Ahi Tuna Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Sushi deconstructed into a salad—Paleo style! Made with pan-seared ahi tuna, cauliflower rice and a side of curried sweet potatoes! Dressed in a sesame oil, lemon and orange vinaigrette.

This salad is inspired by a trip I made to the store to get fish for my dinner salad. Being a creature of habit, I headed towards my favorite fish (salmon). But the person helping me behind the counter had different plans for my salad! He persuaded me to get the glistening, red tuna steak and swore it was the best choice. He said I must, so I listened, and boy am I glad I did!

The cooked ahi is seasoned with sweet, salty coconut aminos to create a caramelized crust and then served on top of greens, along with cauliflower rice and fresh vegetables. The preparation of the tuna and cauliflower makes this ahi tuna bowl juicy and warm. Citrus vinaigrette, pickled ginger and wasabi (not shown) transform this salad into something quite spectacular!

With chop sticks in hand, you'll feel like you're dining out at a high-end, Japanese restaurant!

When you prepare the salad, there are three major components: the toppings, fish and the vinaigrette.

In order to have everything done at the same time so that it's warm to serve—which is key—prepare the toppings before cooking the tuna and cauliflower rice. After I bought my tuna steaks, I started to walk around the store and think about what I'd normally like in a sushi roll—fresh vegetables, avocado, pickled ginger and wasabi came to mind. And instead of rice, we're going with the Paleo option, cauliflower rice for a light addition to this salad. If there's one thing I always get excited about making it's these roasted, curry sweet potatoes! The key to keeping full with Paleo is to eat a balance of protein, fat and carb/starch. No matter how much you eat, if one is missing, hunger is sure to strike a couple hours later!

Sweet potatoes are lower on the glycemic index, but still pack a mighty, hunger-busting carb. These are spiced with curry and a dash of paprika. Soft and starchy on the inside and golden-crisp on the outside, these are addicting, guilt-free fries! Drizzle with olive and garlic oil when baking to get your fries savory and golden brown.

Ahi tuna is packed with about 28g of protein per 4 oz., making it not just a pretty protein! You can quickly sear it on medium-high heat so that it's still raw in the middle, but make sure it's sushi grade. Today, I chose to cook my tuna a little longer for a medium-rare temperature, but feel free to cook to your favorite temp!

The rest is up to you to assemble your pretty sushi bowl salad with all of the goods and pour on the tangy, but sweet, citrusy dressing. This is going to be one healthy sushi night that you'll want to make again and again!

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Print here: Warm Sushi Salad With Citrus Dressing

Prep time: 00:15 Cook time: 00:25 Servings: 2

Salad & Fish

1 carrot, medium 1/2 bell pepper 1 avocado 1/2 cucumber 1 t coconut aminos 1 t toasted sesame oil 1 tsp ginger, grated 1 c cauliflower rice, cooked 3/4 - 1 lbs ahi tuna, fresh steaks coconut oil for pan wasabi pickled sushi ginger black sesame seeds for topping

Dressing

1 tsp rice wine vinegar 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 2 t olive oil 2 tsp coconut aminos 1/2 lemon, fresh juice 1 t 1 tsp orange, fresh juice 1 tsp maple syrup salt and pepper to taste

Sweet Potatoes

2 hannah sweet potatoes (golden color), medium 2 t olive oil 1 tsp garlic oil 2 tsp curry 1/2 tsp paprika salt and pepper to taste

Recipe Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 410º. Cut the sweet potatoes into crescent shapes. Prepare the vegetable toppings: julienne carrot, bell pepper, slice up an avocado and use a peeler or mandolin to strip cucumber into ribbons.

2. Make fish marinade: whisk together coconut aminos, sesame oil (listed under salad ingredients) and ginger in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Make salad dressing: Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients together to make the dressing and set aside.

4. Raost potatoes: Toss potatoes in olive and garlic oil, curry, paprika, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Then arrange potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet so that they don't touch (use two pans if needed). Roast for 20-25 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.

5. Cook cauliflower rice: Sautee in a pan on medium heat in olive oil. Stir every minute or so for 4-6 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

6. Prep tuna: Rinse tuna and pat dry with paper towel and place in marinade. Coat in marinade and then salt and pepper both sides. Marinate, covered, for a couple hours, or if short on time, cook immediately.

7. Cook tuna: Heat coconut oil in a pan on medium-high heat and place tuna in pan. Pour some marinade on the top. Sear fish for 2 1/2 minutes on each side for medium-rare doneness. (For rare, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side.) Remove and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice with a sharp knife against the grain.

8. Assemble salad: plate the greens and veggie toppings (including cauliflower rice). Place tuna slices on salad and drizzle vinaigrette over salad; toss salad if preferred. Place ginger and wasabi on top and sprinkle salad with black sesame seeds. Serve with side of sweet potatoes.

Additional Notes

*For low FODMAP, limit cauliflower rice to tolerated amount or sub with your choice of rice. Limit to 1/4 of an avocado and 1/2 C of sweet potatoes per serving. Keep sesame seeds to small amount.