4 Ingredient Seared Ahi Tuna
For more than 10 years we have been making the best homemade sushi rolls and these quick and easy ahi tuna steaks. There is just something about that fresh, raw tuna that is so light & delicious. This super simple seared tuna is one of our all-time favorite recipes ever! It can be enjoyed so many different ways (see below for all our amazing ideas).
Personally, we love serving it with some crispy rice, avocado, and spicy mayo! Looks fancy but is such an easy dinner idea, a fun weekend lunch, or a cute date night at home!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, & estimated nutritional information.
- raw tuna steaks – the frozen section of our grocery store or butcher department typically have frozen tuna steaks that I thaw at home in cold water. Or feel free to find a sushi grade or sashimi grade tuna of either yellowfin tuna or bigeye tuna.
- sesame seeds – perfect for a slight crunch and they really elevate the presentation too!
Does Ahi Tuna Need To Be Sushi Grade?
There isn’t an official “sushi-grade” that fish can earn by meeting certain standards. Some grocery stores will sell fresh fish with that label, meaning that it is the best, highest-quality fish the store is offering and they would feel safe eating it raw. Tuna is actually graded by wholesalers. We have typically found frozen tuna steaks at our local grocery store and thawed them in cold water right before cooking. But feel free to bring this list of questions to ask, if you aren’t sure.
How To Cook Ahi Tuna
Step 1 – Pat each tuna steak dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Step 2 – Gently press sesame seeds into each side of the steaks.
Step 3 – Bring a cast iron skillet to a high heat on the stove top with some oil coating the bottom and sear the tuna for 1 minute.
Step 4 – Flip each steak and cook for 1 more minute.
Other Cooking Techniques
Grilled Ahi Tuna – Bring the grill to a high heat, grease the grates, and sear the steaks for 1 minute on each side.
Blackstone Ahi Tuna – Preheat flattop griddle to a high heat, drizzle with olive oil, and sear the tuna steaks for 1 minute per side.
Best Ways To Serve Seared Ahi Tuna
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce – enjoy with a small dish of soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari sauce! Or make the simple homemade sauce listed included in the recipe card.
- Make a slaw or salad – slice and enjoy on our Sesame Ginger Slaw or a Poke Salad.
- Tacos – serve on your favorite tortillas with some mango pineapple salsa for a light and refreshing dinner!
- Guacamole – create a delicious chip dip by serving sliced tuna over homemade guacamole.
- Poke Bowl – build a tuna poke bowl with a bed of white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, sushi rice, or crispy rice and the tuna on top with all your favorite toppings!
- Side dish – enjoy with a simple side dish, like roasted broccolini or braised bok choy.
Optional Ahi Tuna Dipping Sauce
Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the slurry to thicken.
Enjoy dipping slices of ahi tuna in this sauce after it has cooled a bit.
Recipe FAQs
Typically, we find the highest-quality tuna at Whole Foods or another local, specialty grocery store. Do some research to find a fish market or fishmonger near you!
It is important to note that the inside of the tuna steaks will remain raw. The inside is not supposed to be fully cooked. As long as you find a high quality piece of tuna from a reputable store and cook it the same day as buying it (if it is thawed), you shouldn’t have a problem. As always, consuming raw fish is done at your own risk.
Other Tuna Steak Recipes You Might Like
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Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our 4 ingredient Seared Ahi Tuna is cooked in under 5 minutes for a super simple & delicious weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Seared Ahi Tuna:
- 2 (1 inch) raw tuna steaks, thawed
- kosher salt & ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Serving Suggestions:
- crispy rice
- avocado, sliced
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- spicy mayo
- soy sauce
- dipping sauce (see notes for ingredients/instructions)
Instructions
- Prep Tuna Steaks: Pat tuna steaks dry with a clean paper towel. Sprinkle each side with kosher salt & ground black pepper. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds per side (use more or less, if you want). Pat the seasoning & sesame seeds into each side to make sure they stick.
- Hot Skillet: Bring a large cast iron skillet to a medium-high heat and add oil. Swirl to coat the pan. Ensure skillet is nice and hot (I like to flick a little water on it to see if it sizzles) and then place the tuna steaks in the skillet.
- Sear Tuna Steaks: Sear for 45 seconds – 1 minute per side – this will create a nice crust on the outside.
- Rest: Remove and let rest on clean plate for 5 minutes.
- Serve: Slice against the grain & serve immediately.
Notes
- Paleo/Whole30: serve with coconut aminos.
- Gluten-Free: serve with tamari sauce.
- Optional Marinade: To add even more flavor to your ahi tuna, mix together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon grated ginger, & 1/4 teaspoon sriracha (optional) and let the tuna steaks marinate for 15-30 minutes.
- Grilled Ahi Tuna: The charring from the grill grates will give your tuna steaks a really great flavor. Simply preheat the grill to a high heat & clean the grill grates. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and sear the tuna steaks on the grill for 1 minute per side.
- Blackstone Ahi Tuna: Follow the instructions above, but heat the flattop griddle instead of a cast iron skillet. So easy!
- Dipping Sauce: Mix 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger, & 1/4 teaspoon sriracha (optional) in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch & 2 tablespoons cold water in a separate bowl. Whisk in to the sauce to thicken. Let cool before serving.
- Storage: it is best to enjoy this dish immediately – if you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 24 hours.
- eat undercooked or raw foods at your own risk (see full blog post above for discussion about sushi-grade tuna, etc)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 piece tuna
- Calories: 83
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 315.7 mg
- Fat: 7.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.7 g
- Protein: 3.3 g
- Cholesterol: 4.7 mg
New photos & retesting completed on 9/26/25. Originally published 4/2/19.
Erin says
Grilled ahi tuna is my new favorite thing! Thank you!
Joe Boyle says
This is perfectly seared tuna! Simple ingredients make for great taste.
Bridget Montag says
Thanks Joe! Glad you liked it!
Hayley says
The ONLY way to make tuna (besides sushi 😉)! Make sure your pan is super hot first to ensure you get that perfect sear and don’t cook it for more than a minute! The sesame seeds add a nice crunch! Can’t wait to make it again!
Erin says
yay! So happy you enjoyed this, Hayley! One of my favorite recipes! Thanks for coming back to leave a review!
Lily says
Did you thaw the tuna first? Or cook it when it’s still frozen? Thank you. I just bought a package and would like to try your recipe. Thanks!
Erin says
Hi Lily – thaw your tuna first before cooking! enjoy!
Lisa Carr says
I have a question and did not know where else to post it. Can I buy “Frozen Ahi Tuna” to use for this recipe or any of your “sushi style” recipes if I cannot get “sushi grade fresh fish”?
Tom says
I’ve had seared ahi tuna in restaurants many times, but this is my first try at home. Very simple, but oh, so delicious!
Erin says
Yay!! So glad to hear that, Tom!!! It’s a favorite recipe of mine! Thanks for the feedback!
courtney Costello says
It’s wasabi whole 30 compliant?
Erin says
Hi Courtney! That depends on the ingredients – just read your labels carefully! I believe there are a couple brands out there that are compliant.