Tuna Steak Recipe
This Tuna Steak Recipe is the seafood dinner that looks and tastes like it came straight from a high end restaurant. A beautifully seared crust on the outside with a sesame seed coating that toasts to a golden, nutty perfection. A center that is silky, rich and almost translucent pink. Furthermore, served with a punchy Asian inspired dipping sauce and a fresh avocado and cucumber salad.
Moreover, the entire Tuna Steak Recipe takes just 10 minutes from start to plate. For more incredible seafood recipes, also explore our stunning Salmon Lemon Butter Recipe, our crispy Grilled Fish Recipe and our full Sea Food collection.
The Key to a Perfect Tuna Steak Recipe
The single most important rule in this Tuna Steak Recipe is to never overcook the tuna. Furthermore, tuna steak is at its very best when served rare to medium rare with a bright pink center. A fully cooked tuna steak is dry, chalky and almost completely flavorless. Consequently, the entire success of this recipe depends on a very hot pan and very short cooking times.
The High Heat Method
The pan must be smoking hot before the tuna goes in. Moreover, high heat creates an immediate and dramatic sear on the surface that seals in the juices and develops a deeply caramelized crust. Additionally, the very short cooking time of 60 to 90 seconds per side means the center never reaches a temperature high enough to cook through. Consequently, the finished steak has a stunning contrast between the dark, seared exterior and the bright, silky pink interior.
The Sesame Soy Marinade in This Tuna Steak Recipe
The marinade is what gives this Tuna Steak Recipe its extraordinary depth of flavor. Furthermore, a combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic creates a bold, deeply savory and aromatic coating that caramelizes beautifully on the hot pan surface.
How Long to Marinate
Marinate for a minimum of 10 minutes and a maximum of 30 minutes. Furthermore, longer marinating with soy sauce begins to cure the tuna and changes its texture noticeably. Consequently, the 10 to 30 minute window produces the most flavorful result without affecting the texture of the fish.
The Sesame Seed Crust
Press a mixture of black and white sesame seeds firmly onto all sides of the marinated tuna before searing. Moreover, the sesame seeds toast in the smoking hot pan and create a beautifully nutty, crunchy and visually stunning crust. Additionally, the contrast of the black and white seeds against the seared tuna surface makes this one of the most visually striking dishes in the entire TastelyBites collection.
Choosing the Tuna for This Tuna Steak Recipe
The quality of the tuna is everything in this recipe. Furthermore, using sashimi grade or sushi grade tuna is strongly recommended as the center will be served essentially raw.
Best Tuna Varieties
- Yellowfin tuna — The most widely available sashimi grade variety. Moreover, its mild, clean flavor and firm, meaty texture make it ideal for searing. It is the gold standard for this Tuna Steak Recipe.
- Bluefin tuna — The most prized and richest tasting variety. Furthermore, its higher fat content produces an extraordinarily buttery and luxurious center when served rare. Consequently, it is the finest option for this recipe when available.
- Bigeye tuna — An excellent alternative to yellowfin. Additionally, it has a slightly richer flavor and a beautiful deep red color when served rare.
Thickness Matters
Always use tuna steaks that are at least 2.5cm thick. Furthermore, thinner steaks cook through completely in the time it takes to develop a proper sear. Consequently, a thick steak is essential for achieving the dramatic contrast between the seared exterior and the rare center that defines a great seared tuna steak.
The Dipping Sauce for This Tuna Steak Recipe
The ponzu style dipping sauce is the perfect accompaniment to this Tuna Steak Recipe. Furthermore, its combination of soy, citrus, ginger and sesame creates a sharp, bright and deeply savory sauce that cuts through the richness of the tuna beautifully.
Quick Sauce Assembly
Simply whisk together soy sauce, fresh lime juice, sesame oil, grated ginger and a small amount of honey. Moreover, this sauce takes 2 minutes to make and can be prepared while the tuna marinates. Consequently, the entire meal is ready in a total of just 10 minutes.
How to Make This Tuna Steak Recipe
The method is simple and very fast. First, make the marinade and coat the tuna. Then press on the sesame crust. Next, sear in a smoking hot pan for 60 to 90 seconds per side. Finally, rest briefly and slice. The full method is in the recipe card below.
What to Serve with Tuna Steak
This Tuna Steak Recipe is a complete and deeply satisfying meal. However, these accompaniments create a spectacular Asian inspired seafood dinner:
Perfect Pairings
- Steamed jasmine rice or sticky sushi rice alongside to soak up the dipping sauce
- A fresh avocado and cucumber salad dressed with rice wine vinegar and sesame oil
- Our vibrant Nicoise Salad Recipe as a French inspired alternative serving suggestion
- Our stunning Salmon Lemon Butter Recipe as a second seafood option for a full seafood feast
- Pickled ginger, wasabi and sliced spring onion scattered over the sliced tuna for an elegant sashimi inspired presentation
Easy Variations for This Tuna Steak Recipe
Teriyaki Tuna Steak — Brush the tuna with a homemade teriyaki glaze during the last 30 seconds of searing. Moreover, the sweet lacquered glaze creates a beautiful shine and a deeply caramelized flavor on the surface of the steak.
Spicy Tuna Steak — Add sriracha and chili flakes to the marinade. Furthermore, serve with a cooling mango avocado salsa for a vibrant sweet and spicy combination that is trending massively on Pinterest right now.
Tuna Steak Salad — Slice the seared tuna and serve over a bed of mixed leaves, avocado, edamame and cucumber dressed with the ponzu sauce. Consequently, this bowl style serving is one of the most popular healthy dinner trends across Pinterest and Instagram.
Tuna Steak Tacos — Slice the seared tuna and serve in warm corn tortillas with avocado, pickled red onion and a drizzle of sriracha mayo. Additionally, this elevated tuna taco version is one of the most viral seafood recipes on Pinterest right now.
Make This Tuna Steak Recipe Tonight
In conclusion, this Tuna Steak Recipe is the most impressive, nutritious and deeply satisfying seafood dinner you can make at home in just 10 minutes. Therefore, whether it is a quick weeknight dinner or a special occasion meal, this recipe always delivers restaurant quality results. Browse more of our incredible Sea Food recipes and share your results in the comments below!
Tuna Steak Recipe
A thick tuna steak with a sesame soy marinade and a golden sesame seed crust, seared to rare perfection in just 90 seconds per side. Ready in 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- The Tuna
- 2 x 200gSashimi grade tuna steaks, at least 2.5cm thickSashimi or sushi grade tuna is essential as the center will be served rare
- 1 tbspNeutral oil for searing (not olive oil - it burns at high heat)
- The Sesame Soy Marinade
- 2 tbspSoy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbspSesame oil
- 1 tspFresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 cloveGarlic, finely minced
- 1 tspHoney or maple syrup
- 1/2 tspChili flakes (optional)
- The Sesame Crust
- 3 tbspWhite sesame seeds
- 3 tbspBlack sesame seedsThe mix of black and white creates a visually stunning and elegant crust
- The Ponzu Dipping Sauce
- 3 tbspSoy sauce
- 2 tbspFresh lime juice
- 1 tspSesame oil
- 1 tspFresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tspHoney
- To Serve
- 1Ripe avocado, sliced
- 1/2Cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
- 2Spring onions, finely sliced
- As desiredFresh lime wedges, pickled ginger and wasabi
Equipment
Method for This Tuna Steak Recipe
- 1 Marinate the tuna: Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, garlic, honey and chili flakes in a shallow dish. Add the tuna steaks and turn to coat all sides evenly. Marinate for 10 to 30 minutes at room temperature. Furthermore, room temperature tuna sears more evenly than cold tuna straight from the refrigerator. Consequently, always take the tuna out of the refrigerator before starting the other preparations.
- 2 Make the ponzu dipping sauce: Whisk together all the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl until the honey dissolves. Taste and adjust the balance of soy to lime to your preference. Set aside. Furthermore, making the sauce first while the tuna marinates means the 10 minutes of marinating time is not wasted and the entire meal stays on the 10 minute total timeline.
- 3 Apply the sesame crust: Combine the white and black sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Remove the tuna steaks from the marinade and let any excess drip off for 2 seconds. Press each steak firmly into the sesame seeds on all sides including the edges. Moreover, press firmly rather than just dipping lightly. A firmly pressed sesame crust stays attached during searing rather than falling off into the hot pan.
- 4 Heat the pan to smoking: Place a heavy cast iron or stainless steel pan over the highest possible heat for 2 to 3 minutes until genuinely smoking. Add the neutral oil and swirl to coat. The oil should shimmer and begin to smoke immediately. Furthermore, a pan that is not hot enough does not sear the tuna properly and produces a pale, steamed result rather than a beautifully seared, deeply caramelized crust.
- 5 Sear the tuna: Carefully place the sesame crusted tuna steaks in the smoking pan. Sear for exactly 60 to 90 seconds on the first side without moving. Flip once and sear for another 60 to 90 seconds on the second side. Furthermore, do not press down on the steaks and do not move them during searing. Consequently, the sesame crust develops a deep golden color and a satisfying crunch. Remove and rest for 1 minute.
- 6 Slice and serve: Using a very sharp knife, slice each tuna steak diagonally against the grain into 1cm thick slices. The diagonal cut reveals the beautiful contrast between the golden sesame crust and the bright pink rare center. Arrange on warm plates alongside the sliced avocado and cucumber. Drizzle the ponzu sauce over the tuna. Scatter over sliced spring onions and serve immediately with lime wedges and pickled ginger.
Nutrition (Per Serving - 1 tuna steak with dipping sauce and avocado)
* Nutritional values are estimates per serving with avocado and dipping sauce. Without avocado calories reduce to approximately 260 kcal and fat to approximately 6g per serving.
Notes
- Use sashimi or sushi grade tuna. The tuna center will be essentially raw when served rare. Furthermore, sashimi grade tuna has been handled and frozen to a temperature that eliminates parasites and makes it safe to consume raw. Consequently, using any other quality of tuna for a rare seared steak carries food safety risks.
- Never overcook the tuna. A fully cooked tuna steak is dry, chalky and completely unpleasant. Furthermore, the entire flavor and appeal of this recipe depends on a rare to medium rare center. Consequently, 60 to 90 seconds per side in a genuinely smoking hot pan is always the correct approach for a 2.5cm thick steak.
- Rest for 1 minute before slicing. Resting allows the juices to redistribute through the steak. Furthermore, slicing immediately causes the juices to run out onto the board and the steak loses moisture rapidly. Consequently, a 1 minute rest produces a juicier and more evenly colored slice.
- This Tuna Steak Recipe serves 2. To serve 4, use 4 steaks and sear in two separate batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Furthermore, searing in batches maintains the correct oil and pan temperature. Consequently, every steak receives the same quality of sear.
- Tuna steaks do not store well after cooking. Serve immediately. Furthermore, leftover seared tuna can be flaked and used in a salad or rice bowl the following day if stored covered in the refrigerator overnight.
Tips for the Perfect Tuna Steak Recipe Every Time
- Buy the thickest tuna steaks you can find. A minimum of 2.5cm thickness is essential for achieving the rare center after searing. Furthermore, thinner steaks cook through completely before a proper sear can develop on the surface. Consequently, always ask the fishmonger to cut the steaks thicker if the standard display pieces are too thin.
- Use a cast iron pan rather than non stick. Cast iron retains heat far more effectively than non stick cookware. Furthermore, adding the cold tuna steak to a non stick pan drops the temperature significantly and produces a pale, steamed exterior. Consequently, cast iron maintains the smoking hot temperature needed for an instant, dramatic sear.
- Do not use olive oil for searing. Olive oil has a low smoke point and burns at the high temperatures needed for searing tuna properly. Furthermore, burnt olive oil produces a bitter, acrid flavor that transfers directly to the tuna. Consequently, always use a neutral oil with a high smoke point such as sunflower, vegetable or avocado oil.
- Slice against the grain for the most tender result. Look at the muscle fibers running along the tuna steak and cut perpendicular to them. Furthermore, cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers and makes each slice dramatically more tender in the mouth than slices cut with the grain.
- Serve on warm plates immediately. Tuna cools very rapidly and the sesame crust softens quickly after searing. Moreover, warm plates keep the steak at the perfect temperature for the entire eating experience. Consequently, place serving plates in a low oven for 5 minutes before plating for the most impressive result.