Seared Albacore Tuna with Ginger Soy Sauce
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
5 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
2 people
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Calories
309 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Japanese
Seared Albacore Tuna with Ginger Soy Sauce
Description
This recipe starts with a marinade blending rice vinegar, soy sauce, shaved ginger or paste, garlic, wasabi, sugar, and green onions, providing a tart, savory, and mildly spicy profile. Tuna steaks or loins are marinated briefly then coated with sesame seeds and seared very quickly over high heat to achieve a lightly crusted outside while maintaining a rare, tender center. The pan sauce is made by simmering the reserved marinade with fresh lemon juice, creating a bright accompaniment that enhances the tuna’s mild flavor.
The ginger soy sauce introduces fresh, pungent aromatics balanced with sweet and acidic notes from rice vinegar and sugar. The short sear preserves innate tuna tenderness. Thin slicing the seared fish and serving fanned on a plate allows the sauce and garnish of green onion tops to complement each bite.
This fish preparation suits a starter or a main course paired with steamed rice or greens. Optional garnishes include extra green onion or a salad of fresh spinach wilted in the pan sauce warmed with orange juice as a variation.
The recipe notes mention adding orange juice for sweeter sauce versions or integrating the pan sauce as a warm dressing for spinach, broadening serving options. Using low-sodium soy sauce allows better flavor control. Sesame seeds added before searing provide mild nuttiness without overpowering.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce albacore tuna loin or steak, ~4oz per person
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce use gluten-free certified if needed), use low-sodium soy sauce if desired, or tamari
- 1 tablespoon ginger shaved or paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon wasabi or 1 tsp horseradish
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 green onion plus a handful of diced green onion tops for garnish, optional
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Blend vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, wasabi (or horseradish), sugar, and green onion. Taste sauce, adjust seasoning if necessary (adding more soy, sugar, ginger etc if preferred). Marinate tuna in blended sauce for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of tuna at end of marinade.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan (like a cast-iron pan) on high, until oil is very hot. Reserving marinade for later, sear tuna for 30-45 seconds per side, then remove from pan. (For tuna loins with 3 sides, sear all 3 sides for about 20 seconds each.)
- Reduce heat to medium and allow pan to cool slightly. Add marinade to pan with lemon juice, and stir with a wooden spoon. If sauce is too thick for your liking, add more lemon juice. Remove sauce from heat.For steaks: Slice tuna in thin strips. If desired, leave about ½" at one end of the tuna steak uncut, and serve fanned on a plate with ginger soy pan sauce and extra green onion to garnish.For loins: Thinly slice the tuna and serve fanned on a plate with ginger soy pan sauce and extra green onion to garnish.
Notes
- For a sweeter option, add ¼ cup fresh orange juice to the ginger soy sauce.
- Use the pan sauce as a warm dressing for fresh spinach by adding orange juice and wilting the greens briefly in the sauce.
- Select low-sodium soy sauce if you prefer milder saltiness in the marinade.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 309 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 309kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 31g | 62% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 43mg | 14% |
| Sodium | 1671mg | 70% |
| Potassium | 431mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 2595IU | 52% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 68mg | 7% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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