Ahi Tuna Steak Recipe
Seared ahi tuna is a quick, easy, and healthy meal. Marinated with soy sauce, ginger, sesame, and scallions, this fish steak is cooked medium rare for less than 4 minutes. Serve with Jasmin rice, salad, and veggies for a complete meal.
Tuna and salmon are two very popular fish in our home. We love them sashimi-style, in a poke bowl, or as lightly seared steaks. The best part about both these fish is that they need very little cooking.
Why make this ahi tuna recipe?
- The recipe is very simple and easy, with a few ingredients and easy-to-find sushi-grade fish.
- The cooking time is less than 6 minutes, which is perfectly seared on the outside and still red on the inside.
- It is very healthy and perfect for a weekday or weekend dinner.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Tuna – Since we eat this tuna almost raw, it is very important to buy sashimi-grade tuna from a local grocery store, but make sure it is from a trustworthy source. The two most commonly used types of tuna are yellowfin and bigeye. Bigeye tuna has a rich, buttery taste with a smooth texture, while yellowfin tuna has a mild flavor and firmer texture. The bluefin tuna is similar to the flavor and texture of the yellowfin, but more expensive and rarer to come by.
- Mirin – This is a Japanese sweet sauce. You can easily replace it with maple syrup or honey.
- Soy sauce – I prefer to use low-sodium soy sauce so the tuna is not too salty. And if you have regular soy sauce, use it, but don’t add any more salt for seasoning until you taste it.
- Rice vinegar – This is Japanese rice vinegar. You can also use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
- Sesame oil – Adds a nice Asian flavor to the dish. And while you can certainly omit it, I highly recommend it. If not, you can use a few tablespoons of olive oil.
Step-by-step: How to make an ahi tuna steak recipe
- In a small bowl with a whisk, combine all the tuna steak marinade ingredients – soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, sliced ginger & garlic, scallions, and chili flakes.
Pro tip – Use glass or plastic, never metal, when marinating. Otherwise, the acid ingredients in the marinade can react with the metal.
- Place the tuna steaks in the marinade and turn them over a few times to coat well. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes up to an hour.
Pro tip – You can marinate the tuna for up to 3 hours in the fridge. - Sear tuna steaks – Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and let the pan become very hot. Place the two tuna steaks in the skillet. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Pro tip – The pan must be smoking hot. This will give a nice sear and color to the tuna.
- Cook the steak for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side (medium-rare).
Pro tip – You can do up to 2 minutes on each side if you like it less rare. I would not recommend more than 2 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and let rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Then, slice and garnish with chopped scallions. Drizzle with lime juice.
- Serve with plain jasmine rice, a side salad, and a vegetable side dish for a complete meal.
- Sesame Tuna Steak Recipe
- Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl or Salmon Poke Bowl
- Best Tuna Patties or Tuna Potato Patties (canned tuna)
- Recipe for Baked Salmon
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- Garlic Butter Salmon (20 mins)
- Honey Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry or Skillet Shrimp with Rice
- Thai Shrimp Soup
- See all fish and seafoon recipe
Frequently asked questions
How long will these seared tuna steaks keep?
It is best to prepare and serve this tuna fresh. However, leftovers can be kept well in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Since the tuna is rare (almost raw) on the inside, I do not recommend leaving it for longer than 24 hours.
What is the best tuna to buy?
Ahi tuna is also known as yellowfin tuna. It is always best to buy fresh, sushi-grade ahi tuna when making dishes such as this, lightly seared. As you can see, my tuna is rare, almost raw on the inside. The disadvantage of buying lower-grade tuna with such recipes is, of course, food safety, but it will also taste very fishy.
What do you serve ahi tuna steak with?
My kids love this over Jasmine rice with a side salad and some veggies. I enjoy it with cauliflower rice for a low-carb meal. My favorite salad to serve with this is Avocado Salad, Asian Salad Recipe. For the sides, I like to serve roasted cauliflower, Sesame Green Beans, and Oven-Baked Carrot Sticks.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz) (450 g) Ahi Tuna steaks (about 3/4 to 1-inch thick steaks)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
Tuna steak marinade
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp Mirin (or honey)
- 2 tsp Sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Fresh ginger thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp Fresh garlic thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp Scallions (green onions)
- 1 tbsp Chily flakes or 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
Method
- In a small bowl – combine all the tuna steak marinade ingredients – soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, sliced ginger & garlic, scallions, and chilly flakes.
- Place the tuna steaks in the marinade and turn them over a few times to coat well. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes up to an hour.
- Sear tuna steaks – Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and let the pan become very hot. Place the two tuna steaks in the skillet. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Cook the steak for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side (medium-rare).
- Remove from the pan and let rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Then, slice and garnish with chopped scallions.
- Serve with plain jasmine rice, a salad, and a vegetable side dish for a complete meal.
Notes
- Choose high-quality tuna: Start with fresh, sushi-grade tuna if possible. Yellowfin or ahi tuna is commonly used for seared tuna steaks because of its firm texture and rich flavor.
- Thaw if frozen: If your tuna is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Avoid using the microwave or running it under hot water, which can cause uneven thawing and negatively impact the texture.
- Pat dry: Before searing, make sure to pat the tuna steak dry with paper towels. Moisture on the surface can prevent a good sear.
- Season generously: Season both sides of the tuna steak with salt and pepper, and consider adding some sesame seeds or spices like paprika, cayenne, or crushed red pepper for extra flavor.
- Preheat the pan: Use a heavy-bottomed skillet or a cast-iron pan to sear your tuna. Heat the pan over high heat until it’s very hot, almost smoking. You want to create a great sear quickly.
- Use a high smoke-point oil: Add a small amount of oil with a high smoke point, such as grapeseed, canola, or vegetable oil, to the hot pan. Coat the pan evenly.
- Sear briefly: Place the tuna steak in the hot pan and sear for 1-2 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare doneness. Adjust the cooking time to your preference, but be careful not to overcook it, as tuna can become dry and tough.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook the tuna steaks in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Overcrowding can reduce the pan’s temperature and prevent a good sear.
- Use tongs: Use tongs to flip the tuna steak gently, as a spatula might tear the delicate flesh.
- Rest before slicing: After searing, let the tuna steak rest for a couple of minutes on a cutting board. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the steak moist.
- Slice thinly: To serve, thinly the seared tuna steak against the grain. This will help maintain the tenderness of the meat.
- Serve with dipping sauce: Consider serving your seared tuna steak with a dipping sauce, such as soy sauce and wasabi, a sesame ginger sauce, or a citrusy ponzu sauce, to enhance the flavors.
Nutrition
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I have never attempted to do a seared ahi tuna steak myself, although we do love having it at restaurants. Thanks to your detailed instructions, it turned out perfectly. Thank you!
Happy you enjoyed this recipe, Colleen. Thank you for the lovely feedback.
This ahi tuna steak looks so inviting, loving the marinade you have made, all the spices, soy sauce, and spring onion.
This is exactly how we make our tuna — a quick sear is all that’s necessary. I haven’t tried your marinade so that will be how we fix our tuna the next time. We love that sweet/salty taste of those ingredients. Can’t wait.
Thank you, I am happy you like this marinade. We love it.
It’s strange but I’ve never had tuna steak. I’ll need to try this soon! It looks amazing.
This ahi came out perfectly, and the timing was spot on for a nice medium-rare ahi, which is how I love it. It’s so quick too!
Thank you, Amanda
This tuna came out perfectly done! Absolutely love that ginger soy sauce, so good!
Happy you enjoyed it, Briana. Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Beautiful ingredients in this seared ahi tuna steak dish! Combined with jasmine rice and a side of veggies, this is a complete and tasty meal.
Seared ahi tuna is one of my go-to last minute dinners! It always cooks so quickly (and thaws quickly too!) and the seasoning here is perfect!