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Seared Ahi Tuna with Marinade

This is the most amazing Seared Ahi Tuna that you can make right at home! The marinade and searing method make it even better than restaurant versions.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
12 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 367 kcal
Course: Appetizer , Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: Asian-American Fusion

Ingredients

For the Marinade
  • 2 TB soy sauce or gluten-free tamari sauce
  • 1 TB Asian toasted sesame oil found in the Asian aisle
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
For Ahi Tuna
  • 2 ½ pounds fresh ahi tuna steaks about 1 1/2-1 2/3 inches thick
  • 3 TB canola or vegetable oil for searing
  • Optional: freshly chopped cilantro green scallions, sesame seeds for garnish.
  • Optional: Sriracha mayo for drizzling really good!

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. This can be done in advance. Cover and chill until ready to use.
  2. Thoroughly dry ahi tuna steaks with paper towels and place in a glass or ceramic dish. Pour marinade over the fish, turning to coat well throughout. Cover tightly and chill several hours, or up to overnight. Turn fish over at least once in the middle of marinade time.
  3. Heat 3 TB oil in a large heavy skillet until oil is smoking. Sear ahi steaks 1 1/2 minutes per side on high heat, taking care to flip carefully with a flat, steel spatula. (If your tuna is less than 1 1/2 inches thick, sear for only 1 minute per side.)
  4. Transfer seared ahi to a large cutting board and let rest/cool 10 minutes. Use a very sharp (serrated works well) knife to slice thinly across the grain.
  5. Serve chilled or at room temp. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro or green onions, if desired. Drizzle with Sriracha mayo if desired.

Notes

  • If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you! 
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  • Do not marinade longer than overnight, as the acid from the lemon can affect fish texture if soaked too long. 
  • Use a heavy, large aluminum or stainless steel skillet; forgo nonstick pans here. We've used our faithful All Clad stainless steel skillet for many, many years, and it continues to serve us well. It's a heavy duty work horse in the kitchen and is meant to last a lifetime.
  • Ahi may continue to cook a bit more while resting on the cutting board, so don't overcook it in the pan. 
  • Seared ahi is best eaten on same day. However, leftovers can be tightly wrapped and chilled for up to 1 day.
  • For lower sodium version, use reduced sodium soy sauce.
  • To keep dish gluten-free, double check that your soy sauce is labeled gluten-free. Our favorite gluten-free soy sauce is Tamari.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 367kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 3g (1%) Protein 45g (90%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 8g Monounsaturated Fat 6g Trans Fat 0.05g Cholesterol 72mg (24%) Sodium 797mg (33%) Potassium 511mg (15%) Fiber 0.2g (1%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 4128IU (83%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 19mg (2%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 367

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 367kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 3g 1%
Protein 45g 90%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g 47%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 0.05g 3%
Cholesterol 72mg 24%
Sodium 797mg 33%
Potassium 511mg 11%
Fiber 0.2g 1%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 4128IU 83%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 19mg 2%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.