Quick Look at these Seared Ahi Tuna Tacos
- Ready In: 20 minutes!
- Serves: 4
- Difficulty Level: easy, beginner-level
- Main Ingredients: seared ahi tuna steak, sesame seeds, tortillas, cilantro, and the best mango pineapple salsa (so much better than a traditional slaw).
- Flavor-Profile: light and refreshing with a touch of natural sweetness from the mango and pineapple.
- Dietary Info: dairy-free and gluten-free friendly
- Best For: easy weeknight dinner, Tuesday taco night, Cinco de Mayo
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Why You’ll Devour These Ahi Tacos
- Cilantro + Lime Juice = Most light & refreshing flavors!
- Restaurant-quality tacos in only 20 minutes!
- Cooked in 2 minutes right on the stove top.
- Perfect fish taco topping → Fresh mango salsa.
- Easy to customize
- Great for entertaining – looks fancy but is actually very easy!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Tuna Steaks – ahi tuna is best for searing due to its firm texture that holds up to a nice sear. It may also be called yellowfin or bigeye tuna.
- Street Taco Tortillas – love the small size of these tortillas, but feel free to use your favorite like corn tortillas or gluten-free tortillas.
- Mango Pineapple Salsa – highly recommend making this refreshing mango pineapple salsa or buying something similar at your grocery store. The mango adds moisture and acidity, which helps to reduce the need for heavy sauces.
How To Make Ahi Tuna Tacos
Step 1 – Mix together the mango pineapple salsa.
Step 2 – Season the tuna steak with salt, pepper, and sesame seeds.
Pro Tips – How to Cook Ahi Tuna (Perfect Every Time)
- Fresh or sushi-grade tuna will have the best quality. Frozen tuna steaks can be used but need to be fully thawed and patted dry before cooking.
- Preheat a skillet to a medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil.
- Sear ahi tuna for 30-45 seconds per side in a hot skillet. It should still be rare and a bright pink color in the middle.
- The tuna is considered overcooked if you can no longer see the bring pink color around the outside.
- Check out our full post on how to sear ahi tuna for more tips, tricks and guidance on how to grill ahi tuna as well (which is SO good!)
Ahi Tuna Cook Times
| Doneness | Time Per Side |
| Rare | 30 – 45 seconds |
| Medium Rare | 45 – 90 seconds |
| Medium | 90 seconds – 2 minutes |
Step 3 – Sear the seasoned tuna 30-45 seconds per side.
Step 4 – Cut-up the tuna and build tacos.
What Toppings Go Best With Ahi Tuna Tacos?
We topped these fresh fish tacos with fresh cilantro, lime wedges for a fresh squeeze of lime juice, and the best mango pineapple salsa in all the land! Other toppings that would be delicious include diced avocado, quick pickled onions, dairy free sour cream, blender salsa, fresh tomatoes, and/or a dollop of simple spicy mayo.
Ahi Tuna Tacos FAQs
Fresh ahi tuna steaks for a high-quality grocery store or fish market is best. Frozen ahi tuna steaks can be used too, but they need to be fully thawed before cooking.
The inside of these ahi tuna steak are best enjoyed rare. A high-quality or sushi-grade tuna has never given me any issue, but, as always, consuming raw fish in done at your own risk
Yes, it can be mixed and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Yes, feel free to sear the tuna steaks on the grill or even a Blackstone griddle.
Honestly, all the flavors of the mango salsa don’t need a sauce but our simple spicy mayo is always an excellent addition.
Other Street Taco Recipes You Might Like
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Ingredients
Mango Pineapple Salsa:
- 1 ½ cups pineapple, diced
- 1 ½ cups mango, diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeño, diced (optional)
- 1 avocado, diced (optional or add more, if you want)
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, more, if desired
Ahi Tuna Tacos:
- 1 tuna steak, 1-inch thick
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- street taco tortillas
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Make salsa: In a large bowl, add all of the mango salsa ingredients. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Cook tuna steak: Place 1 tuna steak on a plate and sprinkle each with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds per side. Pat seasoning into each side to make sure they stick. Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat and drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. When oil just starts to smoke, place tuna steaks in hot skillet. Cook for 30-45 seconds per side (or up to 1 minute if you just barely want it rare in the middle). Remove and let the tuna rest on a clean plate for 5 minutes.
- Assemble tacos: Cut tuna into bite-sized chucks. Take the street taco tortillas and add some salsa and pieces of tuna. Top with fresh cilantro and another squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
- Make Ahead: feel free to make the salsa ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Extra Salsa: you might have extra salsa, depending upon how many people you are serving – simply save the rest or serve with tortilla chips!
- Gluten-Free: use your favorite gluten-free tortillas.
Bridget says
These are delicious!