This is one of my favorite salads of all time! After many visits to Houston’s/Hillstone restaurants and researching it online, and experimenting, I believe we are close! Fortunately, I live near a Houston’s, so I enjoy this salad regularly, but whether you live near a location or not, this is a great, light, healthy, delicious meal to make at home, and is perfect for entertaining this summer, as it is light, fresh, and simple!

Here’s what I did ahead of time: Make the cilantro-ginger vinaigrette by combining 1 packed cup cilantro leaves, 1 inch piece fresh peeled ginger, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 tbsp rice vinegar (mirin), 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1/2 tbsp lime zest, 2 tsp agave, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper in a blender and blend until smooth (1). I then sliced up two mangoes, one avocado, two tomatoes and set them aside in a container in the fridge. I washed two heads of baby frisee and one head of red leaf lettuce then patter them dry and put them in the fridge too. Shave 1 tbsp worth of ginger to be served on the side and now you have everything prepped.

When you’re ready to eat, start by searing off the tuna. I got one 8 ounce ahi tuna steak and cut it into 3 one inch strips and seasoned all four sides with salt and fresh ground pepper (2). Heat up 2-3 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat and then put the tuna in the pan (3). The idea here is to just give a quick sear to all four sides while leaving the inside raw so you have to move pretty quickly. Once all four sides are seared, transfer to a plate (4) and then cut into slices. Toss the mixed greens with some of the vinaigrette (5) then add some to each plate. Top the salad with the tomato, avocado and mango slices and then put the tuna and the shaved ginger to the plate (6).

ahi tuna salad how to

Copycat Hillstone/Houston’s Sashimi Tuna Salad

Serves two

For the vinaigrette:

1 packed cup cilantro leaves

1 inch piece peeled fresh ginger

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

3 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 tbsp lime zest

2 tsp agave nectar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soy sauce (low sodium, or omit the salt)

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

For the Salad:

two heads baby frisee lettuce

one head red leaf lettuce

two tomatoes, cut into wedges

one avocado, sliced

two mangoes, sliced

1/4 red onion, diced

1 tsp sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

For the Tuna:

8 ounce ahi tuna, cut into 1 inch strips

salt and fresh ground black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

Pour on plate sauce and arrange sliced tuna over:

4 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium preferred)

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Pickled ginger on the side (as served with sushi)

Make the cilantro-ginger vinaigrette by combing all ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth.

Dressing to add on top of the salad:

1/2 cup fat free or low fat mayonnaise

1/4 cup yellow mustard

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

(mix or blend these together, spoon over the top of the salad when assembled at the table for some added zing!)

Toss the lettuce with some of the vinaigrette and put on a plate then top with the tomato, avocado and mango.

Heat up the olive oil over medium high heat and season all four sides of the strips of tuna with salt and pepper. Quickly sear all sides of the tuna making sure the inside remains rare-raw, transfer to a plate and cut into slices. Plate with the salads, pour the soy-ginger sauce on the front of the plate, arrange the tuna slices on top of the sauce, add the pickled ginger on the side, serve with the honey-mustard dressing to top the salad. I love this with additional mango and avocado slices on the side!