Seared Tuna Steak

May 7, 2025

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This completely seared tuna steak is right as a simple weeknight dinner—it’s one in all my favourite protein-packed pescatarian recipes! Listed below are my professional suggestions for cooking this tasty fish and high concepts for methods to serve it.

Tuna steak is a type of magical proteins that don’t style such as you’d count on. When cooked properly, it tastes much less like fish and extra like a chunk of rooster or steak!

Sear up a steak and it’s one in all my favourite meals—excessive in protein, cooks in underneath 5 minutes, and surprisingly connoisseur. Its meaty, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and well-seasoned exterior makes it excellent for every part from weeknight dinners to impressing visitors at a cocktail party.

This tuna steak recipe is excellent for pescatarians, tuna followers, or dwelling cooks searching for a fast meal large on contemporary, high-quality components. In truth, I really like this recipe a lot that Alex and I included a rendition of it in our A Couple Cooks Cookbook, served with this chimichurri sauce!

Shopping for High quality Tuna Steaks

This recipe begins with a terrific piece of fish. Ahi tuna, often known as yellowfin tuna or bigeye tuna, is a gentle, lean fish typically utilized in sushi, poke bowls, or cooked uncommon or medium-rare. It’s offered as thick steaks on the grocery retailer, not skinny fillets like different kinds of fish.

Right here’s what to search for when shopping for tuna steaks:

Contemplate sushi or sashimi grade. There aren’t any particular laws across the label “sushi-grade,” nevertheless it means the fish is high-quality and secure to be eaten uncooked.
Test the fish counter. It’s best to have the ability to discover ahi tuna steaks at your native grocery counter. “Common” tuna typically refers back to the canned, albacore, or skipjack kinds of tuna. (Bluefin tuna is the rarest and most costly, nevertheless it’s not needed right here.)

Search for frozen steaks. These will be even more energizing than contemporary tuna in the event that they’re flash frozen proper once they’re caught. You’ll simply have to thaw them within the fridge the night time earlier than.
Discover wild-caught fish. Wild-caught fish is often a extra sustainable selection, however high quality choices can be found in well-regulated farms. See the Seafood Watch Client Information.

Finest Solution to Prepare dinner and Sear

This seared tuna steak takes simply 2 to 4 minutes, so that you received’t wish to wander too distant out of your skillet. Listed below are the essential steps for this one (or you may go forward and soar proper to the recipe):

Step 1: Enable steaks to come back to room temperature. (Give them about 20 minutes.) That is necessary. In any other case, the within will stay chilly whereas the skin is cooked.

Step 2: Season tuna steaks with salt and pepper. We use about ¾ teaspoon for each 8 ounces.

Step 3: Warmth oil in a non-stick or forged iron skillet over medium-high warmth and cook dinner the steaks for 1 to 2 minutes per facet. They need to be browned on the skin however uncommon on the within.

The inner temperature of your tuna steaks needs to be 130°F for medium-rare. You possibly can measure the temperature by inserting a meals thermometer into the thickest a part of the steak. Enable your steaks to relaxation for two minutes earlier than slicing them into strips.

In case you’re serving ahi tuna to kids or pregnant girls, you received’t need the within uncooked. In these situations, cook dinner your steaks to medium; I promise they’ll be simply as meaty and scrumptious! To attain a medium doneness, cook dinner to an inside temperature round 135°F. It’s nonetheless not a pan-fried dish, however your steaks will now not be pink on the within.

Tried, Tasted, and 5-Star Accepted

“Turned out nice! I regarded up your tuna steak recipe primarily for the cooking directions and suggestions to ensure I didn’t spoil our beautiful wild caught fish. I used a light-weight mix of Outdated Bay seasoning, lemon pepper, and sea salt. Moist, tender, flavorful, not overcooked. The entire household liked it!”

– Pamela M.

Serve With Sauces and Sides

I really like my garlic herb sauce with contemporary herbs and capers for any tuna steak recipe, nevertheless it actually is determined by what you’re going for in your ultimate dish. Listed below are a couple of extra tasty sauces for seared tuna:

Hoisin: For Asian-style flavors, strive savory hoisin sauce for dipping. It’s candy and savory for the right mix of that elusive umami.
Ponzu: This Japanese dipping sauce, made with soy sauce and citrus juice, is a pleasant distinction to the tuna’s meaty taste.
Teriyaki: You possibly can choose up a bottle on the grocery retailer, however I even have a simple recipe for home made teriyaki.

As for sides, you may pair ahi tuna steaks with absolutely anything to show them into a whole, wholesome dinner. Listed below are a couple of concepts for fast sides that may be made within the time it takes to relaxation and cook dinner your steaks:

Grains: Use no matter grain you want, reminiscent of quinoa or farro. You would additionally add rice to make a spin-off model of a poke bowl.
Salads: Add some further protein with a white bean salad or preserve it contemporary and easy with a romaine lettuce salad.

Pastas: Serve your tuna on a mattress of fluffy couscous or orzo with lemon juice for some acidity in your dish.
Veggies: For a steadiness of textures, I like to stay to crunchy veggies like snow peas or sautéed broccoli.

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Tuna Steak

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5 from 5 opinions

Cooking tuna steaks isn’t difficult, nevertheless it does require some consideration to element. Right here’s how I get a tremendous sear and unbelievable taste.

Creator: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Prepare dinner Time: 5 minutes

Complete Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 4-ounce servings
Class: Fish

Methodology: Seared

Elements

2 8-oz ahi tuna steaks
½ tablespoon impartial oil

1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly floor black pepper, to style

Prepare dinner Mode

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Directions

Deliver the tuna steaks to room temperature by letting them sit for not less than 20 minutes. Pat the tuna dry.
Sprinkle the fish liberally with the kosher salt and contemporary floor black pepper on each side.

Warmth the oil in a medium skillet over medium-excessive warmth.
Add the tuna steaks and cook dinner 1-2 minutes per facet till calmly browned on the skin however nonetheless uncommon on the within.
Cool for two minutes, then slice the tuna towards the grain into ½-inch slices.

Serve instantly, with a sauce if desired.

Notes

A impartial oil is healthier than butter for searing tuna steaks as a result of it may well deal with larger warmth with out burning. Searing is greatest quick and sizzling, so that you need oil with a excessive smoking level, like grapeseed or vegetable oil. Olive oil is okay, nevertheless it provides a little bit of a unique taste profile to the dish.

Grilled tuna steak is simply as fast and scrumptious as a sizzling pan. You’ll use the identical seasonings however can play with the smokiness when it’s time for sauces. I like my chimichurri sauce with cilantro or a pink pepper romesco for grilled fish recipes and summertime dinners.

This tuna recipe doesn’t name for a marinade, however you may all the time add a fast marinade for further taste. Preserve it brief. About 15-Half-hour in a soy-, citrus-, or sesame oil-based sauce is greater than sufficient for marinated, pan-seared tuna.

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FAQs

Can tuna steak be eaten uncooked?

Tuna steak can typically be eaten uncooked if labeled “sushi-grade” or “sashimi-grade.” Which means the vendor has deemed it suitable for eating uncooked as a result of it meets particular processing requirements.

You’ll discover uncooked tuna in pokes, tartares, and sashimi. In case you’re not sure concerning the supply, you may cook dinner your tuna all through.

How do you make a crusted tuna steak (e.g., sesame-crusted)?

To make a crusted tuna steak, coat your tuna with a sauce after patting it dry to assist your crust components stick. Sprinkle all sides of your tuna along with your crust combine, which usually consists of sesame seeds, then press it down into every bit. Sear your steaks in the identical manner from there.