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Jump to Recipe Print RecipeSesame Seared Tuna
For anyone who loves to order tuna at restaurants this is the perfect, simple, seared tuna recipe to help you start enjoying it at home! First the tuna is quick-marinated in a beautiful medley of Asian flavors and then encrusted in seasoned sesame seeds for a flavorful crunch. This is the perfect dish for a date night at home or fancy enough to serve at your next dinner party.
This fathers day, I decided to make my dad a homemade dinner for his gift. When asked what he wanted he said, “surprise me!” So, with good ‘ol dad not being any help, I was left to my own devices to choose what to make. I remembered him being really excited when he saw an image of a seared tuna I had recently made so I decided to create a new version of that for his dad’s day dinner. I know my father is a fan of Asian food, so I wanted to use those flavors in the dish. To incorporate the Asian flavor he is so fond of, I first marinated the tuna steaks to really pack a punch. Additionally, I wanted the tuna to feel special, so I decided to encrust it in a seasoned sesame mixture before searing it to a perfect medium-rare. Served alongside sugar snap peas, a sushi rice cake and topped with a spicy mayo and sweetened soy glaze, this was one dish he will not soon forget! Luckily, he give me a nudge in the right direction for what he wanted for dessert. He wanted chocolate pudding, but me wanting to be creative, we closed out our meal with some s’mores pudding trifles. Wow, were they delicious!
Ingredients
For this recipe you will need not only tuna but ingredients for the Asian marinade and the seasoned sesame crust, as well as any sauces you would like to top it with. I recommend a spicy mayo and a sweetened soy glaze.
- 1.5lbs of tuna steak – This will probably be 2-3 tuna steaks depending upon their size. I typically use yellowfin because it is what is most abundantly available near me. Look for tuna steaks that are between 1.5 to 2 inches in thickness.
- 2 tbsp olive oil- for searing the tuna
Marinade
This recipe contains acid, do not marinade the tuna for longer than two hours as the acid will begin to cook the fish
- Soy sauce- adds a savory, salty flavor to the tuna
- Lime juice- I always add in a bit of acid to my Asian dishes with the use of lime. Do not let the fish marinate for longer than two hours as the acid from the lime juice will begin to cook it. Yes, I know I have mentioned this, but it is worth mentioning again.
- Sesame oil
- Garlic- preferably use fresh chopped garlic but chopped jarred will work fine as well
- Ginger- same as with the garlic, preferably use freshly grated ginger, but if you do not have access to fresh ginger, jarred grated ginger will work fine too
- Green onions- use both the white and green ends
- Honey- the use of honey helps to bring a sweetness to the fish that is undeniably delicious
- Cracked red pepper- The amount you use here is totally dependent upon your desired heat level. I recommend using ½-1 tsp.I usually prefer my dishes with a little bit of heat so I use 1tsp
- Warm water- this is what helps to melt the honey and allow it to incorporate with the rest of the flavors
Sesame crust
- Sesame seeds- Use toasted sesame seeds here. Sometimes you can find sesame seeds in the store pre-toasted but if not it is super simple to do yourself: take a pan and add the sesame seeds to it. Over medium heat toast the seeds for about 5 minutes stirring them ever so often. Remove from the stove once they turn a nice shade of golden brown
- Salt
- Ground ginger
- Garlic powder
- Pepper- this can be added to the fish after searing as pepper can burn at high heat
Cooking Method
Using a non-stick pan over medium to high heat sear the tuna steaks in 2tbsp olive oil for 1.5-2 minutes each side for a perfect medium-rare temperature. If your tuna steaks are on the thicker side, you may need an additional 30 seconds on the edges to ensure it is at the right temperature. If you are lucky enough to come across a sushi grade ahi tuna, you can sear them for less time to enjoy them rare, 1-1.5 minutes per side will work.
Sesame Seared Tuna
Ingredients
Tuna
- 1.5 lbs. tuna steaks 2-3 depending upon size
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
Marinade
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. lime juice about 2 ripe limes
- 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
- ½ tbsp. grated ginger
- 2 green scallions thinly sliced
- 1/2 tbsp. honey
- 2 tbsp. warm water
- ½-1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Sesame Crust
- 3 tbsp. sesame seeds toasted
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste add after as the pepper will burn at high heat
Instructions
Marinade
- In a bowl whisk together all the marinade ingredients
- Place the tuna in the bowl and marinade in the refrigerator for 40-60 mins. but no longer than 2 hours as the acid in the lime juice will begin to cook the fish
- Make sure to turn the tuna over at least once while marinating
Sesame crust
- While the tuna marinates, in a shallow dish or platter combine all crust ingredients together except for the pepper
- Once the tuna has marinated, remove it from the bowl and allow the extra marinade to drip off
- Press all sides of the tuna into the sesame seed mixture making sure to coat evenly
Cooking Method
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat
- Once the pan is heated, add in the 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Gently place in the encrusted tuna and sear for 1.5-2 minutes on each side. If the tuna is thicker than 1.5-2 inches you may need to sear for an additional 30 seconds on the edges
- Once cooked, remove tuna from pan and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing it against the grain
- Serve with sides such as sugar snap peas and rice or topped on a salad
Notes
