Perfect Tuna Steak Recipe

This Ahi Tuna Steak recipe makes a brilliantly prepared piece of fish: in just 5 minutes! Here’s how to cook a tuna steak.

Need a simple, restaurant-quality meal? Try one tuna steak! Tuna steaks are one of our favorite easy meals because they’re high in protein and ready in no time: just 2-4 minutes! The taste is meaty and melty: with a salty, spiced exterior and a buttery, raw interior. You should use sushi-grade fish here. Fry it up in a hot pan and it’s one of the most impressive meals you can cook!

Ahi Tuna Steak Buying Tips

You’ll need a good piece of fish for this tuna steak recipe. Ahi tuna, also known as albacore tuna or bigeye tuna, is a soft, lean fish that is typically served as sushi, in poke bowls, or cooked raw or medium-hard. It’s sold in supermarkets as large, thick steaks, not thin fillets like other types of fish. You should pay attention to this when buying tuna steaks:

• Make sure it’s sushi or sashimi grade. There are no specific requirements for the sushi quality label, but it does mean that the fish is of high quality and safe to eat raw.
• Check out the fish market. You should be able to get ahi tuna steaks over the counter at your local grocery store.
• Look for frozen steaks. Or your grocery store might have frozen steaks. These can be even fresher than fresh tuna if frozen immediately after being caught. They just need to be thawed in the fridge the day before.
• find wild caught. Wild-caught fish is generally a sustainable choice. There are also quality options at well-regulated farms; see Seafood Watch consumer guide.

How to cook a tuna steak

How to cook a tuna steak? It only takes 2-4 minutes, so it’s quick! Here are the basic steps of the process, or you can skip straight to the recipe to get started!

• Let it come up to room temperature first! This is important: otherwise the inside will still be cold when the outside is done! Let stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before baking. It makes a big difference!
• Season generously. Coat it with salt and pepper as shown in the photo below. We use about ¾ teaspoon for 8 ounces.
• Cook 1-2 minutes on each side, using a food thermometer to measure the temperature (130 degrees Fahrenheit). Add the steak and sear 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned on the outside but still brown on the inside. The tuna continues to cook while sitting. For a medium-rare tuna steak, the internal temperature should be 130 degrees Fahrenheit as measured at the thickest part with a food thermometer.
• Rest 2 minutes. This will help hold it in place and make it easier to cut.

Can you cook it medium instead of rare?

In some cases you may not want the ahi tuna in all raw, e.g. B. for children or pregnant women. You can also prepare tuna steaks medium rare! They are just as meaty and delicious. Here’s what you need to know:

• Cook the tuna steak a little longer, until the inside is no longer pink, but still soft. The steak will appear gray throughout the process and not just on the outside.
• Look for an indoor temperature of around 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sauces for this tuna steak recipe

Would you like some sauce with this tuna steak recipe? Here are some tasty presentation ideas:

• Herb Garlic Sauce: This Mediterranean-style garlic and herb sauce with lemon, parsley, garlic, butter and capers makes the fish sing.
• Hoisin sauce: For Asian flavors, try store-bought hoisin dipping sauce: It’s quick and easy, and packed with savory flavors.
• Ponzu sauce: Ponzu sauce is a Japanese dip made from soy sauce and citrus juice. Try this recipe for ponzu sauce.

Side dishes for tuna steak

Almost anything can be paired with ahi tuna steaks to make a healthy dinner. Here are some quick side dish ideas to prepare while the tuna steak is resting and cooking:

More tuna recipes

Do you like ahi tuna? Here are some other tuna steak recipes you might enjoy: