Fast, healthy, and SO easy to put on the table — Asian-inspired Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks! Fresh tuna steaks, a thick sesame crust to add crunchy texture, and a generous drizzle of Korean Dipping Sauce to make it complete! Put on the table in 15 minutes for a quick weeknight meal that’s also incredibly delicious!
What is Seared Ahi Tuna Steak?
Seared Ahi Tuna is a quick and delicious way to enjoy fresh tuna steaks. Not exactly sashimi, not exactly cooked tuna — it’s somewhere in between. A quick sear adds flavor but keeps the middle rare. You can enjoy that silky, delicate texture that’s prized in fresh tuna. While also enjoying the smoky flavor of seared fish at high heat.
In this Asian-inspired recipe, a thick coating of sesame seeds makes it extra special. That crunchy crust adds texture and nice contrast. And lots of flavor!
As a bonus, it’s such a fast and easy tuna steak recipe. Only 2-4 minutes of cook time in total! Yes, this will become your favorite go-to meal that’s also full of lean protein and healthy omega fats.
For a big boost of Asian flavor, I added my favorite Korean Dipping Sauce (Yangnyeom Jang). A common addition to dumplings and pancakes. Such an easy way to elevate any meal. Aromatic, garlicky, and tangy — a generous drizzle takes Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks over the top!
If you love sushi or Poke Bowls, try this Asian-inspired meal: Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna Steak with Korean Dipping Sauce!
Ingredients:
- Ahi Tuna Steaks. Tuna is considered an oily fish — high in protein, omega fatty acids, and vitamin B12. Fresh tuna steaks are full of flavor with a silky, delicate texture. The flavor is surprisingly neutral and doesn’t taste fishy at all. Fresh Ahi Tuna can be found in the seafood section at the grocery store. Sometimes, it’s in the frozen section. But this recipe works for all common tuna varieties served as sushi or sashimi: Yellowfin, Saku, Bigeye tuna, Bluefin tuna, and Bluefish.
Ask your local fishmonger for the FRESHEST tuna steaks that are at least 1 1/2-inches thick. Or, defrost frozen tuna steaks — previously frozen tuna is just as delicious.
- Sesame Seeds. A dense coating of sesame seeds adds crunch and flavor while keeping the fish moist. Add a thick layer to both the top and bottom, patting down gently. Use white or black sesame seeds or a combination of both.
- Salt + Pepper. Generously season the tuna steaks with good salt (mineral, sea, kosher, Himalayan) and freshly ground black pepper.
- Rice + Avocado. Make it a complete meal with rice and avocado. White rice adds a comfort factor. Purple rice is more nutrient-dense. Creamy, buttery avocado contrasts nicely with the sesame-crusted tuna.
- Korean Dipping Sauce. A tangy and garlicky soy sauce with a slightly spicy kick! A good drizzle on top ties all the flavors together.
How to make Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Steaks:
- Make Korean dipping sauce. Mix in one bowl. Set aside.
- Season Tuna Steaks. Add salt and pepper. Then coat the bottom and top with sesame seeds. Pat down the sesame seeds so they stick.
- Sear Tuna Steaks. In a hot pan, add a little oil and sear the tuna steaks until medium rare, about 1-2 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. If the tuna steaks are thin, 45 seconds on each side will suffice.
- Slice and serve. Slice thinly, against the grain, to prevent chewy and sinewy tuna. Serve on top of rice with avocado on the side. Enjoy!
Watch how to make it:
PRO Tips:
- Preheat the pan. Make sure the pan is nice and hot. A well-preheated pan will ensure a good sear on the sesame crust. Otherwise, the cold tuna will steam in the gentle heat and the sesame seeds will not stick.
- Use a good skillet. The key to well-seared protein. I recommend a well-greased cast iron skillet. But stainless steel, carbon steel, or even non-stick skillets all work well. Just make sure the pan is hot!
- Defrost frozen tuna. To defrost frozen ahi tuna, transfer to a plate and store in the fridge overnight. Or, place frozen tuna in a large bowl and run with cold water until defrosted — about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry before adding the seasoning.
- Save leftover Korean Dipping Sauce. Store in the fridge, tightly covered, for 1-2 weeks. Add to savory pancakes, pot stickers, dumplings, mandu, and any kind of deep-fried or pan-fried foods. Can also be eaten drizzled on top of rice or Soybean Sprout Rice. Or as a dip for plain chicken or beef.
FAQ
Tuna Steaks are commonly served medium rare or red in the middle and seared on the outside. Tuna is also served raw in sushi and sashimi. As an oily fish, USDA guidelines suggest eating tuna in moderation (12 ounces weekly) because of its mercury content. To avoid parasites, look for sushi grade tuna or flash-frozen tuna. And of course, look for the freshest tuna possible from a quality fishmonger.
If you don’t like rare tuna, you can certainly cook the tuna steaks well done. But the flavor and the texture won’t be quite the same. If cooking all the way through, make sure not to overcook and keep the middle moist.
*I recommend tuna that’s well-seared on both sides with a line of red in the middle for best flavor and texture. But feel free to choose how much red/rare tuna in the middle suits your palate.*
Serve with:
As an easy and convenient weeknight meal, serve Sesame Crusted Tuna with rice, avocado, and Korean Dipping Sauce (as listed in the recipe).
Or, serve the Sesame Tuna Steaks solo — as a main dish with just the dipping sauce. Some nice sides to serve alongside:
More recipes with tuna and salmon:
- Korean Canned Tuna Bowl (Chamchi Deopbap)
- Salmon Poke Bowls with Wakame
- Korean Sushi Bowl (Hwe Dup Bap)
- Spicy Tuna Gimbap
- Tuna Kimchi Jjigae
Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks with Korean dipping sauce
Equipment
- 1 Skillet (stainless steel, carbon steel, nonstick, or cast iron)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ahi, Yellowfin, Bigeye, Saku, Bluefish Tuna Steaks (1/2 lb per person is a generous portion; use less for a smaller portion)
- salt and pepper
- sesame seeds
- 1 large avocado (or 2 small), sliced (1/2 large avocado per person)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked rice (about 3/4 cup per person)
Korean Dipping Sauce (Yangnyeom Jang):
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (white distilled vinegar or apple vinegar also work well)
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp sugar (can be subbed with maple syrup)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (white or black or both)
- 1 Tbsp Gochukaru (Korean dried chili flakes)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 green onions, minced
Instructions
Korean Dipping Sauce (Yangnyeom Jang):
- Make Dipping Sauce. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dipping sauce (Yangnyeom Jang). Mix until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Sesame Seared Tuna Steaks:
- Prep Tuna Steaks. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the tuna steak. Add a thick layer of sesame seeds to each side, coating well so there's no red tuna visible on the top or bottom. Gently pat the sesame seeds so they stick.
- Heat skillet. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When the pan slightly smokes, add 1-2 tsp of oil (neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado oil) and swirl around in the pan.
- Cook tuna steaks. Add the tuna steaks to the hot pan, being careful of oil splatter. Do not disturb! Cook until the bottom is golden and crusty, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until golden and crusty, another 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook! Depening on the thickness and size of the tuna steak, adjust the time — adding more or less time, from as little as 45 seconds up to 2 full minutes per side Look for a red line in the middle that signifies it's rare in the middle.
- Slice. Transfer to a cutting board. Slice thinly, against the grain, for tuna that's not too chewy or sinewy.
- Assemble. Add rice to two bowls. Add sliced tuna. Add avocado slices. Drizzle Korean dipping sauce on top of the tuna. Serve with more dipping sauce on the side.
Video
Notes
- Additional Tips:
- Cook to your liking. If you don’t like rare tuna, you can cook the tuna steaks until well done. But the flavor and the texture won’t be quite the same. If cooking all the way through, make sure not to overcook and keep the middle moist. I recommend tuna that’s well-seared on both sides with a line of red in the middle for best flavor and texture. But feel free to choose how much red/rare tuna in the middle suits your palate
- Preheat the pan. Make sure the pan is nice and hot. A well preheated pan will ensure a good sear on the sesame crust. Otherwise, the cold tuna will steam in the gentle heat and the sesame seeds will not stick.
- Use a good skillet. The key to well-seared protein. I recommend a well-greased cast iron skillet. But stainless steel, carbon steel, or even non-stick skillets all work well. Just make sure the pan is hot!
-
Defrost frozen tuna. To defrost frozen tuna, transfer to a plate and store in the fridge overnight. Or, place vacuum-packed tuna in a large bowl and run with cold water until defrosted — about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry before adding the seasoning.
This was a gigantic hit with my family! I’ll be making this again soon and often! I used my cast iron skillet and I highly recommend this type of pan if you have one. I also recommend using a splatter screen. As soon as I placed the tuna steaks in the skillet, teeny drops of hot oil and some sesame seeds started popping out. My steaks were about 1.25″ thick, and I did two minutes per side. There was only about a half-inch strip of deep pink in the center when I pulled them off, so next time I will probably do just a little over one minute per side because we like our tuna steaks mostly rare. Even slightly overcooked for our liking, they were phenomenal! Oh, two last points about the Korean Dumpling Sauce. I clicked the link at the top of this page for the sauce recipe, and the recipe on that page is the same as this page except for the addition of one chili pepper. I used a small cayenne pepper and scooped out the seeds. Also, I didn’t have access to Gochugaru, but one of the substitutes recommended by an internet search was a 1:1 mix of paprika and cayenne pepper. Our sauce had quite a kick, but we love a good kick.
Good！！！
This was absolutely delicious. I can’t believe how good it was for how simple it is. Added a little bit of Ginger to the sauce.
Love this so much. Can you save the leftover sauce and for how long??
Yes, you can save the leftover sauce! Lasts about 3-5 days in the fridge. Be careful of cross contamination and always use a clean spoon. Enjoy!
This is SO GOOD!! I don’t cook a lot and this was super easy to make! I’ve made this 4 times already! Folks even love it!! I am keeping this recipe, thank you💕💕💕💕💕
Great recipe!!! Fast, simple, and delicious!!! Korean dipping sauce is awesome!
Great recipe! Simple, fast, and delicious! Korean dipping sauce is awesome.
I agree with others. The dipping sauce is “crazy good.”
Delicious! My side was roasted butternut squash instead of avocado, because I had some of use up. The dip was fantastic on the tuna, the squash, and the rice. Yum!
Yummy!!!! So delicious. The entire family loved it and I will be bringing this dish into our rotation. It was super easy to make. Because I was cooking for two picky kids I did sear each side for three minutes instead of two but the center was still rare and perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!
I was going to make my regular (yet stellar) poke bowls with marinaded tuna but I’ve been wanted to try sesame seared ahi for a long time so I made it this way instead. I followed the recipe and maaaaan, it is a hit! The dipping sauce is crazy good and pairs amazingly with the tuna. Goes into a poke bowl perfectly.