Stove-Seared Tuna with Mandarin-Cabbage Salad + Buttered Petite Potatoes
Fast, bright, and restaurant-feeling: seared tuna with a crisp citrus-cabbage salad and buttery potatoes. Cabbage and citrus are peak winter players in Texas, and the whole meal lands in under 45 minutes.
Back to full listIngredients
- Tuna Steak Wild Caught Frozen (sustainably sourced), 1 lb 1 lb (use 2 steaks ~6–8 oz each; save remainder if needed) $8.99 sale (reg $11.99)
- Private Selection® Gold Mini Petite Spudlings™ Gourmet Potatoes, 16 oz 12 oz potatoes $3.99
- Green Cabbage ~1/2 lb (about 3 cups shredded) $0.89/lb
- Simple Truth Organic® Fresh Seedless Mandarin Oranges Bag, 2 lb 2 mandarins (or 1 grapefruit if you prefer) $4.49
- Fresh Organic Lemon - Each 1/2 lemon $1.19
- Jumbo Sweet Onions 2 tbsp very thinly sliced $1.39/lb
- Neutral oil (pantry) 2 tbsp
- Butter (pantry) 1 tbsp
- Soy sauce (pantry) 1 tbsp
- Dijon mustard (pantry) 1 tsp
- Black pepper + kosher salt (pantry) to taste
- Optional: chili flakes (pantry) pinch
Instructions
- Prep potatoes: put 12 oz petite potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch, add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and simmer 12–15 minutes until tender.
- Make citrus salad: shred ~3 cups green cabbage (~1/2 lb). Peel and segment 2 mandarins. Add 2 tbsp very thin-sliced sweet onion.
- Dress salad: whisk 2 tbsp neutral oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp Dijon, juice of 1/2 lemon, black pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes (optional). Toss with cabbage/mandarins. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Prep tuna: thaw if needed and pat tuna very dry. Season both sides with 3/4 tsp salt and black pepper.
- Sear (stove): heat a skillet (cast iron ideal) over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil.
- Cook tuna: sear tuna 60–90 seconds per side for rare/medium-rare (longer if you prefer). Transfer to a plate and rest 2 minutes.
- Finish potatoes: drain potatoes, return to the hot pot, add 1 tbsp butter + a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat (smash a few lightly if you like).
- Serve: slice tuna against the grain. Plate with buttery potatoes and a big heap of citrus-cabbage salad.
Health notes: ~650–850 kcal per serving (tuna is lean; calories mainly from potatoes + butter/oil). Very high protein and omega-3s; add extra salad for fiber and keep butter modest for a lighter plate.
Drink pairing: Tuna loves mineral-driven whites or light reds with low tannin. Wine styles (pick 1): - Albariño (saline, citrusy—perfect with tuna) - Sauvignon Blanc (grapefruit + herbs) - Pinot Noir (light, earthy—great with seared fish) Local-ish bottle tip: Becker Vineyards Viognier (TX) can also work if you like a rounder white.