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Japanese

Seared Tuna and Cucumber Bowl

Tuna is seared on the outside and left rare in the center, then sliced over rice with cucumber and a soy-ginger spoon.

Prep
15 min
Cook
4 min
Total
19 min
Servings
2
Difficulty
Easy
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Sliced seared tuna over rice with cucumber and sesame

Why you’ll love it

  • A short sear keeps the center rare.
  • Cucumber is the crunch.
  • The sauce is measured, not a puddle.
  • It is a two-serving dinner on purpose.

Ingredients

Servings2

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. 1

    Pat the tuna dry and salt it.

  2. 2

    Heat the oil in a skillet over high until it smokes lightly. Sear the tuna 45 seconds per side. The center should stay red.

  3. 3

    Rest 2 minutes, then slice.

  4. 4

    Stir the soy sauce, ginger, and vinegar together.

  5. 5

    Divide the rice and cucumber between bowls, lay the tuna on top, and spoon the sauce over. Finish with sesame seeds.

Pro tips

  • Buy tuna you would eat rare.
  • Do not move the fish while it sears.
  • If you want it cooked through, sear 2 minutes per side, but it will be drier.

Easy substitutions

Tuna
Salmon, cooked to your liking
Rice
Mixed greens
Sesame seeds
Sliced scallion

Storage and reheating

Storage

Eat the tuna the day it is seared. Rice keeps 3 days.

Reheating

Do not reheat rare tuna. Serve it cold the same day if needed.

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
460
Protein
42 g
Carbs
36 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

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • 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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Ingredients