Sesame-crusted ahi tuna served with soy-ginger-lime dipping sauce and pickled cucumbers. A sweet and tangy crunch with each bite.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Pan-searing the tuna over medium-high heat toasts the sesame seeds and creates a golden crust while keeping the fish tender in the center.
- Soy sauce adds savory umami, lime juice provides acidity, and honey balances the tartness for a well-rounded ahi tuna sauce.
- A hot vinegar brine helps the cucumbers absorb sweet, tangy flavors while preserving their refreshing crunch.
Featured Comment 101
“This ahi tuna recipe was amazing! So easy to follow and it took less than 30 minutes to make. This will be a repeat recipe in our house!”—Paige M.
Why It Works
Whenever I’m at the market, I keep an eye out for beautiful, fresh fish. Recently, I scored two gorgeous ahi tuna steaks, and I knew just what to make. Few things are easier or more delicious than sesame-crusted ahi tuna, quickly seared until golden on the outside and tender in the center. The key is using high heat for a short time, which toasts the sesame seeds and develops a flavorful crust without cooking the tuna all the way through.
I love serving the sliced tuna with a tangy soy-ginger-lime sauce and crisp pickled cucumbers. The sauce balances savory soy sauce with bright lime juice, sweet honey, and aromatic ginger, while the cucumbers add a refreshing, sweet-and-tangy crunch. It’s a fresh, flavor-packed meal that feels special without requiring much time in the kitchen. Prepare the sauce and cucumbers ahead of time, then sear the tuna just before serving for an easy weeknight dinner or an impressive meal when entertaining.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tuna: I can usually find fresh ahi tuna steaks at my local grocery store, which work well for this recipe. When shopping, ask your fishmonger whether the tuna is suitable for raw or undercooked preparations. Asian grocery stores with a seafood department may also carry tuna intended for sashimi. If fresh tuna isn’t available, look for frozen tuna from a reputable source that is suitable for raw or undercooked consumption.
- Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds add a nutty flavor and lightly crisp texture to the tuna when toasted in the hot pan. They also create an attractive crust that contrasts with the tender, rare center.
- Oil: Use a high smoke point cooking oil with a neutral flavor, like vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, light olive oil, or avocado oil.
- Cucumbers: Japanese cucumbers are ideal for quick pickling because they have thin skins, small seeds, and crisp, firm flesh that holds its texture in the vinegar brine. Their mild flavor absorbs the sweet and tangy pickling liquid without overpowering the seared tuna and dipping sauce.
- Pickling Brine: I use a combination of tangy rice wine vinegar, water, sugar, kosher salt, and spicy red chili flakes to marinate the sliced cucumbers.
- Ahi Tuna Sauce: The sauce for seared tuna is a balanced mix of savory, pungent, and sweet flavors. Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, honey, water, fresh ginger, sesame oil, and red chili pepper flakes.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This ahi tuna recipe with dipping sauce and pickled cucumbers is easy to customize! Try these delicious options:
- Seafood Options: Try different kinds of fish, such as sesame-crusted hamachi (yellowtail) or albacore tuna.
- Cucumber Swaps: Persian and English cucumbers are good substitutes because they have thin skins, small seeds, and crisp flesh that stays crunchy when quick pickled. Regular slicing cucumbers have thicker, waxier skins and larger seeds with more watery flesh, which can make the pickles less crisp and dilute the brine’s flavor.
- Pickling Brine Substitutes: Use other types of vinegar with a mild flavor like apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Use honey or maple syrup. You can use sea salt or table salt (adjust the amount for finer salt).
- Ahi Tuna Sauce Swaps: Make it gluten-free with tamari or coconut aminos. Add sugar or maple syrup. Swap the red chili flakes with chili oil, Sriracha, or wasabi paste.
How to Make Ahi Tuna Sauce
Step 1: Make the Pickled Cucumbers
Heating the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt helps dissolve the sugar and salt, creating an evenly seasoned pickling brine. Once you add the cucumber slices, the vinegar’s acidity and salt begin to move into the vegetables, while water moves out, helping the cucumbers absorb the sweet and tangy flavors. A quick 10-minute soak adds flavor while preserving their crisp texture. Refrigerate the cucumbers in the brine to keep them cold and crunchy until serving.
Make Ahead Tip: The pickled cucumbers taste even better as they marinate. You can make them 5 days ahead of time.
Step 2: Make the Ahi Tuna Sauce
Whisking the lime juice, soy sauce, honey, and water together helps balance the sauce’s acidity, saltiness, and sweetness. The honey dissolves into the liquid, while fresh ginger, sesame oil, and chili flakes add aromatic, nutty, and spicy notes. Let the sauce sit for a few minutes to let the flavors infuse before serving with the seared ahi tuna.
Step 3: Prepare the Tuna
Pat the tuna steaks dry with paper towels to help the sesame seeds stick. Spread the seeds on a plate, then press each steak into them, turning to coat all sides evenly. Sprinkle extra seeds over any bare spots as needed.
Tips for Helping the Sesame Seeds Stick: If the sesame seeds aren’t adhering well, some home cooks have found success brushing the tuna with a little neutral oil or spreading a thin layer of miso paste on the surface before coating. You can also skip the sesame seed crust, season the tuna with salt and pepper, and sear it directly in the hot pan.
Step 4: Pan-Sear the Tuna
I like to use a nonstick pan, especially if this is your first time searing tuna, because it helps prevent the sesame crust from sticking. A cast iron skillet, stainless steel pan, or flat top grill also works well.
Cooking tuna with a rare center might seem intimidating, but it’s easier than you think! When I first started working with sushi-grade fish, I was a little nervous, too. The key is to sear the sesame-coated steaks quickly in a hot pan for about 1 minute per side, turning them with tongs to brown the edges. That’s it! The quick sear creates a toasty, nutty crust that contrasts with the tender center.
Tips for Perfect Texture: As tempting as it may be to leave the fish in the pan a little longer, resist the urge to overcook it. Too much heat dries out the tuna, making it firm and flaky rather than tender, and you end up with fully-cooked fish perfect for tuna salad.
Step 5: To Serve
Use a sharp Chef’s knife to slice the tuna against the grain. A serrated knife will tear the flesh, leaving you with unattractive pieces. I like about 1/4-inch thick slices, perfect for dipping in the umami ahi tuna sauce.
I like to serve sesame-crusted ahi tuna steaks two ways depending on how hungry we are. Serve them with the pickled cucumbers and soy ginger-lime dipping sauce as an appetizer, or with steamed rice and tons of vegetables to make a healthy tuna bowl. If you like this dish, try my tuna poke bowl recipe for another fast, flavorful meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Food safety is important when consuming raw fish. Talk to vendors before buying to make sure the fish is safe for raw consumption. It’s also a good idea to buy fish that has been previously frozen because some species contain parasites, and freezing kills any that may be present. However, freezing doesn’t kill all harmful microorganisms, which is why cooking the fish is the safest option. Searing the ahi tuna on the surface helps to reduce the risk of microbial contamination, but still make sure you buy and store fish that has been properly handled. (Source: FDA.gov)
Sear the tuna for about 1 minute per side, until the sesame seeds are golden and the exterior is lightly browned. The center should remain rare and cool to slightly warm for the classic texture. Choose tuna steaks about 1 inch thick to give the exterior time to sear before the center cooks through. Keep in mind that residual heat will continue to cook the fish slightly after it leaves the pan.
For the best flavor and texture, sear the tuna just before serving. If you’re preparing it ahead for meal prep or saving leftovers, refrigerate the cooked tuna in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Serve This With
If you tried this Sauce for Seared Tuna, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Sauce for Seared Tuna
Ingredients
Pickled Cucumbers
- ½ cup rice wine vinegar
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 6-inch Japanese cucumbers, cut into ⅛" slices
Soy Ginger Lime Sauce
- 6 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ cup soy sauce, plus 2 teaspoons
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons water
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
Seared Ahi Tuna
- 20 ounces ahi tuna, four 5-oz pieces, about 1" thick
- ½ cup sesame seeds, white, black or a mixture
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil
Instructions
- Make the Pickled Cucumbers – In a medium saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and chili flakes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat, add the cucumber slices, and stir to coat. Let the cucumbers marinate for 10 minutes, then transfer them and the pickling liquid to a bowl or airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make the Ahi Tuna Sauce – In a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, honey, water, ginger, sesame oil, and red chili flakes. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Prepare the Tuna – Pat the tuna steaks dry with paper towels. Spread the sesame seeds on a plate. Press each tuna steak into the seeds, turning to coat all sides evenly. Sprinkle additional seeds over any bare spots as needed.
- Pan-Sear the Tuna – Heat the vegetable oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches of two to avoid overcrowding, add the tuna steaks and sear for about 1 minute, until the sesame seeds are golden. Flip and sear the other side for 1 minute. Using tongs, sear each edge for 15 seconds. Transfer the tuna to a paper towel-lined plate and gently pat to remove excess oil. Repeat with the remaining tuna.
- To Serve – Transfer seared tuna to a cutting board and cut ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange tuna on individual serving plates or bowls. Serve with pickled cucumbers and ahi sauce.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Cucumber Options: Use English or Persian cucumbers instead of Japanese cucumbers.
- Storage: Store leftover seared tuna, pickled cucumbers, and soy ginger lime sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. For the best quality, enjoy the tuna within 2 days. You can refrigerate the pickled cucumbers and sauce for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Kim Edmunds says
Love this recipe! I make it all the time. Quick and easy, plus the sauce is yummy!
Jessica Gavin says
I so happy that you enjoyed the ahi tuna recipe, Kim!
Andrew Samaniego says
This was a great recipe and I really liked the sauce!
Jessica Gavin says
Thrilled to hear that you are enjoying the ahi tuna recipe, Andrew! The sauce adds so much flavor!
Kathleen P Thomas says
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have the sesame seeds, so I didn’t use anything for a crust. However, I did cook them as instructed and made the soy ginger lime sauce. I thought it was too much lime at first, but after it sat for about 15 min, it blended beatifully.
Jennifer says
Great recipe! I opted to substitute wasabi paste for the pepper flakes. Turned out great!
Jessica Gavin says
Great idea! I’ll have to try adding wasabi next time I make the ahi tuna recipe!