Making perfectly seared ahi tuna is easier than you may think, and adding a golden sesame seed crust takes it over the top! Ahi tuna sears quickly and doesn't require much for it to be totally delicious, so follow this recipe, and you can serve a gourmet fish dinner at home!
Most recently, I served my ahi tuna over jasmine rice with a refreshing Asian cucumber salad and tasty ponzu dipping sauce!
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Making seared ahi tuna steaks at home may sound daunting, but this fish cooks quickly and is extremely easy to work with!
I brush my ahi tuna with soy sauce before coating it in a sesame seed blend which makes a gorgeous crust when seared.
This recipe is a good one to keep in your back pocket for when you have dinner guests. It's always impressive and can be made in under 10 minutes; what's not to love?
🥘 Ingredients
Occasionally, the entire tuna loin will be on display, and you can have the steaks cut at your request. If you can get your hand on a few sushi-quality tuna steaks, the rest is easy to find!
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce - Low sodium or not, it's up to you!
- 2 tablespoons Black Sesame Seeds - Black sesame seeds are stunning when crusting tuna steaks, but you can use whatever sesame seeds you have on hand.
- 2 tablespoons Sesame Seeds - Toasted or plain white sesame seeds.
- 1 teaspoon Coarse Sugar - I used organic cane sugar crystals.
- Salt & Pepper - I used 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning - The same amount of dried thyme or oregano will also work.
- 12 ounces Ahi Tuna - About 3 or 4 sushi-grade tuna steaks.
- 2 tablespoons Cooking Oil - I personally prefer peanut or canola oil when cooking Asian-inspired recipes (*see note).
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
🔪 How To Pan Sear Ahi Tuna
This recipe goes very quickly, so be sure to read all the instructions before you start. Have a cast-iron skillet, tongs, a small shallow plate, and a cutting board at the ready.
- Mix sesame coating. First, grab a shallow plate and add all of the ingredients for the sesame coating. (2 tablespoons black sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon coarse sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning.) Mix together until thoroughly combined, then set aside.
- Dry. Pat the 12 ounces, or 3-4 steaks, of tuna dry with paper towels. Then, brush 1 tablespoon of soy sauce over the entirety of each steak.
- Season. Now, sprinkle the sesame blend on each tuna steak. Use your hands to gently yet firmly press the sesame seeds and seasoning into the meat.
- Heat. Heat your cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and give it time to heat up all the way; it should be VERY hot (*see note).
- Sear. Carefully place your ahi steaks into your hot skillet and press them down into the pan with your spatula. Sear for 45-60 seconds, then lift a corner of the fish to check the color. If golden, flip it over. Sear the opposite side for 60-90 seconds until golden.
- Sear edges. Once both sides have been seared, use tongs to hold the fish on its side and sear the edges. The edges sear very quickly, so don't leave them touching the pan for long.
- Slice and serve. Once you are satisfied with your sear, transfer the tuna steaks to a cutting board. Cut the steaks into thin slices and serve right away.
Your tuna should be golden on the outside but not cooked all the way through.
See all my suggestions for what to serve with tuna steaks! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Choosing Cooking Oil: Opt for a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point for cooking. Canola, peanut, or avocado oil are all excellent choices, each ensuring your tuna steak cooks perfectly without any added flavor from the oil.
- Pan Temperature: Achieving a good sear on your tuna steak is crucial. Ensure your pan is very hot before cooking. A simple test is to sprinkle a drop of water on the pan; it should sizzle and skip across the surface if it's hot enough.
- Sesame Seed Varieties: Feel free to experiment with black, white, or a mix of both sesame seeds for coating your tuna steak. Using only black sesame seeds can also create a visually striking contrast.
- Storing Leftovers: Store any leftover ahi tuna in a shallow, airtight container in the refrigerator. It will remain fresh and tasty for 3-4 days.
🎣 More Tasty Fish Recipes
- Pan Seared Swordfish
- Grilled Grouper
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Baked Steelhead Trout
- Blackened Cod
- Pan Seared Sea Bass
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card
Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon coarse sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (or dried oregano, or thyme)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 12 oz ahi tuna (3-4 sushi grade tuna steaks)
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- To begin, place the 2 tablespoon sesame seeds, 2 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon coarse sugar, and seasonings (1 teaspoon salt,½ teaspoon ground black pepper,½ teaspoon Italian seasoning) on a shallow plate and mix them together.
- Pat your 12 oz ahi tuna portions dry with paper towels, then brush 1 tablespoon soy sauce on all sides.
- Sprinkle the sesame blend generously over the tuna. Use your hands and gently, yet firmly, press the sesame coating into the fish. *Before proceeding, read ahead because the remaining steps will go very quickly.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and wait until it is VERY hot (*see note). Add your 2 tablespoon cooking oil and coat the pan. Let it heat up until it's shimmering hot.
- Lay your ahi tuna in the pan carefully and press it down with your spatula. Sear for 45-60 seconds, then lift a corner of the fish to check the color. If golden, flip it over. Sear the opposite side for 60-90 seconds until golden.
- Use tongs to hold the fish on its side so you may sear the edges. The edges will sear quickly, don't hold them to the pan for too long.
- Transfer the cooked ahi tuna to a cutting board, slice it thinly, and serve right away.
Notes
- A neutral-flavored cooking oil with a high smoke point is preferred. Peanut oil, canola oil, or avocado oil are all great options.
- You can use a combination of black and white sesame seeds, or not. Black sesame seeds alone are also very stunning.
- When the pan is hot enough, a drop of water should sizzle and skip across your pan surface.
Anonymous says
The best ahi tuna recipe I have ever made. The sesame coating creates really Lucious flavor !