Cooking Healthier with Tom Kerridge: Seared Tuna with Asian Salad Recipe
15 August 2026 · 5:00 watch
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Discover Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge's technique for preparing a perfectly seared, sesame-crusted tuna loin paired with a vibrant, quick-cured Asian noodle salad.
Key takeaways
- Protect delicate tuna loin by searing sesame-crusted sides to build texture while maintaining a rare, tender core.
- Use a short 30-minute marinade to introduce aromatics without denaturing the fish proteins.
- Cure raw, sturdy salad vegetables in the dressing for 20 minutes to soften their raw bite and integrate flavours.
- Incorporate pre-cooked glass noodles and edamame for a balance of complex carbohydrates and proteins in healthy menu items.
In this masterclass, Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge demonstrates a vibrant, health-focused dish: seared tuna paired with a textured Asian-inspired salad. For professional kitchens looking to refresh their lighter menu options, this recipe provides key lessons in quick-marinating, precise pan-searing, and executing a quick vegetable cure that preserves bite while delivering maximum depth of flavour.
Mastering the Sesame-Crusted Sear
Tuna requires a delicate hand to prevent it from drying out; the margin between a beautifully rare centre and an overcooked, chalky texture is incredibly slim. Kerridge’s technique starts with a highly aromatic marinade of chilli oil, grated garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. This brief 30-minute fridge marinade infuses the outer layers of the tuna without breaking down the delicate flesh.
The crucial step before cooking is coating the tuna in toasted sesame seeds. This crust serves a dual purpose: it provides a nutty, structural crunch that contrasts with the soft fish, and it acts as a partial heat shield during cooking. When searing, ensure the frying pan is preheated with a light splash of oil. The tuna is laid seed-side down and seared for three minutes. Kerridge then advises a swift flip to flash the second side before immediate removal. This brief contact ensures the interior remains perfectly pink and moist, preserving the premium quality of the loin.
The Art of the Quick-Cured Salad
A common pitfall with raw vegetable salads is a lack of integration, where dressing simply sits on top of raw brassicas and roots. Kerridge solves this by incorporating a 20-minute 'cure' phase. By combining shredded Chinese cabbage, cucumber, spring onions, carrots, bean sprouts, edamame, and glass noodles with a dressing of olive oil, ginger, garlic, light soy, and honey, the vegetables undergo a light maceration.
This resting period softens the fibrous structure of the cabbage and carrots while drawing out a touch of excess moisture, blending it with the dressing to create a unified flavor profile. The addition of torn nori sheets and fresh coriander just before serving adds an essential oceanic salinity and herbal lift, perfectly mirroring the clean profile of the seared tuna.
Questions from the pass
Frequently asked questions
How do you prevent the sesame seeds from burning during the three-minute sear?
To prevent burning, control the pan's temperature. Start with a medium-high preheated pan and a thin layer of neutral oil, then adjust the heat if the seeds color too rapidly. The brief cooking time of three minutes on the seed-crusted side is calculated to toast the seeds deeply without scorching them.
Can the tuna loin be marinated for longer than 30 minutes to deepen the flavor?
Marinades containing acidic elements or salt, like chilli oil and soy, can begin to chemically cook the delicate tuna flesh if left too long. Limiting the marinade to 30 minutes in the fridge ensures the garlic, ginger, and sesame oil infuse the outer surface without compromising the raw, tender structure of the core.
What is the purpose of letting the salad vegetables sit in the dressing for 20 minutes?
Allowing the raw vegetables to rest in the soy and honey dressing cures them slightly, softening their fibrous textures. This process draws out a small amount of vegetable moisture, which emulsifies with the dressing, resulting in a cohesive salad where the flavours are fully integrated rather than merely coating the surface.
How should the tuna be sliced and presented for a professional service?
Slice the seared tuna using a very sharp carving knife or yanagiba to ensure clean cuts through the sesame crust. Slice across the grain into thick medallions, displaying the contrast between the deeply toasted outer crust, the thin cooked layer, and the vibrant, rare pink centre alongside the cured salad.
Original video by Chef Tom Kerridge. This overview is written independently by The Chef's Circle editorial desk — watch the original on YouTube.
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