Japanese-Style Tuna Noodle Salad

Recipe from Bart van Olphen

Adapted by Sam Sifton

Updated March 23, 2020

  • Jenny Huang for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Beatrice Chastka.
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Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,779)
Comments
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Here’s a simple udon salad I picked up from the chef and entrepreneur Bart van Olphen, who elevates canned tuna to the heights of deliciousness. Van Olphen dresses the noodles in what he calls wafu dressing, which translates roughly as Japanese-style: a sweet-salty vinaigrette of soy, sesame oil, mirin and rice vinegar. I add a little sweet miso for texture and taste, and increase the amount of seaweed in the salad as well. Garnish with sesame seeds or furikake, the Japanese seasoning blend, and you have a superior tuna casserole. It is as good served cold as hot. —Sam Sifton

Featured in: Everyone’s Talking About Canned Tuna. Here’s How to Make It Delicious.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

FOR THE SALAD

  • ¼ cup cut dried wakame seaweed

  • 8 ounces dried udon noodles (or whatever noodles you have on hand)

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons furikake or sesame seeds

  • 10 to 12 ounces tuna in oil, drained

  • 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

FOR THE DRESSING

  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon mirin

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sweet miso

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

45 grams carbs; 14 milligrams cholesterol; 521 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 23 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 605 milligrams sodium; 32 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high, and set the wakame in a small bowl. Once the water comes to a boil, ladle or pour enough over the wakame to cover it by 2 inches; let the wakame soak for 10 minutes. Transfer the wakame to a colander to drain and cool; set aside.

  2. Step 2

    While the wakame soaks, cook the noodles according to the package instructions.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, prepare the dressing: In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk to combine the sesame oil, canola oil, rice wine vinegar, mirin, soy sauce and miso; set aside.

  4. Step 4

    In a small skillet, lightly toast the sesame seeds, if using, over medium-low heat until fragrant; set aside.

  5. Step 5

    Drain the cooked noodles in the colander, then transfer to a wide, shallow serving bowl. Add the wakame and about ¾ of the dressing, and toss to coat. Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Top each portion with tuna, drizzle with the remaining dressing, then sprinkle with the scallions and furikake or sesame seeds. Serve hot, cold or anywhere in between.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,779 user ratings
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Comments

Bernice Glenn

For even more canned fish recipes check out Tin Fish Gourmet by Barbara=Jo McIntosh. Subtitled Great Seafood from Cupboard to Table. With recipes from Anchovies to Tuna, included is a tuna-pasta shell salad with peas, scallions, and diced red pepper in a vinaigrette dressing. Recipes in the book are varied and well described.

Tevan

Made this for my Japanese girlfriend and said that it mostly resembled what her mom makes, my ultimate barometer. She recommended just a pinch of sugar and a few more slivered vegetables (carrots and peppers) to add, which made it a truly excellent salad. Didn’t have any scallions so I quick-pickled some shallots in rice vinegar and they were a great topping. Hope everyone is staying healthy.

Cheryl

I haven't made this yet, but I do cook with wakame. For a couple of bowls of miso soup, I use maybe 1/2 tsp. 1/4 cup of dried wakame, once hydrated, should give you enough to make this salad for 20 people, not 4.

melissnc

I make this all the time. Here's my advice. You can use whatever noodle you want, but udon is the best choice IMO. Toss noodles, wakame and tuna in dressing, plate it, sprinkle on the other toppings then drizzle a little more dressing over the top. I add diced pickled carrots or serrano peppers, and toasted sesame seeds or furikake. Chef's kiss! Warning; You have to nail the balance of wakame & tuna or it's too fishy.

Stacy Carlson

The dressing is very good. I could see adding more veggies - slivered carrots, bok choy, etc. I think this would be great with fresh tuna, salmon or prawns. However, as written, neither my husband or I liked it very much. And I am generally a fan of canned tuna.

Kansas Jo

Because I had fresh Kale, Tatsoi, and Mizuna growing in the garden, I substituted the greens along with diced fresh red pepper and celery for the Wakame. I briefly sauted them while the udon was cooking. Based on other comments I added a teaspoon of honey to the dressing. After dressing the udon I added the sauted veggies, sesame seeds, and a couple of dashes of furikake.

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Credits

Adapted from the “The Tinned Fish Cookbook” by Bart van Olphen (The Experiment Publishing, 2020)

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