Seared ahi tuna is one of those recipes that looks really impressive, but is a breeze to make. Restaurant-quality, right from your own kitchen!
Seared Ahi Tuna with Soy Ginger Sauce
This grilled or seared ahi tuna recipe is one of my special occasion go-to recipes! As much as I love going out to eat and trying new restaurants, there's something about Valentine's Day (or other special occasions) that makes me want to turn my back on every prix-fixe menu and hole up inside my house for a cozy meal with my family.
There are only so many bacon-wrapped filets or chocolate lava cakes that one amorous couple can handle!
So, I set to work coming up with a Valentine's menu that includes some of our favorite flavors. The appetizer? That's not a hard one in our house. It's a given that it will involve smoked salmon or Brie cheese.
And then the entree...what to do, what to do.
Since we like to keep things light around here, a simply prepared seafood dish with colorful veggies seemed to fit the bill.
Ahi tuna is something I typically reserve for a "restaurant only" meal. But, come on! Special occasions are for breaking rules.
And if you like your tuna rare (all you sushi lovers out there), this takes mere minutes to make.
All you need is 15 minutes of marinating time and about 3 minutes for cooking. You want to avoid marinating the fish for longer than 15 minutes, otherwise the lime juice in the marinade will "cook" the tuna, much like ceviche.
How do you cook ahi tuna?
- In this recipe, I start by marinating the tuna (sushi-grade!) in a mixture of soy sauce, lime juice, ginger and sesame oil.
- The trick is to marinate the fish for only 15 minutes. If you've ever made ceviche, you know that acid (such as citrus juice or vinegar) can essentially cook the fish. You want to avoid that in this recipe.
- Don't discard the marinade! Instead, transfer it to a bowl and heat it in the microwave, then drizzle over the seared ahi at serving time.
- There are several ways to sear ahi tuna. A nonstick skillet will do the trick, but I like to use a cast-iron skillet, which creates a bit of a crust on the tuna. Alternatively, you could use a grill pan or your outdoor grill (well-oiled!) Either way, medium-high heat will produce a good sear.
- Since the goal is to serve the tuna with a good sear on the outside but still raw in the center, the tuna doesn't need to be cooked any longer than 2 to 3 minutes per side. That being said, if you'd like your tuna a little more well done, feel free to increase the cooking time.
What to serve with ahi tuna:
Grilled ahi tuna recipes are very versatile and can be paired with many types of side dishes. The marinade for this recipe is soy sauce-based, so I tend to pair this tuna with other soy sauce-inspired side dish recipes.
- A sweet potato or glass noodle dish, such as these Korean Glass Noodles (Japchae) or these Rice Noodles (just leave out the chicken if serving with the tuna) would be a good option.
- Some veggie-focused side dishes, such as Asian Cucumber & Jicama Slaw, 5-Minute Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage or Spicy Green Bean Stir Fry would also be great accompaniments.
Ahi Tuna Sauce:
Sauce for ahi tuna is a simple mixture of fresh lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger. The sauce is used both for marinating the fish, as well as drizzling over the cooked fish when serving. Microwave the sauce after the fish is removed and before serving it with the cooked fish.
Can this recipe for grilled ahi tuna be made ahead of time?
Grilled ahi tuna is best when served straight from the grill, drizzled with the heated marinade sauce. However, if you have leftovers, try serving slices of the cold, cooked tuna on a salad. It pairs well with an Asian Cucumber Jicama Slaw.
Other special occasion recipes:
Light(er) Steak au Poivre with Brandy Sauce {Cookin' Canuck}
Spiced Meat Phyllo Pie (Tourtiere) {Cookin' Canuck}
Raspberry Swirl Frozen Yogurt Pie
If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.
Grilled Ahi Tuna Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 6 ounces each sushi-grade ahi tuna steaks, about 1-inch each
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil. Pour the mixture into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the ginger slices.
- Season the ahi tuna steaks with pepper, transfer to the bag and seal the bag and marinate for 15 minutes. Take care not to marinate for any longer, otherwise the fish will start to "cook" in the marinade.
- Transfer the marinade to a medium glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
- Heat a nonstick skillet, cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear the fish until the desired degree of doneness is reached, about 2 minutes per side.
- Thinly slice the ahi. Garnish with green onions and serve with the heated marinade.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on February 7, 2014, and was updated on April 22, 2022.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Janie
Delicious and flavorful marinade! Thanks Dara!
Dara
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Janie!
Frank
We’re giving this a go tonight... Sounds delicious!
Marty Grassel
Marvelous!!! I didn't have fresh ginger but the kind crushed, refrigerated, in a jar worked fine. We can't wait to have it again.
Dara
I'm so glad to hear that!
Natalie
One of the best tuna steaks I’ve ever made & I’ve made many!
Barbara Diehl
Amazing flavor!
Dara
Thank you, Barbara!
Jules Meyer
Dara, I am so happy to have stumbled upon your website. I am going to make your recipe tonight along with 3 others. I just bought some beautiful fresh Ahi Tuna steaks that were hard to pass up. Your recipe looks simple and I like your easy instructions. (thank you in advance Jules
Rocky Mountain Woman
We always stay home, it's just so much easier.
Love this recipe!
Carolyn
I love easy seared tuna like this!
Meseidy Rivera
I love soy and ginger marinades!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
The soy and ginger is the perfect pairing for this tuna!
Jennifer Blake
Love the short marinating time! That is always something that trips me up when I have a longer marinating time with a recipe.
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
I loooove anything with Ahi!
Jeanette
I am trying this recipe tonight. Thanks for sharing!
Vicky
Yes yes yes love my tuna rare! If only I could find some tuna here in Malaysia where I'm renting an apartment for a month I would be making this immediately! Guess I'll have to wait until next month when I hop over to Europe! Yum!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
It sounds as though you're doing some serious jet-setting. Enjoy your adventures!
Amy @Very Culinary
This looks amazing, Dara.
Paula – bell’alimento
This sounds like my kind of Valentine's dinner! I love how easy this is to make! Beautiful!
Kirsten
Dara, I'm always happy to stay out of the restaurants around holidays. This looks like a terrific entree for Valentines day, and I like your appetizer suggestions!
I could make meals out of apps.
Ali | Gimme Some Oven
I love this Valentine's menu! That ahi tuna looks stunning!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl
Oh my goodness I'm drooling!! And I couldn't agree more about staying home. We decided to go out this year only because staying home with a newborn and toddler doesn't exactly add up to a peaceful meal BUT we made sure to find a restaurant offering their entire menu. 😉
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living
I'm all over this tuna Dara! Just our kind of dish in our family.