On those days when you want a high-protein pick me up with a low carb impact and beans or tempeh won’t do, topping a simple green salad with animal protein can help sate the appetite while also offering an alternative to an all-vegetable meal. I don't eat a lot of meat daily, so when I do, I try to eat high-quality protein that leaves me feeling energized.
The most time-consuming part of this seared ahi salad involves gathering the salad dressing ingredients and prepping. Fortunately, after you set out the ingredients on your kitchen counter, breaking out the food processor will shorten the time you'd otherwise devote to chopping and mincing the ginger, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno.
If you're considering tracking down some version of this dressing at the store, I'm here to argue in favor of homemade dressings. The fresh ingredients in this dressing make the finished salad special, and you'll have none of the cloying aftertaste that store-bought oil and vinegar-based dressings usually deliver.
Seared Ahi Salad Serves 2-3
Ingredients
For Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, skin removed and chopped
2 garlic cloves, protective skins removed
1 jalapeno, seeded
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
For Salad:
2-3 ahi steaks (12 ounces total)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
Salt
Black pepper
5 cups torn lettuce leaves or baby salad greens
1/2 bell pepper, seeded and cut into small chunks
1 large large avocado, sliced lengthwise
3 scallions, thinly sliced from white to light green portion of each
Directions
Make Dressing:
Combine all dressing ingredients in bowl of food processor, and pulse until larger ingredients are blended. Pour into a jar with lid, and set aside until ready to use. (I use mason jars for my dressing storage because I have plenty in the cabinet and are easy to shake vigorously when I need to recombine dressings that naturally separate like this one.)
Assemble Salad:
Add your salad ingredients (minus the ahi, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper) to a large serving bowl, and toss to combine.
Prepare Ahi and Finish Salad Preparation:
Rub ahi with spices. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. When the skillet is very hot, add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and sear tuna on both sides. How long you do this depends on how rare you like your tuna steaks. I prefer a light pink center, so this process takes about 5 minutes for me. Remove from skillet to cutting board to sit for a couple of minutes.
Portion out the salad, then slice ahi, and top each individual salad serving with the ahi. Finish with an ample drizzle of dressing, and dig in.