Seared Ahi Tuna Asian Crunch Salad

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I'll be honest, I only want a salad if it's really exciting. I want big flavors, lots of different textures, and something that doesn't leave me feeling like I had "just a salad" for my meal.

My Seared Ahi Tuna Asian Crunch Salad hits all the right notes and is such a fun and delicious deviation from typical salads. Seared tuna takes literally 2 minutes tops to cook and everything else comes together for this incredibly crunchy, tangy, and a little bit spicy salad that you'll be craving again and again.

This salad was inspired from one at a restaurant I had years ago that was then removed from the menu and I found myself chasing the flavors when I couldn't order it anymore. I think what I came up with is pretty incredible and I think you'll love it.

It's perfect for summer, but is a great lighter meal option any time of year.

*Cooking any meat to rare comes with its risks. Only eat rare or uncooked meat that you know and feel is safe to eat.

Seared Ahi Tuna Asian Crunch Salad
Makes ~ 2 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 2 minutes

**This recipe may include affiliate links for which I may be paid a commission for purchases made through the link.**

Click the file below to download and print the recipe

Seared Ahi Tuna Asian Crunch Salad.pdf

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I recommend reading the recipe all the way through, including the recipe notes at the bottom, before you start cooking.

Ingredients:

For Dressing:

• 1/4 C. creamy peanut butter

• 1 TB + 1 tsp. low sodium soy sauce

• 2.5 tsp. rice wine vinegar

• Juice of 1/2 a lime

• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

• 1-1.5 tsp. sriracha (to taste; omit if you don't like spicy)

• 1 TB honey

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 C. of coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots)*

• 1/2 C. shelled edamame (I use frozen)

• 3/4 C. diced mango ~ 1/2" dice (I use frozen and cut to size)**

• 1/2 C. chow mein noodles

• 2 oz. arugula (approximately)

• 1/2 of an avocado 1/2" dice

• 4-5 oz. ahi tuna steak***

Directions:

• Make the dressing by whisking together all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup.

• In a large bowl, toss to coat the coleslaw mix with some of the dressing (start with about 1/4 cup). Add more dressing if needed then set aside.

• Prep the rest of the salad ingredients. Evenly divide the arugula between 2 bowls then top of the edamame, mango, and avocado divided evenly.

• To cook the tuna, get a pan heated over medium-high heat on the stove. Pat the tuna dry with a paper towel then brush a very light coating of olive oil on both sides and season with a little salt and lots of black pepper. When the pan is nice and hot, cook the tuna on one side for about a minute, flip, then cook an additional minute. Don't over cook the tuna! Remove to a cutting board then slice against the grain into 1/4" thick strips. Divide evenly over top the salads.

• Drizzle the desired amount of remaining dressing over the salads then top with the chow mein noodles and enjoy!

*Recipe notes + Variations*

*Alternatively, you can use 1/2 of a small head of green cabbage very thinly sliced/shredded and 1/2 of a cup of shredded carrots.

**By using frozen mango, I know I'm going to have sweet, juicy mango every time and I don't have to deal with the mess of cutting a fresh one. The frozen chunks defrost really quickly so I take out what I need when I'm starting to make the dressing then when that is finished, they are thawed enough to cut into the size I need. After that, they're ready for the salad (fully thawed).

***I buy my tuna in frozen, vacuum-sealed packs from Sam's Club. They have never steered me wrong and you know they were frozen fresh so I feel very comfortable eating them raw or seared rare. To ensure a perfect rare cook, I like to keep mine slightly frozen on the inside still before cooking. If your steak if fully thawed, throw it back in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before cooking.

Know the risks of eating raw or undercooked meat and read up on safe food handling and cooking methods.