This salad has layers of flavor in every direction. All of the different elements also bring a variety of textures. From toasted pine nuts to the homemade salad dressing, to the rich flavor of the tuna, each does its job in creating a well-rounded salad.

Gathering the ingredients
I found this salad fairly easy to throw together, mainly because most of the ingredients are ones I keep on hand on a regular basis. There are a few specialty ingredients to note here and those include the tuna, of course, mandarin oranges, and pine nuts.
How to make Parmesan crisps
The parmesan crisp element of this salad is one you'll definitely not want to skip as it brings another element of flavor. Simply preheat the oven to 400 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and form rounds of shaved parmesan cheese. I use ¼ cup of cheese for each round. Bake them in the oven until crispy but keep a close eye out because they can burn easily. This should take 3-4 minutes. Once complete the cheese should have turned a light tan color.
What type of greens go well with Ahi Tuna salad?
I find that gentle, mild greens work best with this dish. Unless you prefer your greens to have a very bold taste (like arugula) I would suggest doing the same. I used a colorful arrangement of pre-packaged tender baby lettuces and baby greens that included Organic Green Leaf, Organic Mizuna, Organic Green Romaine, Organic Tango, Organic Green Oak, Organic Green Chard, Organic Spinach, Organic Arugula, Organic Frisee, Organic Tatsoi, Organic Red Chard, Organic Red Leaf, Organic Lolla Rosa, Organic Red Romaine, Organic Red Mustard, Organic Radicchio, Organic Red Oak, Organic Beet Tops.
Marinating the fish
For the best results, marinate the tuna for about 30 minutes beforehand so that all of those delicious flavors infuse the fish. You may notice that the tuna changes color slightly once the marinade is added and this is ok. The acid in the lime juice will cause it to oxidize slightly.
How to cook ahi tuna
Cooking ahi tuna, made with that iconic rare center may seem like a difficult feat but it's actually fairly simple, it's all in the technique. In order to get a nice sear, make sure your pan is heated to medium heat before cooking the fish. It literally only needs a couple of minutes on each side to achieve a caramelized outside with a warm pink center. For reference, the tuna steak I used was about 6 ounces. If yours is smaller, reduce the amount of cook time. If you want to be precise you can use a meat thermometer, just be cognizant of the fact that ahi tuna is very tender. When slicing, you'll want to make sure you use a very sharp knife, otherwise, a rough cut can easily tear the filet.
How to make the salad dressing
The link to make the dressing is listed here: https://belovedplate.com/roasted-garlic-orange--balsamic-dressing
Enjoy this Ahi Tuna Salad with Roasted Garlic & Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette!!
Ahi Tuna Salad with Roasted Garlic, Orange & Balsamic dressing
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 5 cups 1x
Description
This Ahi Tuna Salad with Roasted Garlic, Orange, and Balsamic Dressing has layers of flavors and textures in every direction.
Ingredients
1 Ahi tuna steak-7 oz (or less depending on how much you prefer)
4 cups mixed greens
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
2 tbsp lime juice, approximately 1 lime
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder
2 small stalks green onion, sliced thin
1 parmesan crisp
Instructions
- Prepare a plate with sliced green onion. Divide half of it and place it on the plate while leaving the other half to top the tuna with once it's finished cooking. On medium heat, cook tuna, searing for 1-2 minutes on each side. Cook time can vary depending on preferred level of rareness. Place hot tuna on plate with sliced green onion and use the other half of the onion to top tuna. Let tuna rest for a few minutes before slicing with a sharp knife.
- Combine all other elements into a bowl. Top with parmesan crisp.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Seared
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 284.8 mg
- Fat: 7.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.2 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 3.9 mg
I’ve never had this kind of fish before, but this healthy delicious recipe has me looking forward to making this dish.