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    Home » Entrees

    Seared Ahi Tuna with Soy Ginger Sauce

    Published: Apr 22, 2022 · Modified: Apr 22, 2022 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 33 Comments

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    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!
    Sliced, seared ahi tuna topped with green onions, on a white plate.

    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.

    Ahi tuna marinade ingredients, including lime juice, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil.

    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.

    Tuna steak, ready to be placed in a soy-ginger marinade.

    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.

    Sliced, seared ahi tuna topped with green onions, on a white plate.

    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

    Instagram-button 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.

    Sliced, seared ahi tuna topped with green onions, on a white plate.

    Grilled Ahi Tuna Recipe

    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!
    4.73 from 33 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entrees
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Keyword: Grilled Ahi Tuna
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 2 Servings
    Calories: 232.5kcal
    Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

    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
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    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

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the LoseIt! calculator. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1tuna steak + sauce | Calories: 232.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.7g | Protein: 38.5g | Fat: 6.8g | Saturated Fat: 0.6g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 962.2mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.3g
    Tried this recipe?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.

    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.

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Janie

        September 01, 2020 at 10:19 pm

        5 stars
        Delicious and flavorful marinade! Thanks Dara!

        Reply
        • Dara

          September 14, 2020 at 2:56 pm

          I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Janie!

          Reply
      2. Frank

        August 05, 2020 at 3:33 pm

        We’re giving this a go tonight... Sounds delicious!

        Reply
      3. Marty Grassel

        July 21, 2020 at 7:50 pm

        5 stars
        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.

        Reply
        • Dara

          July 27, 2020 at 1:32 pm

          I'm so glad to hear that!

          Reply
      4. Natalie

        July 17, 2020 at 7:37 pm

        5 stars
        One of the best tuna steaks I’ve ever made & I’ve made many!

        Reply
      5. Barbara Diehl

        May 14, 2020 at 11:03 am

        5 stars
        Amazing flavor!

        Reply
        • Dara

          May 15, 2020 at 2:10 pm

          Thank you, Barbara!

          Reply
      6. Jules Meyer

        September 16, 2019 at 2:16 pm

        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

        Reply
      7. Rocky Mountain Woman

        February 08, 2019 at 11:44 am

        5 stars
        We always stay home, it's just so much easier.

        Love this recipe!

        Reply
      8. Carolyn

        February 14, 2018 at 11:05 am

        5 stars
        I love easy seared tuna like this!

        Reply
      9. Meseidy Rivera

        February 14, 2018 at 10:54 am

        5 stars
        I love soy and ginger marinades!

        Reply
      10. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts

        February 14, 2018 at 10:51 am

        5 stars
        The soy and ginger is the perfect pairing for this tuna!

        Reply
      11. Jennifer Blake

        February 14, 2018 at 7:54 am

        5 stars
        Love the short marinating time! That is always something that trips me up when I have a longer marinating time with a recipe.

        Reply
      12. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness

        February 13, 2018 at 3:22 pm

        5 stars
        I loooove anything with Ahi!

        Reply
      13. Jeanette

        June 02, 2014 at 7:16 pm

        I am trying this recipe tonight. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
      14. Vicky

        March 15, 2014 at 9:46 am

        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!

        Reply
        • Dara (Cookin' Canuck)

          March 16, 2014 at 4:47 pm

          It sounds as though you're doing some serious jet-setting. Enjoy your adventures!

          Reply
      15. Amy @Very Culinary

        February 09, 2014 at 9:18 am

        This looks amazing, Dara.

        Reply
      16. Paula – bell’alimento

        February 08, 2014 at 4:02 pm

        This sounds like my kind of Valentine's dinner! I love how easy this is to make! Beautiful!

        Reply
      17. Kirsten

        February 08, 2014 at 12:22 pm

        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.

        Reply
      18. Ali | Gimme Some Oven

        February 07, 2014 at 7:58 am

        I love this Valentine's menu! That ahi tuna looks stunning!

        Reply
      19. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl

        February 07, 2014 at 6:57 am

        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. 😉

        Reply
      20. Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living

        February 07, 2014 at 5:23 am

        I'm all over this tuna Dara! Just our kind of dish in our family.

        Reply
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      Hi there! Welcome to Cookin' Canuck.

      I'm Dara, a Canadian living in the U.S. and sharing my favorite healthy recipes. My cooking motto is that healthy eating never needs to be boring!

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