This salad is pure summer: tuna confit paired with ripe tomatoes. Bright, refreshing, and simple to prepare, it’s a dish that highlights peak-season produce and rich, flaky tuna.
For more tomato inspiration, try my Tomato Salad with Cilantro-Mint Dressing.
Tuna Confit and Tomato Salad
I keep coming back to this tuna confit and tomato salad for two main reasons: it was made for heirloom tomatoes, and it elevates tuna by using a conserva-style confit. Tossed with fresh basil, thinly sliced shallot, a little of the confit oil and a squeeze of lemon, it’s the essence of summer.
What is Confit?
Confit is a preservation and cooking technique where food is slow-poached in oil at a low temperature. While often used for garlic, fruit, or duck, it transforms tuna into something silky, moist, and incredibly flavorful—an easy upgrade from canned tuna.
If you’ve relied on canned tuna for convenience, try making tuna confit at home. The process is simple, rewarding, and yields tender, flaky fish with subtle aromatic notes from the oil.
Ingredients Needed for Tuna Confit
Confit is flexible: use aromatics you enjoy. The combination below keeps flavors gentle so the tuna and tomatoes remain the stars.
Prep the following ingredients to get started:
- Yellowtail or albacore tuna
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Bay leaf
- Black peppercorns
- Lemon peel
- Kosher salt
Storing Tuna Confit
Store tuna confit refrigerated and fully submerged in the confit oil for up to two weeks. In practice, it rarely lasts that long—it’s delicious and disappears quickly.
Tuna Confit Food Pairings
Make a double batch to keep on hand for quick meals. Tuna confit is wonderfully versatile—try it with:
- White bean salad
- Crusty sandwiches
- Jammy soft-boiled eggs
The reserved confit oil makes a simple, flavorful dressing: combine fat (olive oil) and acid (lemon juice) with salt and pepper for an effortless vinaigrette.
Tomato Salad Ingredients and Assembly
This salad is all about freshness. Use colorful heirloom tomatoes when possible and keep the prep minimal—just slice, toss, and dress. You’ll need:
- Tuna confit (flaked)
- Heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
- Thinly sliced shallot
- Fresh basil leaves
- Reserved confit oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Tuna Confit Oil Doubles as a Fantastic Salad Dressing
The leftover confit oil is an excellent dressing. To finish the salad:
- Place tomato wedges, shallot, and basil in a bowl
- Top with flaked tuna confit
- Drizzle with the reserved confit oil
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice and season with salt and pepper
Toss gently to coat—either mix before serving or let diners combine with each bite for best texture.
More Good Eats You’ll Love
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Tuna Couscous Salad
- Panko and Parmesan Crusted Baked Cod
Loving Tuna Confit and Tomato Salad?
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Tuna Confit and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
Tuna Confit
- 1 pound yellowtail or albacore tuna fillet, removed from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking
- 2¼ cups olive oil
- 1 2-inch strip lemon zest
- 5 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- Kosher salt
Salad
- Fresh basil, a small bunch
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 2 lemons, halved
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
Tuna Confit
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Season both sides of the tuna fillet with kosher salt.
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In a small Dutch oven, combine olive oil, thyme, lemon zest, bay leaf, garlic, and peppercorns. Heat the oil to about 185°F and cook for 20 minutes to infuse the aromatics.
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Lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the tuna carefully and bring the oil temperature back to roughly 150°F.
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Turn off the heat. After about 3 minutes, check a piece of tuna for doneness. Remove when the center is still pink for medium-rare, or leave in a few more minutes for a firmer texture (6–9 minutes total depending on thickness).
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Transfer the tuna to a dish. Once the oil cools to room temperature, strain it and pour it over the fish to store.
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Cover and refrigerate the tuna submerged in oil. It will keep up to two weeks.
Salad Assembly
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In a bowl, combine tomato wedges, sliced shallot, and basil. Top with flaked tuna confit.
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Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
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Drizzle the reserved confit oil over the salad, squeeze fresh lemon juice, and gently toss or let diners mix with each bite.