Japanese-Style Tuna Salad Recipe
15 min
60 min
2 to 3
Main
Japanese
Japanese-style salad sandwiches are having a moment — and for good reason. They're packed with umami, rich in flavor, and delightfully unexpected. This elevated take on classic tuna salad combines creamy mayonnaise with sriracha, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, and avocado for a satisfying twist. This recipe uses the sous vide method to cook albacore tuna, but for a quick and easy version, you can substitute high-quality canned tuna. See Pro Tips.
Ingredients
8 ounces albacore or ahi tuna
Pinch of salt
1 garlic clove, sliced
2 slices fresh ginger (¼-inch thick)
2 tablespoons neutral oil such as avocado or grapeseed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1¼ teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
¼ cup mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie brand, plus more for the bread
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 scallion, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
Sliced bread, lettuce, and sliced avocado for serving
Directions
Sous vide the Tuna
In a deep pot filled with water, set up the immersion circulator according to the manufacturer’s specifications, and preheat it to 130°F. Season the tuna all over with salt and let sit until the water reaches 130°F.
Place the tuna into a sealable bag along with the garlic, ginger, neutral oil, soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil. To remove the air from the bag, close the bag, leaving about 1 inch opened. Lower the bag into the water, stopping before you get to the top. The water pressure will push out the air in the bag (this is called displacement). Seal the bag.
Lower the sealed bag into the water. To keep the bag from moving around, use a clothes pin or binder clip to affix the bag to the side of the pot. Cook for 45 minutes.
Assemble and Serve
Remove the bag from the water. Open the bag and slide the tuna onto a plate. Pick off and discard the garlic and ginger. Break the tuna into small pieces and let cool.
In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sriracha, vinegar, and remaining ¼ teaspoon sesame oil. Add the tuna, scallion, and sesame seeds, and stir to combine, breaking up any large pieces of tuna. Spread the bread with mayonnaise and top with lettuce, avocado, and tuna salad. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve right away.
Pro tips
Beverage Suggestions
Covering all of the bases, you can serve iced green tea, cucumber lemonade with mint, a chilled glass of dry Riesling, or a light crisp Japanese lager like Sapporo or Asahi.
Easy shortcut
Substitute two 5-ounce cans of high-quality tuna for the sous vide tuna to make this recipe in minutes.
Lighten Up
For a low-carb alternative, scoop the tuna salad and avocado into lettuce leaves or spoon onto cucumber slices.
Grace Parisi
Culinary Director Grace Parisi is a cook, writer and cookbook author. Formerly the Senior Test Kitchen Editor at Food & Wine Magazine and Executive Food Director at TimeInc Books, her work has appeared in Cooking Light, Health, O Magazine, Epicurious, Fitness, Today, Serious Eats, Martha Stewart, and many more. She’s the author of more than 6 books, among them The Portlandia Cookbook and Get Saucy, which was nominated for a James Beard award for Best Single Subject Cookbook.
