These Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks (also known as yellowfin or bigeye tuna) take only SIX MINUTES to cook to medium-rare perfection and are bursting with delicious umami flavor from the soy sauce and toasted sesame honey marinade recipe! And since marinating is optional, you can whip this tuna steak recipe up at a moment’s notice. I like serving these seared tuna steaks with rice and green beans, or simply over a bed of greens with an Asian-style salad dressing.
If I can get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes, I’m a happy camper. Under 20? Even better. But under TEN? It’s almost too good to be true! But this one is DEFINITELY true.
So true that we’ve made these Six-Minute Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks twice in the past two weeks and fully plan on doing it again this coming week.
As you may have guessed from the title, this recipe only takes about six minutes, and it’s absolutely mouthwateringly delicious. And healthy. And EASY! What more could you want?
Fish in any form usually cooks up extremely quickly. Maybe that’s why I have so many salmon recipes on the blog. Like this Seared Salmon with Scallion Butter, and this 15-minute Poached Salmon with Chive Butter. And this Mandarin Orange Glazed Salmon!
Salmon is usually my go-to for fish, since it’s outrageously delicious and amazingly healthy.
But when I was at the grocery store the other day and saw these gorgeous ahi tuna steaks for $5 (that’s only $2.50 each!), I couldn’t resist.
What is Ahi Tuna?
Ahi tuna is type of tuna that is divided into two different species: yellowfin and bigeye. And it’s often cheaper than bluefin tuna, with a very similar flavor profile and texture. You can usually find it frozen at Trader Joe’s or your local grocery store for very inexpensive.
While I love salmon, it can be a bit pricey. And tuna, like salmon, is healthy and has an array of serious health benefits (including being high in Omega-3s and vitamin B12).
A seared tuna steak is a bit different than the canned tuna everyone is used to. For one thing: it comes in a whole, beautiful raw steak that holds its form much easier than other kinds of fish, which may tend to flake apart.
For another thing: it is usually cooked medium-rare: seared on the outside, red on the inside.
It actually looks very similar to a beef steak in this regard. It. Is. AMAZING.
Is it safe to eat raw ahi tuna?
If you’re nervous about eating raw fish, you should use your best judgement. You can always choose to cook these ahi tuna steaks all the way through to be well-done. There is always a risk to eating raw or undercooked seafood.
But tuna steaks are usually served seared on the outside and raw on the inside. Look up any seared ahi tuna recipe and you will see that it is almost always cooked this way. If you order it a restaurant, it’s bound to be cooked medium-rare as well.
If you’re looking for amazing flavor and texture, I personally think it’s worth the risk and I welcome you to jump on this bandwagon (unless you’re pregnant or have another medical reason not to consume raw fish – you should consult a physician if you’re concerned!). Fully cooked tuna can be a bit dry (like its canned counterpart), but when the outside is a crispy, salty, savory layer and the inside is a supple, soft, tender layer, it enhances the taste so much and the texture is amazing.
Plus, many of the bacteria that makes raw foods more risky to eat is usually found on the surface of the foods. If you sear the outside, as in this recipe, you’re killing off the bacteria that may make you sick. Same goes for a good seared steak.
Tuna, along with salmon, are fish that are least likely to have parasites, which is one of the reasons why you often see them served undercooked. If you buy sushi grade ahi tuna, it will have been frozen at a temperature which kills any potential parasites, so I recommend going this route just to be safe.
How to sear the tuna steaks
The fact that the tuna is served medium-rare accounts for its extremely fast cooking time. Just marinate the tuna in a mixture of soy sauce, oil, salt, and pepper (with some cayenne for some heat, if you want) preferably for at least ten minutes, or overnight.
For a typical ahi tuna steak (about 1.5″ thick), sear on each side for about two minutes (less time for rare; more time for medium). I recommend using a nonstick skillet for this, or a very well seasoned cast iron skillet (fish has a tendency to stick, and you don’t want to risk the beautiful seared outer layer sticking to the pan!).
Also, it’s important to get the pan SEARING hot before adding the fish. You want the outside to cook very quickly, while leaving the inside raw, so it should be as hot as possible before beginning to sear. I usually heat the pan for 3-5 minutes.
Let it rest for a few minutes, slice, and you’re ready!
What to serve with ahi tuna
I like sprinkling some sliced green onions on top of the sliced ahi tuna, along with some toasted sesame seeds and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
It’s DELICIOUS served in a rice bowl with green beans or broccoli and a drizzle of spicy mayo or other sauce.
Or, for a super healthy and low-carb meal, serve it on a bed of greens with an Asian-style dressing. (We used this soy-ginger one that was fabulous!).
Alternatively, this would be great in a seared tuna poke bowl. Poke bowls are usually made with raw fish, but I think this fish, seared perhaps for a little less time than normal, cut up into cubes, would be excellent in a poke bowl.
I think this sliced tuna steak would be amazing on top of avocado toast, too!
How to thaw frozen fish
I bought my ahi tuna steaks frozen, but you may be able to find fresh. If you use frozen, just make sure it’s completely defrosted before cooking.
I usually take mine out of the vacuum sealed plastic and leave it on a plate, covered in plastic wrap, in the fridge for 24 hours before I plan on cooking. Then, I make sure to pat them dry before cooking, as this will create a better sear.
Other easy fish recipes
- Four-Ingredient Southern Style Oven Fried Catfish
- Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies
- New England Baked Haddock
- 10-Minute Blackened Tilapia with Avocado Cucumber Salsa
- Pan Fried Sea Bass with Lemon Garlic Herb Sauce
Love how quick and easy seafood is? Check out all my seafood recipes!
Did you make this Seared Ahi Tuna Steak Recipe? Please comment below and Rate this Recipe
Six-Minute Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ahi tuna (yellowfin tuna) steaks (about 4 oz. each, 1" thick – see notes for thinner or thicker)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil see notes
- 1 tablespoon honey see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
- green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and lime wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the ahi tuna steaks dry with a paper towel. Place on a plate or inside a plastic bag.
- Mix the soy sauce (2 tablespoons), toasted sesame oil (1 tablespoon), honey (1 tablespoon) kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon- OMIT if marinating for more than a couple hours, see notes), pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and cayenne pepper (1/4 teaspoon) until honey is fully dissolved. Pour over the ahi tuna steaks and turn over to coat completely. Optional: allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator. Also optional: Reserve a spoonful or two of the marinade before coating the fish for drizzling on top after you've cooked it.
- Heat a medium skillet (preferably non-stick or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet) on medium-high to high until very hot ( or medium medium-high for nonstick). I recommend giving cast iron 3-5 minutes to get hot and nonstick about 1 minute, depending on how thick it is.
- Add the canola oil (1 tablespoon) to the hot pan. Sear the tuna for 1 – 1½ minutes on each side for medium rare ( 2 -2½ minutes for medium-well to well, 30 seconds for very rare. See notes – this will vary based on thickness of the tuna steaks). (Note: different burners get hotter depending on your stove. Use your best judgement whether you use medium, medium-high, or high heat, as the marinade may burn if too high heat is used)
- Remove to a cutting board. Slice into 1/2 inch slices and serve garnished with green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if desired.
Notes
- For thinner or thicker tuna steaks, you may need less or more searing time. If you are using tuna steaks that are less than 1 inch, I recommend no more than 1 minute per side, depending on your preference for doneness. For thicker steaks, you may need to do 2 minutes per side. You may also need less searing time depending on the temperature of your fish- if it’s been sitting out of the fridge for a while, it will take less time to cook.
- This recipe has been updated from its original. It had a simpler marinade of 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon canola oil, salt, and pepper before. If you’re short on ingredients (like toasted sesame oil and honey) try this simpler version!
- For a gluten-free version, be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce. Or, for a paleo/whole30 compliant option, use liquid aminos instead.
- Depending on how hot your burners are, you may have to experiment with how long to sear each side. Depending on the stove I’m using, I sometimes only cook it for one minute on each side for medium-rare!
- You can also grill this over hot coals or high heat on a gas grill for about 1 minute per side.
- Marinating for a while can cause the fish to taste saltier, as it will have more time to absorb the flavor. If you’re planning on marinating for more than an hour or so, or if you are sensitive to salt or want a lower sodium version, I suggest omitting the kosher salt and/or using low-sodium soy sauce.
- Carryover cooking will occur if you let your tuna rest for too long after cooking. Slicing it immediately will result in a more rare temperature, and letting it rest before slicing will cook it further.
- There is always a risk when eating raw or undercooked seafood. Tuna, along with salmon, are fish that are least likely to have parasites, which is one of the reasons why you often see them served undercooked. If you buy sushi grade ahi tuna, it will have been frozen at a temperature which kills any potential parasites, so I recommend going this route just to be safe. Please talk to a medical professional if you have concerns about this.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
This recipe first appeared on Bowl of Delicious in November 2015. The recipe has been modified to be even more delicious, and the post updated with more pertinent information and new photos. See recipe notes for original recipe ingredients.
Sarah
This recipe was perfect… thank you! Used it for my first time cooking ahi tuna, and also used the same marinade for some shrimp. Cooked both on the grill on high heat for the same time as recommended in the recipe. Served it with poke bowl fixings and my picky family devoured everything.
Elizabeth Lindemann
What a great idea to add shrimp and get the most out of the marinade! So glad you and your family liked it :-)
Laura
Fabulous! It was so easy and oh so good! I mixed the marinade in a plastic bag and marinated the tuna over 30 minutes. I did also grilled the tuna 1 minute on each side. My tuna was not quite 1 inch thick. I dressed it with the sauce, some lime, green onions and sesame seed.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Stacy
I’ve made this 3 times since seeing I discovered that my local Fresh Market has Ahi Tuna steaks BOGO every other Friday ! I love sushi tuna and canned wild tuna but has never made seared tuna so I did a Google search and picked your recipe because it had the best detailed instructions for a newbie searer. I love this so much that I even bought black sesame seeds to have on hand lol. I followed your updated recipe for the marinade the first 2 times but didn’t like the burning/smoking from the honey, so I used the original marinade recipe the 3rd time (and added about a half teaspoon of garlic powder). While the tuna was marinating, I made a batch of the updated recipe with the honey and also added a tablespoon of sweet chili sauce plus a half teaspoon of garlic powder. I drizzled it on top of the tuna steak after I flipped it over while the other side was searing and then on the other side when I removed the steaks from the pan to rest. And while the tuna was resting this time, I quickly sautéed the jasmine rice in the leftover pan drippings. OMG !! In addition to the rice, I serve it with steamed flat green beans and carrots, tossed with sweet chili sauce.
Elizabeth Lindemann
What a GREAT IDEA to sauté the rice in the drippings! Genius! I’m definitely trying that next time. So happy to hear you liked the recipe!
Caroline
Is there a low sugar substitute for honey?
Elizabeth Lindemann
I would just leave the honey out!
Gina Bauer
This was my first attempt at Tuna. I thought for sure 10 minutes wouldn’t be enough time for a Marinade. We like a lot of flavor and sauce. It was perfect. We are making it again next weekend. .
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy you liked it!
Fran Turney
fantastic flavor. thank you for this recipe. i love ahi tuna.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Donna Bijas
Excellent recipe and so simple. Had fresh caught tuna and we loved the sweet and hot flavors.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Fanny
Muy rico 😋
Elizabeth Lindemann
Gracias- so glad you liked it! :-)
Lisa Wilson
WOW! This recipe is spot on! SO delicious that it was a hit with all of my pickiest eaters, even one who “does not like tuna, but likes this,” and my non-sushi husband. The amazing FLAVOR is what won everybody over. I agree, and am shocked at how fast dinner came together. I paired it with microwave baked potatoes and a salad for a delicious summer meal that didn’t heat up the kitchen. This recipe goes to my favorites cookbook! THANK YOU!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yay! So happy to hear this was a hit with you and your family!
Lori
Fast, easy and delicious!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
mike
Too wordy. Just give me the recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi Mike! I understand the frustration with having to scroll for a recipe, and user experience is important to me. For that reason, I’ve included a nifty “jump to recipe” link at the very top of the post that will bring you right down to the recipe. You can also click “print recipe” to open the recipe in a separate window. I’d also love to take a moment to explain why my (and other bloggers’) posts are long. The length of my post a) enables me to add more advertisements in the content, which means I earn money for the hard work I do in putting free recipes on the internet that are accessible to all, which is my personal business and the way I feed my family, and b) enables me to add relevant information related to the recipe which helps me rank in search engines, which brings more people to my site, which again is how I’m able to earn a living blogging. Buying a cookbook or subscribing to a paid online recipe database, such as the NY times, is a good way to avoid length and ads.
Eva
I just wanna say Thank You for the explanation of how the blogging system works. I was totally not aware of that and now appreciate even more all the free recipes I get from you guys! Now off to shop for tuna steaks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
I am SO happy to hear that this explanation was helpful for you! Honestly, the business of blogging is not a well-known topic, so I love to be transparent about it when I can. Hope you liked the tuna steak recipe!
Monica in NYC
Better than any Michelin restaurant!!! Two changes. First, I did not want the marinade to burn on the hot skillet, so instead, just as soon as the tuna steaks were resting, I poured the marinade (double the recipe) into the same hot skillet to slightly caramelize it; it took about 60 seconds and I was careful to make sure very little oil was in the pan prior, to prevent a hot oil splatter. Second, I was out of honey, so I had to substitute maple syrup -doubling the honey quantity to 2T. (and double again for doubling the recipe!) Finally, after pouring half the hot caramelized sauce on both sides of the fish, I generously sprinkled each side with sesame seeds and fresh cracked pepper. (No salt needed because the soy sauce adds enough.) I immediately sliced it as instructed, drizzled the remaining portion of marinade, set atop a bed of fresh sautéed spinach (butter, fresh garlic, black pepper and freshly cut raw almonds.) SPECTACULAR!!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
SO happy you liked it! Thanks for your detailed review and suggestions :-)
Abby
Got a bit charred because of the soy sauce and honey from the marinade on such high heat, but was still delicious.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Glad you liked it! Try lowering the heat a bit next time, you should have better results :-)
Jim Stevens
Fantastic fast and healthy dinner that is delicious.
Thank you.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Jo
Oh my God I am SO glad I stumbled across this recipe. It is absolutely delicious. I followed it to a tee and it came out perfect with amazing flavours. I had mine medium rare (1.5mins each side) and my OH had his medium (2mins each side) and it came out exactly as we wanted. We both adored it.
I rarely have tuna steaks due to how expensive they are and generally they’rehard to find so I was delighted that this recipe didn’t ruin a perfectly good tuna steak and made this once-in-a-while treat even more special.
Bookmarked! And will be checking out your other recipes too, thank you! 😁
Elizabeth Lindemann
SO glad you liked it! I often find that buying frozen ahi tuna steaks is sooooo much cheaper than fresh, so check the frozen fish aisle of your store if you’re interested in a cheaper option!
ed
Tasted great. However when you print and set the servings number the quantity of the ingredients changes HOWEVER the amount in the instructions does not change. So when I printed for Four servings the ingredients amount changed but instructions still stated the amount for 2. Beware
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh wow this is a really good point I didn’t think of! I add the ingredients within the instructions manually to help users avoid having to scroll up and down when making the recipe to look back at the ingredients list. I’ll continue to do it because I’ve received a lot of feedback that it’s useful but I’m going to add a snippet to my disclaimers page about this. Maybe eventually there will be a technology I can use to automatically update these on the print page, and if there is I’ll be sure to use it! Really glad to hear you liked the recipe :-)
G. Smith
Very delicious and easy to follow directions. Looked beautiful on the plate with a few mango slices which paired well with the rice and Asian dressing and cilantro garnish. Avocado would also have gone well. Follow the timing and do not overcook.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh that sounds like such a delicious meal! So glad you liked it!
Jo
Oh my God I am SO glad I stumbled across this recipe. It is absolutely delicious. I followed it to a tee and it came out perfect with amazing flavours. I had mine medium rare (1.5mins each side) and my OH had his medium (2mins each side) and it came out exactly as we wanted. We both adored it.
I rarely have tuna steaks due to how expensive they are and generally they’rehard to find so I was delighted that this recipe didn’t ruin a perfectly good tuna steak and made this once-in-a-while treat even more special.
Bookmarked! And will be checking out your other recipes too, thank you! 😁
Elizabeth Lindemann
SO glad to hear you liked it! I find that frozen ahi tuna is much cheaper than fresh, so you might want to check your frozen fish section at your store to see if it’s available :-)
Suzanne
Fantastic recipe! I cooked Ahi Tuna for the first time and what a smashing success!!! Marinade is perfect for the Ahi tuna. I got 5 star complements from my family. This recipe is a keeper!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yay! So glad you liked it :-)
Cindy
I made this last night. Probably marinated for 20 minutes. 3 minutes a side worked for me! My tuna was about 1 1/4 inches thick. So so so good!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it, and thanks for sharing your specs!
Joe
Oh man that’s just about perfection, can’t wait to make for other people. The only thing I’d add to this, is that I threw the left over marinade over the finished bowl because it looked a touch dry; it was ace x
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! I’m going to add a recipe note right now to recommend saving some marinade for drizzling after.
Pamela S Caldwell
this was easy and amazing. We LOVED the marinade and will definitely use it for sauce next time. (Your directions are so clear.)
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thank you! So glad you liked it :-)
Donna Walker
I made this for dinner tonight, as I have never had Ahi Tuna steaks before I looked up a few recipes and found this one that sounded good. It was delicious and I will be buying more tuna steaks.. I only marinated it for 5 minutes on each side before cooking. I only squeeze lime juice on the steak and I loved it.. Yummy
Thanks so much for the recipe…
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Kevin
Loved it! I made two mistakes, but it still came out great.
First, you weren’t kidding about leaving out the salt when marinating overnight. Too bad I missed that note until it was too late.
And second, boy, do those cook quick! I ended up overcooking them, but thankfully my wife prefers hers well-done.
After cooking, I deglazed the pan with some Pinot Grigio, and threw in some pre-cooked Jasmin Rice. Next time, I’ll have to add something else for flavor, but it still came out great!
Thanks for the recipe.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! It’s helpful to know you didn’t see the note until it was too late- I’ve edited the recipe to omit the salt right in the instructions as well as the notes. Love the idea of cooking up jasmine rice in the deglazed skillet!
Jerry Perdue
Made this for lunch today for me and a few friends. I paired it with an asian salad and ginger dressing. It was delicious and a huge hit!!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Mike
Great recipe. I agree with others and the recipe to leave out some salt if marinating. I marinated ours for about two hours, little salty but still awesome flavor. Seared on stainless, pretty hot, only takes about a minute per side in my opinion. Again, a great and simple recipe that works. Thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Shwrri
Super easy & clear directions. Yummy !
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Marlo T
This was delicious!! The marinade is simple, flavor packed, and has a subtle heat. My husband loves tuna and this was a real treat for him tonight. I served it with garlicky green beans and a ginger dressing salad. Will definitely make again!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yay! Glad you and your husband liked it :-)
Farina
This was the perfect way to prepare tuna steak. I let it marinade about 90 minutes, next time I’ll let it marinade much longer. The only thing I might do differently next time is make double the marinade to have some sauce to pour over it.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Sometimes I reserve half the marinade to pour over everything when it’s done! So glad you liked it :-)