness of your steaks, but if you overcook it you will lose the silky, melt-in-the-mouth texture which is just so good.

Brown rice: you can cook your own rice if you prefer (although remember to factor that into the cooking time). You could also use all sorts of different rice - fragrant jasmine rice, fluffy basmati rice or sticky sushi rice all work well.

Vegetables: you can garnish with all sorts of different vegetables - edamame beans, grated carrot, cooling cucumber and/or thinly sliced peppers are all delicious. I also love a spoonful of spicy kimchi on the side.

To store: Store in an airtight container (tupperware) in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat: I would eat any leftovers cold personally! I’d mix it up into a big salad and eat like that. If you do want to eat it hot, you can reheat in a frying pan or in the microwave but it will cook the tuna more so you lose the butteriness that it has when freshly cooked and raw in the centre.

To freeze: I wouldn’t suggest freezing the tuna once covered in sesame seeds or freezing any leftovers. You can freeze the tuna steaks straight after buying and defrost when ready. Just pat dry well before dunking in sesame seeds. I will say though that fresh tuna steaks really are best.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/ahi-tuna-salad/