Recipes > Ahi Tuna w/ Wasabi-Lime Vinaigrette

Ahi Tuna W/ Wasabi Lime Vinaigrette

Details

Encrusted with freshly-ground pepper and salt, this seared Ahi Tuna is served with seasoned pea shoots and drizzled with a green onion, wasabi and pickled ginger vinaigrette.
  • Serves: 2 to 3
  • Active Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Views: 62,750
  • Success Rating: 92% (?)
    0% - I fed it to the dog
    |
    |
    |
    |
    |
    |

Steps

Step 1: Making the Vinaigrette

Making the Vinaigrette
  • 1 1/2 tsp wasabi powder (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp pickled ginger
  • 1/2 green onion
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3/4 tsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Method

To make the vinaigrette, thinly slice the green onion on the bias. Finely julienne the pickled ginger and squeeze half of the lime into a bowl. Add the wasabi powder and mix to combine. Then add the vinegar, sugar, salt and olive oil and whisk. To finish, stir in the pickled ginger and green onions.

Step 2: Cooking the Tuna

Cooking the Tuna
  • 1/2 lb Ahi Tuna
  • 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1tsp sea salt, or to taste
  • 1 tbsp coarsely cracked black pepper (approx.)
  • grapeseed oil (for searing)

Method

To prepare the tuna, cut it into 2 equal pieces, if necessary. Liberally coat the cutting board with coarsely ground pepper and Kosher salt. Coat the tuna with a touch of olive oil. Next, roll the tuna in the salt and pepper and gently press it so it sticks. Then set aside, while you preheat a fry pan to medium-high heat.

Once the pan is properly heated, add a bit of oil and then add the tuna. Ahi tuna is generally served very rare, so cook each side just until the edges just start to change color and form a golden crust. Flip and sear each side. Once all of the sides are evenly browned, place onto a cooling rack and let cool while you prepare the garnish.

Step 3: Slicing the Tuna

Slicing the Tuna

Method

Once the tuna has cooled, slice and set aside while you prepare the garnish.

Step 4: Assembling and Serving

Assembling and Serving
  • 1 cup pea shoots (approx.)
  • 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil (approx.)
  • sea salt, to taste
  • pickled ginger (for garnish)

Method

For the garnish, lightly coat the pea shoots with a bit of olive oil. Season with a touch of salt and toss.

To serve the dish, place a small bunch of pea shoots onto a plate. Garnish with a bit of pickled ginger and then fan a few slices of tuna beside it. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and serve.

27 Comments

  • Patrick O
    Patrick O
    I love seared Tuna and I'll definatly be trying this out on the deck while the weather is still nice. Now, what kind of wine to serve with it?
  • C J
    C J
    Is it possible to make the Tuna ahead of time and keep and then assemble before serving keeping the seared tuna in the fridge to keep it cool?
  • Kimberley S Rouxbe Staff
    Kimberley S
    It is possible to sear the tuna in advance. You can keep it whole in the refrigerator for up to one day. Slice it just before you are ready to assemble and serve. Happy Cooking!
  • Eliana R
    Eliana R
    I love tuna. Is my favorite fish, and I'm so making this recipe. Sounds so good!
  • Patrick O
    Patrick O
    Viognier, pronounced 'vee-ohn-yay' which is also a great wine to pair with Sushi. The wine's flavours went incredibly well with the dressing, which is the most prominent flavour in the dish. I couldn't find Pea Shoots if my life depended on it! I subbed in baby arugula which worked ok but I think something milder would be better.
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    I bought a Voignier last week, I was so excited to as we had one last year that was lovely. However much to my surprise it was a white. For some reason I didn't even think about this when I picked up the bottle. Silly me! It was still delicious, and I am sure a white is what you are referring to anyways! thanks Patrick.
  • Laurie J
    Laurie J
    I am making this tonight for the first time for my husband! I'm getting the tuna from Whole Foods so it should be good quality. Do you think it would be a good idea to also put down some toasted sesame seeds along with the salt and pepper? This is typically how I see it in restaurants...what do you think?
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    Do you mean before you sear the tuna? If so, then you may not want to toast the seeds first otherwise they could burn. Good luck and hope you enjoy your dinner. Cheers!
  • Laurie J
    Laurie J
    The jar from Whole Foods calls them "toasted" already (but really, they look raw to me)...I put them down with the salt and pepper, rolled in the tuna and then seared it...we loved it! The only thing is that the tuna's crust came out a bit too salty for us, so I will probably cut down on the salt for next time, and instead increase the pepper and seeds. Thank you so much for this recipe. I am having a wonderful time on your site as a newbie! :-)
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    So glad that you had success and that you enjoyed the tuna. Of course we are also thrilled that you are having a good time with Rouxbe :-) If you are like Tuna then you might like this recipe for "Rice Cracker-Crusted Tuna" from chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. I have eaten 3 times now (at his restaurant here in Vancouver) and it is delicious. I have it on my list of "things to make" but I have not found the time to do so. Cheers!
  • Laurie J
    Laurie J
    Wow, thank you!!!!
  • Emily W
    Emily W
    Do you think that this dish would work 'plated' on chinese spoons.
  • Emily W
    Emily W
    Is it possible to substitute wasabi paste for the wasabi powder in this recipe?
  • Kimberley S Rouxbe Staff
    Kimberley S
    Sure, this could be quite nice. You might have to sear off a smaller piece of tuna though so the slices aren't so big on the spoon, but the presentation could look quite lovely. Have fun!
  • Kimberley S Rouxbe Staff
    Kimberley S
    Yes, just add it to taste. Cheers!
  • Rick P
    Rick P
    Hello How thick would you say the tuna steaks have to be? It's difficult to tell from the video. Many thanks Rick
  • Kimberley S Rouxbe Staff
    Kimberley S
    These were about 1.5 to 2 inches thick. It's really up to you on how thick you want them. The main thing is to sear the pieces properly. Cheers!
  • Tuyen L
    Tuyen L
    Hi Dawn, can i using tuna at the grocery store or what kind of tuna that you think is best?
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    This recipe calls for ahi tuna, which we think is the best for this recipe. I am not sure what you mean by "can I use tuna at the grocery store"? If by this you mean, can I buy the fresh tuna from the fish counter at my local grocery (if it is extremely fresh and healthy looking) then yes is the answer. You may also find it helpful to watch the lesson on Buying and Storing Fish as this will guide you into what to look for when you are purchasing your fish. Cheers!
  • Tuyen L
    Tuyen L
    Thank you so much Dawn, i will watch the lesson. thanks again Dawn for your time. p:s i just love to eat Sushi and Ahi tuna they're wonderful.
  • Leigh S
    Leigh S
    A couple of friends came over this evening with some yellowfin tuna they had caught yesterday, about 8 miles outside the reef that surrounds our Island (Yap, FSM) . They had fried some up the day before, but brought me over a couple of fillets to prepare. I had never cooked tuna before, and had no idea what I was doing... but this lesson and this recipe came to the rescue. Wow! What a great meal we had. They were absolutely blown away by the flavors... and the presentation. It was fun to see them so amazed at how much better this meal was than what they had cooked themselves the night before. The Wasabi-lime vinaigrette is the perfect complement to this dish! Wow! All I can say is wow! Rouxbe, you made me look like a pro tonight!
  • Kimberley S Rouxbe Staff
    Kimberley S
    Glad to hear you had a great dinner! And kudos to you for carefully applying what you have learned here. That makes all of us very happy to hear! Cheers!
  • Ken R
    Ken R
    I made this and it came out great. I want to use this as a dish for a dinner I'm going to make for a few friends. What are some dishes you would suggest to accompany this (perhaps other courses)? One idea I hads was that since this is a cold dish (temperature wise) I could preceed it with a hot soup like the Cream of Asparagus -- would that work?
  • Leigh S
    Leigh S
    Having this as a side-dish with a soup is a great idea! The tuna is quite rich, and so it does need something to go with it. I can't get get the cool looking plates that are shown in the video, nor can I get pea shoots. So I had a little almond and garlic rice pilaf, cucumber slices, and green coleslaw to finish off the plate. We had it with the Thai Coconut Squash soup elsewhere on this site. The whole meal was amazing. Cream of Asparagus sounds like it would be perfect. I just wish I could get fresh asparagus where I live!
  • Brenda L
    Brenda L
    I used radish sprouts (live with root mat) and it was great. My vinaigrette was bitter maybe because the picked ginger had an odd taste even though it was the one with no preservatives. I decided to add a touch of agave and grated fresh ginger to bring it up to speed. Ever since I learned to properly heat a pan everything comes out great, especially this. One more time, thanks be to Rouxbe!
  • Carlos D
    Carlos D
    I tried this recipe today and it turned out fantastic, I paired it with sea asparagus, steamed spinach, and seared colorful small carrots, and it tasted delicious.
  • Matthew C
    Matthew C
    14 years after Patrick's original Viognier comment, Moon Curser Vineyards has a 2021 Moonlit, a viognier with bubbles.

Leave A Comment

Please login or join the Rouxbe community to leave a comment.