Seared yellowfin tuna, also known as seared ahi tuna, is one of the easiest high-protein meals you can make at home. Ahi tuna steaks cook in under a minute per side in a hot pan and stay tender with a bright red center. Serve with a simple sesame mayo on the side and you have a fresh, restaurant-style dinner ready in minutes.
Jump to:
- Everyone Loves Seared Tuna!
- Ingredients
- How To Sear Yellowfin (Ahi) Tuna
- Creamy Dipping Sauce for Tuna
- Top Tips For Seared Tuna
- How To Garnish Seared Tuna
- Storage
- What To Serve With Seared Tuna
- Seared Tuna Steaks
- Recommended
- More Popular Fish and Seafood Recipes:
- FAQ
- Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Sesame Dipping Sauce
Everyone Loves Seared Tuna!
Yellowfin, also known as ahi tuna, is a firm, mild-tasting fish that's perfect for making seared ahi tuna at home. It holds its shape in the pan and stays tender and buttery in the center when cooked rare.
Blackfin tuna is the smallest species in the tuna family. It's found in the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, especially around the Florida Keys. The flesh is dark red, leaner than yellowfin, and has a mild, slightly meaty flavor.
My friends catch blackfin tuna on their boats. They cut the fish open and eat it right there. Would you take a bite? I have yet to eat raw fish like that, but they absolutely love it!
For this recipe, the tuna has been frozen at very low temperatures to eliminate parasites. That makes it safe to serve rare in the center.
There are many ways to prepare ahi tuna steaks. You can brush them with a light soy-based marinade, blacken them in a skillet, grill them, or even poach them for tuna salad.
Here, the tuna is coated in sesame seeds and quickly seared in butter. The outside forms a flavorful crust while the center stays tender and moist.
You can have dinner on the table faster than takeout. It's perfect for a quick lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
For the Tuna:
- Yellowfin or ahi tuna steaks (you can also use blackfin if you have it)
- Butter or olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Dip:
- Mayonnaise
- Soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Sesame oil
- Fresh lemon juice
For Serving:
- Toasted white sesame seeds
- Black sesame seeds
- Cucumbers
- Green onion
How To Sear Yellowfin (Ahi) Tuna
- Take the tuna out of the fridge 15 to 30 minutes before cooking so the ahi tuna steaks can come to room temperature.
- Mix black and white sesame seeds and spread them on a plate.
- Pat the tuna steaks dry and brush them lightly with butter or olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then press both sides into the sesame seeds to coat.
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little butter and swirl to coat the pan.
- Place the tuna in the hot skillet and sear for 20 to 30 seconds per side for rare, or up to 1 minute per side for medium-rare.
- Remove the tuna from the pan and let it rest on a plate for 5 minutes.
- For clean slices, wrap the tuna in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, slice thinly against the grain with a sharp knife. Serve with sesame dipping sauce, sliced cucumbers, green onions, and lemon wedges.
Creamy Dipping Sauce for Tuna
In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, a drop of sesame oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
For a spicy version, try our spicy mayo sauce.
Stir well and refrigerate until ready to use.
You can double or triple the sauce if you're making a big batch. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
Top Tips For Seared Tuna
My top tip is not to overthink this. Out of all the fish you could buy frozen, this is one the best. It takes a minute to cook. Press the top and bottom of the fish into the sesame seeds and sear for 30 or 40 seconds per side.
This recipe is easily scalable and a great dish to make for parties. You can sear the tuna a day ahead of your event and slice it before serving.
When buying tuna, look for frozen steaks labeled "sushi-grade." That means the fish is high quality and safe to eat raw or rare. Sushi-grade tuna is flash-frozen at -4°F or below to kill any parasites and lock in freshness.
Sesame oil goes rancid quickly. If you have an old bottle in your fridge, replace it!
Seame seeds and sesame oil can be found in the ethnic section of your local grocery store.
How To Garnish Seared Tuna
Here are a few ideas to add a pop of color to your dish.
- Yellow: Lemon slices, lemon zest, or a few wedges of fresh mango.
- Green: Sliced green onions, cucumbers, seaweed salad, or a small dab of wasabi.
- Orange: Thin slices of fresh oranges.
- Red: A spoonful of tobiko (flying fish roe) adds bright color and a little crunch.
These simple garnishes make the plate look great and pair well with the flavor of the tuna.
Storage
Let the seared ahi tuna cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
For best results, keep the tuna steaks whole and slice just before serving. This helps the fish stay moist and keeps the center from drying out.
Leftover seared yellowfin tuna is excellent served cold the next day. Add it over rice or a salad, or layer it onto lettuce with a little extra sesame sauce.
What To Serve With Seared Tuna
Steamed rice is the classic side for seared yellowfin tuna. If you're skipping carbs this week, cauliflower rice works well. Toss it with a few drops of sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Finish with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Seaweed salad is a natural pairing. Sliced mango adds sweetness and color. A handful of fresh salad greens also works if you want something lighter.
A little sake on the side and you have quite a meal!
Seared Tuna Steaks
Seared ahi tuna makes an elegant appetizer that's quick to prepare but looks and tastes impressive.
Slice it thin and serve with our sesame dipping sauce and a few lemon wedges.
You can dress it up with garnishes like tobiko, scallions, or mango slices, or keep it clean with just rice and sauce. It's light, flavorful, and perfect for entertaining or starting off a special meal.
Recommended
If you like seared yellowfin tuna, try our Blackened Tuna Steak Recipe, coated with our Homemade Cajun seasoning blend. You can also make a Poke Bowl using a soy and sesame marinade with diced ahi tuna.
For something crispy, try Crispy Fried Tuna Steak, coated in flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs, then quickly fried until golden with a rare center.
For canned tuna, try NY Deli-Style Tuna, Tuna Melt on a Scooped Out Bagel, and Veggie Tuna Salad, a NYC bagel store recipe.
For more easy seafood dinners for two, check out this recipe collection.
FAQ
Yes. Let the ahi tuna steaks sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking. This helps the tuna cook evenly and gives you a better sear on the outside while keeping the center rare.
Yes. A simple soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger marinade works well with ahi tuna steaks. Keep it light and marinate for no more than 15 to 20 minutes so the fish doesn't start to break down. Pat the tuna dry before searing so you get a proper crust.
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.
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.
Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Sesame Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
FOR THE SESAME DIPPING SAUCE
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
- 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 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, ghee, or clarified butter use avocado oil for a dairy free option
Serving
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise with a vegetable peeler
- 2 sliced green onions
- 1-2 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
- Take the tuna out of the fridge 15 to 30 minutes beforecooking so the ahi tuna steaks can come to room temperature.
- 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 butter or 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 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, sliced cucumbers, green onions, and lemon wedges.
