Seared Ahi Salad with perfectly spiced tuna tossed with fresh greens, mango, avocado, tomato, red onion, and creamy wasabi dressing. A vibrant, flavorful healthy dinner recipe that can be made any night of the week in 30 minutes or less!
You’re looking at my all-time favorite salad. And that’s saying a lot, considering salad consists of roughly 60% of my diet.
Why is it my favorite, you ask? I have answers.
This healthy salad recipe is packed with lean protein and a variety of fresh produce for a nourishing and flavorful meal.
Tossed in a creamy yet light homemade dressing to bring the whole meal into the most magnificent flavor meld you’ve ever experienced, this salad is, in a phrase: the perfect bite.
The creamy wasabi dressing here, guys…mind blowing.
Tahini gives the dressing a creamy texture, while liquid aminos (or soy sauce), wasabi, and rice vinegar make it super zingy.
Even if you’re wasabi-averse, I encourage you to try the dressing! It’s fairly mild from a heat standpoint, but big on flavor. You can adjust the amount of wasabi paste you use accordingly.
Let’s discuss the ahi tuna salad ingredients!
Ingredients for Seared Ahi Salad
This salad has a lengthy ingredient list, but don’t be put off! I promise that this seared ahi salad is super simple to prepare.
Ahi Tuna Steaks: A sushi-grade fillet of ahi tuna is the star of our salad. This fish is tender, delicate, and unbelievably flavorful.
Make sure your raw tuna is sushi-grade; otherwise, it won’t be safe to consume raw! It should say whether it is on the packaging. Or, you can ask at the fish counter or your local fish markets.
Ground Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Sea Salt, and Sesame Seeds: The tantalizing spice mix that coats the outside of our seared ahi. White sesame seeds work too, but I love the color the black sesame seeds bring.
Mixed Greens: For the salad portion of this meal, I used a mixture of power greens – baby kale, chard, and spinach. These superfoods are all loaded with vitamins and minerals that are fantastic for your well-being.
Mango: Chunks of sweet, ripe, juicy mango add some contrasting texture to our seared ahi salad.
Avocado: I love avocados in a salad. They’re full of vitamins and healthy fats, and they absorb the dressing wonderfully!
Heirloom Tomato and Red Onion: These classic ingredients bring a burst of color and a dose of tangy sweetness to this recipe.
Crystallized Ginger: I know what you’re thinking – crystallized ginger in a salad? Has Julia gone loco? Stay with me. It’s like adding dried cranberries or raisins to a salad, except it lends a bit of heat! For those of you who have never purchased crystallized ginger, it can be found in the spice aisle of your local grocery store (or you can buy it online!).
Rice Vinegar and Sesame Oil: These slightly out-there ingredients add to the Asian flair of this seared ahi salad. The clean, bright vinegar cuts through the richness of the tuna, and the sesame oil brings a nutty richness.
Olive Oil: Binds the water and fat-based ingredients together (so the dressing doesn’t separate!). Olive oil also helps to smooth out the sharp heat of the wasabi. Avocado oil works well in this recipe, too!
Tahini: Makes our wasabi dressing uber-creamy! Use smooth peanut butter if you can’t find tahini.
Liquid Aminos: This magical ingredient delivers a big hit of umami goodness. If you can’t find liquid aminos, low-sodium soy sauce is a good alternative.
Wasabi Paste: You can’t make a creamy wasabi dressing without wasabi paste! If you’re unfamiliar with it, wasabi is a sharp Japanese ingredient with a zingy, floral heat. Find it in the Asian food section of any large grocery store.
Pure Maple Syrup: A dash of sweet maple syrup smooths out the heat of the ginger and wasabi paste. Try honey instead for a slightly different vibe!
Recipe Customizations
- Substitute liquid aminos or coconut aminos for soy sauce.
- White wine vinegar, lime juice, or apple cider vinegar are alternatives to rice vinegar.
- Crystallized ginger can be a challenge to find and not everyone loves it. Feel free to omit it, or try fresh ginger or dried cranberries instead.
- Add in any of your favorite fresh salad ingredients. Green onions, English cucumber, bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, and red cabbage are all great options.
How to Sear Ahi:
- Step 1: Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure the pan is nice and hot to crisp up the outside of the fish
- Step 2: Remove the ahi filet from its packaging and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the ahi fillet with the spices
- Step 3: Sear tuna in the hot skillet for 1 to 1.5 minutes per side (leaving the center rare!).
- Step 4: Let it stand for a few minutes on a cutting board. Slice tuna into thin strips with a sharp knife.
A good miniature blender is essential to get a smooth, creamy wasabi dressing. You can try to combine the ingredients manually, but it’ll take a while!
How to Make Seared Ahi Salad
Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small blender, and blitz until smooth. Set aside.
Dice and chop all of your produce, then toss in a bowl with the wasabi dressing.
Next, sear your ahi tuna as described above.
Top the salad with the seared ahi, and serve!
If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours. I recommend enjoying this salad fresh!
This seared ahi salad truly is perfect for fellow sushi lovers! Try your hand at it at home! Let me know in the comments if it becomes one of yours!
Fan of my seared ahi salad? Try some of my other tuna dishes!
More Tuna Recipes:
- Ahi Poke
- Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Healthy Tuna Salad with Hummus
- Cucumber Dill Avocado Tuna Salad
Grab your sushi grade tuna and enjoy this ahi tuna salad recipe!
Seared Ahi Salad with Creamy Wasabi Dressing
Ingredients
Seared Ahi:
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil for cooking
- 1 pound sushi-grade ahi tuna fillet
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Salad:
- 5 ounces mixed greens*
- 1 ripe mango peeled and diced
- 1 ripe avocado diced
- 1 small heirloom tomato diced
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup crystallized ginger chopped, optional
Creamy Wasabi Dressing:
- 4 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 4 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil**
- 1 Tbsp tahini or peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp liquid aminos***
- 1 tsp wasabi paste
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup or honey
Instructions
Prepare the Seared Ahi:
- Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high with enough oil to coat the surface, about 2-3 tablespoons.
- Stir together the ground cumin, smoked paprika, sesame seeds, and sea salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the ahi fillet with the spice blend and use your hands to gently pat the seasonings into the fish.
- Carefully place the ahi fillet on the center of the surface of the hot skillet. Cook 1 to 1½ minutes, or until the fillet is golden-brown and crispy. Flip and cook on the other side for 1 to 1-½ minutes, or until tuna reaches desired done-ness. The goal is to get a golden brown sear on both sides while allowing the center of the fish to remain rare.
- Transfer the seared ahi to a cutting board and allow the fish to cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut the tuna into strips using a sharp knife. Use immediately on your salad or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a few hours, until ready to use.
Prepare the Creamy Wasabi Dressing:
- Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small blender. Blend until completely smooth.
Prepare the Salad:
- Add all of the ingredients for the salad in a large serving bowl. Toss in desired amount of creamy wasabi dressing. Serve salad with seared ahi tuna on top.
Thank you for the fantastic recipe. We loved it and will make again.
Thank you, Stasia! I appreciate you sharing your experience! xo
Hi, this looks AMAZING, I’m going to make it asap. Quick question, is the sesame oil toasted or untoasted? Thanks!
Hi Duncan! I use toasted sesame oil. Thanks for catching that! Hope you enjoy! xo
Hello Julia, I’m thinking of making this dressing, and I was wondering: Is that toasted or untoasted sesame oil?
Hi Tobias,
I just use regular (untoasted) sesame oil, although I’m sure both would be great!
I was hungry when I saw it. thanks for this great information. I will try it today.
Oh Boy! The salad looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing, as I never thought one can create a wasabi dressing salad. The ingredients and the spices used are great and it looks tasty too. I am definitely going to try making this dish.
So happy to hear it, Anna! I’m a huge fan of both wasabi and ahi, so for me, the salad is perfection. I hope you enjoy it as much as I!
It’s funny that seared ahi sounds so fancy but it’s actually super easy! That dressing does sound amazing. I can imagine the tahini gives it a nice creamy texture and that it pairs perfectly with the ginger. SO MUCH YUM.
Right? I always assumed searing ahi was a big to-do, but it’s easier than cooking chicken! You should definitely try the creamy wasabi dressing! It’s been my go-to for all the salads lately!
I used to be afraid of raw fish, and while I don’t eat sushi too often, I love seared ahi! The flavors in this salad are off the charts, and I especially love the addition of the ginger. I can see why this is your favorite salad!
I hear ya – I’m pretty choosy when it comes to raw fish, so I tend to go the uber expensive route and buy from Whole Foods just to be sure I’m getting the quality I need. So happy you like the salad! I hope you try it!
What a delicious looking salad and the wasabi dressing sounds fantastic. Thanks for the inspiration. I’ve got to go get some tuna!
Thanks, Joe! Let me know if you give it a go!
That creamy wasabi dressing sounds to die for! Rice wine vinegar and aminos add so much flavor, yum 🙂
Yuuuuhs! Wasabi lovers unite!