Seared yellowfin tuna with sesame sauce is an easy recipe and a delicious way to enjoy the fresh flavors of seafood at home. Ready in minutes, seared yellowfin tuna offers up delicate layers of flavor from perfectly cooked fish and rich, nutty sesame seeds.
Coated with sesame seeds and quickly seared, the inside of the tuna remains moist with its beautiful, vibrant red color and the top and bottom are cooked ever so slightly.
The succulent, firm meat and rich, distinctive flavor of fresh Ahi tuna make it a favorite among seafood lovers.
Jump to:
What You Need:
If you come to Key Largo, you can hop on a boat for a day or two and you can catch a Yellowfin tuna!
This tuna is from Key Largo Fisheries, where I get some of my fish.
For the Tuna:
- 12 ounces Yellowfin (Ahi) Tuna
- Unsalted ghee, clarified butter or you can use olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Toasted white sesame seeds
- Black sesame seeds
For the Pink Sauce:
- Mayonnaise
- Soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Sesame oil
- Fresh lemon juice
How To Sear Tuna Steaks with Sesame Seeds
- Mix white and black seeds and spread them on a large plate. Pat the tuna dry and lightly brush it with olive oil. Season the tuna with salt and pepper and press the tuna into the seeds, coating well on top and bottom.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the clarified butter and swirl to coat the pan. Add tuna and sear each side for 20-30 seconds for rare or up to one minute for medium rare. Remove the tuna from the pan, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve, or at least 30 minutes.
- When chilled slice the tuna against the grain, into thin strips with a very sharp knife.
- Serve with Sesame Dipping Sauce and lemon wedges.
Simple Creamy Dipping Sauce for Tuna
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), a little minced or pressed garlic, fresh ginger, a drop of sesame oil, and a little lemon juice.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- The sauce recipe can be doubled or tripled for big batches.
Best Practices for Seared Tuna Steaks
- To get a good sear, your pan should be very hot, so let it heat for a few minutes before adding the fish. Sear the tuna in butter over medium-high heat.
- Sear for only 20-30 seconds on the top and bottom.
- Tuna should be frozen when you buy it. The package might say sushi-grade tuna.
- Sushi grade means the tuna is high quality and safe to prepare and eat raw. Sushi grade tuna is frozen to kill any parasites that may be present, as well as to preserve its freshness.
- For the sesame sauce, be sure you have a fresh bottle of sesame oil because it can go bad after being in the fridge for a few months.
How To Garnish Seared Tuna
Seared tuna has a beautiful red color, so adding lots of contrasting colors can make a dynamic appetizer.
Try some of these garnishes:
- Yellow: Lemon slices, lemon zest, or mango wedges
- Green: Thinly sliced green onions, seaweed salad, or wasabi.
- Orange: Thinly sliced fresh Florida oranges
- Red: Tobiko, or flying fish roe, has a brilliant red color that would be a great garnish for tuna.
What To Serve With Seared Tuna
For an entree, seared sesame tuna would be great over plain steamed short-grain rice or Lemon Asparagus Rice. You can mix a few sesame seeds and a few drops of sesame oil into the rice.
You can also serve steamed broccoli and carrots, cauliflower rice, oven-roasted potatoes, and peach mango salsa.
Recommended
If you enjoy seared tuna, be sure to try our Seared and Blackened Tuna Steak Recipe. Coated with homemade blackened seasoning, this dish is savory and bursting with flavor.
Try Some Other Popular Seafood Recipes:
- Florida Keys Shrimp Cocktail
- Roasted Yellowtail Snapper with Old Bay
- Seared Mahi with Basil Butter
- Fresh Blackened Swordfish (Florida Keys)
- Crispy Pan Fried Mahi Mahi
- Pan Fried Yellowtail Snapper
- Seared Tripletail with Garlic Butter Sauce
- Florida Keys Pink Shrimp Salad
- Baked Coconut Shrimp
FAQ
In a hot pan, sear tuna for 20 to 30 seconds per side for tuna that is 1" thick.
Over high heat, cook a thick piece of tuna for no more than a minute per side.
Expired sesame seeds smell sweet and pungent. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Tuna is frozen to kill the parasites that may be present. That said, if you are pregnant or have a compromised immune system, do not consume raw or undercooked fish of any kind.
"📖 Recipe"
Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Sesame Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
FOR THE SESAME DIPPING SAUCE
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos (or Tamari soy sauce)
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger* or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
FOR THE TUNA
- 12 ounces fresh Yellowfin (Ahi) Tuna
- salt
- black pepper
- 3 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon unsalted ghee or clarified butter use avocado oil for dairy free option
Garnish
- 2 lemons sliced into wedges
Instructions
FOR THE SESAME DIPPING SAUCE
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), a little minced or pressed garlic, fresh ginger, a drop of sesame oil and a little lemon juice. Refrigerate until ready to use.
FOR THE TUNA
- Mix white and black seeds together and spread them on a large plate. Season the tuna with salt and pepper and press the tuna into the seeds, coating well on top and bottom.
- Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add clarified butter and swirl to coat pan. Add tuna and sear each side for 20-30 seconds for rare or up to one minute for medium rare. Remove from pan and refrigerate until ready to serve, or at least 30 minutes.
- With a very sharp knife, slice the tuna against the grain.
- Serve with Sesame Dipping Sauce and lemon wedges.
Notes
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.