Step outside the box for dinner and whip up these sesame seared tuna steaks with wasabi mashed potatoes!
Sometimes I honestly don’t know what I’m thinking.
Put me in a kitchen and I’m decisive and driven, but put me in front of a menu at a restaurant and I am the most indecisive person on Earth.
I think it’s typically because I want everything on the menu and loathe the idea of having to choose just one dish. Well, one dish and and several stolen bites off my friends plates when they’re not looking.
I’m sneaky like that.
On a whim I ordered the special at South Beach Grill and found myself staring down a pile of wasabi mashed potatoes.
Um… I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this, but I loathe wasabi! It makes my nose run and my eyes burn and my face squish in absolute agony. It’s not cute.
I truly just wanted the seared tuna. So much, in fact, that I was willing to put up with a plate of wasabi face-melting in the process. You can imagine my surprise when I looked down at my plate only to realize it had been licked clean.
Oh yes, I devoured every last bite of wasabi madness — and loved it! I guess the starch took the edge off? Whatever the case, they rocked and I wanted more.
Sesame Seared Tuna and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
Sesame Seared Tuna and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes (scrubbed and peeled)
- 1 large sashimi-grade tuna steak (fresh from the seafood counter)
- 4-6 oz unsweetened coconut milk or dairy/non-dairy equivalent)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1-2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- dried or fresh parsley and chives to taste
- coconut oil as needed
- wasabi powder or paste to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cube and boil potatoes in a pot of water for 10-15 minutes or until the starchy little cubes mash easily with a fork. I like to season the water with black pepper and a pinch of salt, totally optional!
- Once fork-tender, reduce heat to low and strain the water from the pot.
- Next add coconut milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley and mash with a wooden spoon… fork… whatever you feel like abusing your potatoes with. Maybe not your fists though? I’d hate for you to burn yourself!
- Now break out the wasabi. I started with a teeny pinch… then added a little more… and then even more wasabi! I suppose I was feeling ballsy!
- Taste as you go to reach the perfect level of intensity to suit your tastebuds. Same goes for the salt, pepper, garlic and parsley! You could also add cream cheese, butter, buttermilk, greek yogurt, or any other mix-ins to the mashed potatoes if you’d like, but just the coconut milk alone whipped mine into a tasty mountain of fluff.
- For the tuna, add a spoonful or two of coconut oil to a cast iron skillet and heat to high.
- Heat the oil for a minute or two, but not so long that the oil smokes.
- Using a pair of tongs, test the oil with a corner of the fish. If it starts to sear and bubble you’re good to go!
- First sear the edges of the fish; about 30 seconds per side will do.
- Once the edges are done, sear the front/back of the fish for about 30 seconds each.
- The longer you sear the tuna, the less rare the inside will be, so adjust accordingly!
- Remove from skillet with tongs [safety first!] and dredge in sesame/chia seeds.
- Slice into 1/4 inch strips and serve atop your fluffy wasabi mashed potatoes.
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this sesame seared tuna and/or the fluffy wasabi mashed potatoes, let me know!
You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
special diets and swaps
- t-rex chefs feel free to use milk and/or butter in your mashed potatoes
- vegansaurus chefs the potatoes are vegan! simply skip the seared tuna + veg it up!
Feeling saucy? Serve this sesame seared tuna with a side of sriracha chili sauce or low sodium soy sauce!
These are great! Oh boy, I may just flip everyone’s stuffy traditional lids and make for Thanksgiving! Thank you for such a fun recipe (and with or without wasabi, it’s perfect w just the coconut milk)!!!
I knew we were having seared ahi tonight but didn’t want to have rice with it. (Which is a go to for me) Since I have loads of potatoes, I did a search on “ahi and potatoes” thinking it was a strange combo. Then up popped this post….Wasabi mashed potatoes!?! Genius. Delicious. A keeper! The coconut milk was perfect too.
Thanks so much for sharing this! It really is fantastic.
Hey Donna! I’ve never had celery mash before but I think it would be a good swap if you adore it already! I also have a few mashed cauliflower recipes that the wasabi can be added to!
http://peasandcrayons.com/2012/03/carmelized-onion-and-roasted-garlic.html
http://peasandcrayons.com/2011/12/mashed-cauliflower.html
Let me know if you end up making it! <3 xoxo
Stunning offering!..Could I possibly use a celery rave mash to sub for the potatoes? Trying to stay in Paleo-mode…but I want to do justice to your recipe! Thanks for any suggestions!
Thanks Allison!!!! Its a super yummy combination — And oh-so easy to make at home! =)
This is.. the most amazing recipe I’ve seen in months!! Two of my absolute favorite things I could never imagine together.(I’m from Canada so I’ve never been to the restaurant). But the recreation looks amazing.
THIS LOOKS FREAKING AWESOME.
YUM GIRL!!!!!
BWAHAHAHAAAHAAAAAA!!!!!
I can’t stand Wasabi either! I feel exactly the same way about it you did too. I might have to try it again b/c your recipes are always tasty. Also, when it comes to tuna this is going to sound absolutely insane, but have you ever had the tuna from Outback?!? I’m sure you’ve never stepped foot in the place, but let me tell you (and this is coming from a Charlestonian who lives 5 miles from the ocean), the tuna at Outback is the freshest, most delicious, absolute divinest tuna I have ever eaten in my life. For realz. And it is that good every.single.time. I’ve been told it comes in fresh every single day and is never saved overnight. If you ever get the chance, seriously try it! It’s amazing. Here’s a picture to prove it!
wasabi makes my life. so does tuna. so does David Hasselhoff
I love wasabi anything! I’ve had wasabi mashed potatoes before too and they’re so good! I am so proud of you for ordering them AND enjoying them 🙂
Aww thanks!! I wont let wasabi NEAR my sushi [or my face] but it’s allowed in my mashed potatoes. You can even make regular mashed potatoes and then pull a little aside to mix with wasabi to test your tastebuds — this way if you still loathe the green stuff you have regular mashed potatoes to console you =) haha! Though you might surprise yourself and love em! <3
I need to live where you live…your recreations are the best looking meals. I love me some seared tuna.
I’ve never been a wasabi fan, but I keep coming back to this post to drool over your amazing tuna pictures. I might have to believe you and try the full recipe!
Its a pretty delish combo! And who knew wasabi could play nice!? Its either the starch or the coconut milk making it behave. or the garlic… whatevs its just delish!
Oh my gosh!!!!!YUM!!!! I love tuna and love mashed potatoes!!! i cannot wait to try this one! And I am with you…wasabi and I don’t make a good match, usually. But I am willing to give it another try:)