Hawaiian
Seared Ahi Tuna
Sesame-crusted ahi steaks are seared in a hot skillet and cooked until the center reaches 145°F. A quick cucumber salad with rice vinegar sits beside the fish.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Why you’ll love it
- A dry surface and hot pan brown the sesame crust fast.
- Cooking to 145°F keeps the tuna safe instead of serving it rare.
- A short soy and ginger brush seasons the fish without a long marinade.
- Cucumber salad adds something cool and crisp next to the steak.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Stir the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and ginger. Pat the tuna dry, brush it with the mixture, and press sesame seeds onto all sides. Season lightly with salt.
- 2
Toss the cucumber with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt.
- 3
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing.
- 4
Sear the tuna 2 minutes per side until the sesame seeds are toasted.
- 5
Lower the heat to medium and keep cooking, turning once, until the center of each steak reaches 145°F.
- 6
Rest 3 minutes, slice, and serve with the cucumber and scallions.
Pro tips
- Do not serve the center rare or cool-red. Stay with the skillet until it reads 145°F.
- Thick steaks need the lower-heat finish so the crust does not burn.
- Slice against the grain after the rest.
Easy substitutions
- ahi tuna steaks
- yellowfin steaks of a similar thickness, still cooked to 145°F
- honey
- 1 tsp sugar
- rice vinegar
- lime juice
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate in a covered container up to 2 days.
Reheating
Warm gently in a covered skillet until the center reaches 145°F.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 318
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Special occasion · Stovetop · Dairy-Free, High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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