Easy Tuna Steak Recipe

If you grew up with tuna being synonymous with fish-in-a-can, you're certainly not alone. But tuna salad and tuna sandwiches, as delicious as they may be, are far from the only ways to enjoy this delightful fish. This easy tuna steak recipe will surely become one of your new favorites in your regular dinner rotation. Tuna, according to Jaime Bachtell-Shelbert, holistic dietitian and recipe developer behind Wholly Nourished, is not just an excellent source of protein — it is also rich in vitamins like B and D, and minerals such as selenium. "It is low in fat, but does offer some beneficial omega-3 fatty acids," she adds.

A word of warning from the wise, however: Bachtell-Shelbert also notes that tuna is higher in mercury content than many other fish, due to it being a large, carnivorous species. That doesn't mean you need to stay away from tuna entirely — far from it. It is, however, important to rotate it with other seafood choices. This, Bachtell-Shelbert notes, will help you get the widest variety of nutrients.

Gather the ingredients to prepare this easy tuna steak recipe

To make this easy tuna steak recipe, you'll need to round up just a handful of ingredients. Start things off with the tuna steaks, which should be about six ounces each. You will marinate the steaks in a combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. For a finishing touch, Bachtell-Shelbert relies on everything bagel seasoning — a tasty blend that includes sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, and onion. It's super flavorful and will add loads of aroma to the finished steaks. Grab a bit of coconut oil for cooking and green onions and sesame seeds for garnish, and you're ready to start cooking!

Marinate the easy tuna steak recipe

To make this easy tuna steak recipe, begin with preparing the marinade. Put together your soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and bagel seasoning in a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients together, making sure the honey melts into the liquid nicely. You'll then place the tuna steaks in a shallow dish, and pour the mixture over the top of them. Cover your dish with plastic wrap, and set in the fridge to marinate for about an hour. Set your timer, because any more than an hour, and the lemon juice risks cooking the tuna.

Cook the marinated tuna steaks

Once the tuna steaks have marinated for about an hour, it's finally time to cook them! Remove them from the marinade, allowing any excess liquid to drip off. Then, heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add the tuna to the pan.

Sear the tuna steaks for two minutes per side, or until they're nicely golden brown. Tuna isn't that high in fat, so it can have a tendency to dry out when overcooked. Opt for the best-quality tuna you can find from the fish market, and it will be perfectly safe to leave it a little bit pink in the center.

Serve, and enjoy

Once the tuna is cooked, it's officially time to serve. Bachtell-Shelbert serves these tuna steaks with rice and veggies (Steamed broccoli or pan-cooked bok choi are great choices and rich in nutrients!) or even over a freshly tossed salad. Since the tuna is served hot, consider opting for salad leaves that won't suffer with a bit of wilting — something hearty like kale or spinach would be a delicious and nutritious choice.

As a finishing touch, garnish your dish with sesame seeds and green onion for even more flavor and texture — not to mention a vibrant pop of green color. This is a delicious, quick meal to prepare for the entire family that everyone's sure to love.

Easy Tuna Steak Recipe
5 from 59 ratings
This easy tuna steak recipe has a delicious, zesty marinade that makes it such a tasty summertime meal.
Prep Time
5
minutes
Cook Time
3
minutes
Servings
2
servings
easy tuna steak recipe
Total time: 8 minutes
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • juice from half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Everything Bagel Seasoning (or sesame seeds)
  • 2 (6-ounce) tuna steaks
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil (or other high smoke point oil)
Optional Ingredients
  • green onions, for topping
  • sesame seeds, for topping
Directions
  1. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and Everything Bagel seasoning in a small dish. Whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.
  2. Place the tuna steaks in a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the tuna.
  3. Cover, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for up to 1 hour.
  4. Place coconut oil in a skillet and heat over medium heat.
  5. Add the steaks to the pan, and sear on the first side for 2 minutes. Flip, and cook on the other side for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Remove from the pan, and serve with sesame seeds and green onions.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 327
Total Fat 10.2 g
Saturated Fat 3.3 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 66.3 mg
Total Carbohydrates 13.4 g
Dietary Fiber 0.9 g
Total Sugars 9.1 g
Sodium 1,829.0 mg
Protein 44.6 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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