14 Fresh Tuna Recipes That Are Ready in a Flash (2024)

Fresh tuna may feel like a fish that's best enjoyed when ordered at a delicious sushi spot or a high-end seafood restaurant, but there's no reason why you can't cook it at home. Here, you'll find simple preparations of grilled and seared tuna that can be turned into rice bowls, skewers, or served alongside a crisp salad.

When shopping for fresh tuna, be sure to choose a responsibly-caught option (you can always ask the fishmonger at your local market or grocery store for more complete sourcing information). Ahi tuna—also known as yellowfin tuna—is the premier fresh tuna choice and you'll find it available in loins and steaks. Our recipes will always specify exactly which cut you need.

When working with good-quality fresh tuna, the key is to prepare it so that it's just cooked on the outside but still rare and fully pink-red on the inside. Fresh tuna has a very firm, meaty texture that's similar to mahi mahi or swordfish and offers a relatively mild flavor. It can also be expensive, so you'll best be able to appreciate the flavor when it is served rare.

Ahead, you'll find recipes where fresh tuna is served seared and dressed simply with sesame seeds, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Enjoy it on its own with a crisp white wine for a light, delicious meal you'll crave all summer long. Of course, we also have plenty of low-key weeknight specials that include tuna rice bowls, tuna steaks served with salads and grilled vegetables, fish skewers, and more. All of these fresh tuna recipes come together quickly—and they're guaranteed to be the start of the show whenever you prepare them.

17 Canned Tuna Recipes That Aren't Just Tuna Melts or Casseroles

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Sesame-Crusted Tuna Tataki

14 Fresh Tuna Recipes That Are Ready in a Flash (1)

It takes no time at all to put together this stunning fresh tuna dish that you can serve as an elegant appetizer or impressive main course over a bed of sticky rice. The fish is seared until it's cooked on the outside but perfectly pink on the inside.

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Seared Tuna Taco Bowl

14 Fresh Tuna Recipes That Are Ready in a Flash (2)

This weeknight-friendly fresh tuna recipe comes together in 45 minutes and is bursting with color and flavor from tuna steaks, shredded red cabbage, black beans, cilantro, and sliced watermelon radishes.

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Bluefin Tuna With Olive, Cucumber, and Cilantro Relish

14 Fresh Tuna Recipes That Are Ready in a Flash (3)

Did someone say summer dining? Seared tuna steaks are the perfect partner for this crunchy, briny relish made of olives, cucumbers, and fresh cilantro for this fresh meal that's just right to serve al fresco.

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Brown Rice With Tuna, Avocado, and Toasted Nori

14 Fresh Tuna Recipes That Are Ready in a Flash (4)

Craving sushi? Give this rice bowl a try. It's topped with all of our favorite hand-roll ingredients: seared tuna, crunchy cucumber, creamy avocado, and toasted nori.

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Grilled Tuna With Mediterranean Chopped Salad

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Turn traditional Niçoise salad on its ear by tossing the potatoes, green beans, and tomatoes together and serving them alongside grilled tuna steaks. Briny Kalamata olives and umami-rich anchovies add extra oomph.

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Tuna Steaks With Lemony Tomatoes and Onion

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Sear tuna steaks just until browned on the outside but still deep-red in the center, then serve with a salad of sweet cherry tomatoes and red onion seasoned with lemon juice for an easy, colorful accompaniment.

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Seared Tuna With Tomatoes and Basil

This entrée starts by searing cubes of tuna in a hot skillet, then simmering them in a rustic sauce made from caramelized onions, cherry tomatoes, white wine, and basil. The dish is excellent over soft polenta or simply served with crusty bread.

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Tuna Steaks With Mint Sauce

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You'll want to try this genius trick for cooking tuna: Sprinkling salt in the skillet before cooking the prevents the fish from sticking without using oil. Here, we're serving the tuna steaks with a herby sauce of mint, garlic, lemon, and olive oil; it's similar to gremolata but with mint in place of the usual parsley.

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Seared Tuna Steaks With Sesame Oil

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Rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil seasoned with grated ginger and sliced scallions make a quick and tasty sauce for eggplant and seared tuna steaks. Steaming followed by sautéing makes the eggplant tender and delicious.

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Grilled Tuna Skewers

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Cubes of yellowfin tuna absorb the bright flavors of lime juice and cilantro in a quick marinade before hitting the grill. This healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

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Tuna With Orange-Pepper Salsa

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Create a fresh, flavorful salsa with navel oranges, red bell pepper, red onion, and fresh mint, then spoon over coriander-spiced grilled tuna steaks for a sublime supper.

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Tuna Cakes With Arugula-Tomato Salad

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Ready in just 30 minutes, this simple recipe is ideal for last-minute weeknight dinners. Serve the tuna cakes and salad side by side or enjoy both in a wrap or sandwich.

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Sesame Seared Tuna With Ginger-Carrot Dipping Sauce

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Black and white sesame seeds give fresh tuna a crunchy and satisfying coating. Serve with a toasty, salty-sweet dipping sauce made of mirin, white miso, carrot juice, and ginger.

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Rosemary Tuna With White Beans

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Fresh herbs and earthy kale come together in this easy fresh tuna recipe. The combo is paired with canned white beans, creating a filling and fiber-rich dish.

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14 Fresh Tuna Recipes That Are Ready in a Flash (2024)

FAQs

What is the best method of cooking tuna? ›

Tuna dries out quite quickly and turns crumbly, so it should be cooked very briefly over a high heat in a frying pan, on a griddle or over a barbecue; or cooked under oil (confit), sous vide or simmered in a sauce.

Can flash frozen tuna be eaten raw? ›

Food Safety.

The ultra-low temperatures used in flash-freezing effectively kills harmful bacteria. In fact, the FDA requires that fish intended for raw consumption – those used in dishes like sushi or ceviche – must be frozen first to kill parasites.

What seasoning is good for tuna? ›

By Mark Bittman. Here, grilled tuna is smothered with a mixture of flavorful herbs, made more potent by the addition of chopped olives and a little raw garlic. A mix of parsley, basil, chives, chervil and marjoram, for example, would be splendid, as would one of cilantro, mint and basil.

Should I rinse canned tuna before using? ›

By rinsing canned tuna, you essentially wash away some of the flavors and textures that come with it. If your tuna is packed in oil, rinsing it could mean saying goodbye to some of that moist, rich taste. And if it's water-packed tuna you're dealing with, a rinse will leave it more bland and flaky.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook tuna? ›

Place your cast iron skillet on the grill, and add your choice of oil. Let the oil get nice and hot. Let the oil get to its smoke point and then gently place the Tuna. Cook for about 45 seconds per side to get that sesame layer nice and crispy.

What takes the fishy taste out of tuna? ›

This can be done by cooking the fish in foil or by adding other ingredients to the recipe that will help to mask the strong fishy taste of the fish. Also, you can marinate the fish in a mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, and water for 30 minutes. This will help to neutralize the fishy taste.

Which tastes better tuna in oil or tuna in water? ›

Tuna usually comes packed in water, vegetable oil, or olive oil and can be either salted or unsalted. In the end, it comes down to taste: Tuna packed in water will be more neutral and, well, watery, while olive oil will have some peppery richness that can complement that tuna.

What is the healthiest thing to eat with tuna? ›

Healthy tuna recipes
  • Tuna & sweetcorn fish cakes. ...
  • Pasta salad with tuna, capers & balsamic dressing. ...
  • Tuna, avocado & pea salad in Baby Gem lettuce wraps. ...
  • Meal prep: rice. ...
  • Griddled tuna with bean & tomato salad. ...
  • Sesame tuna steaks with slaw. ...
  • Charred veg & tuna niçoise with creamy kefir dressing.

How to tell if tuna steak is bad? ›

According to Lacademie, raw tuna that has spoiled will appear off-colored, usually with a milky look or with shades of brown. Meanwhile, healthy raw tuna is a deep red or a light pink color. If your fish has started to change color or you see some sort of growth (like mold) toss that fish in the trash.

Is tuna from Vietnam safe to eat? ›

Retailers, restaurants, and importers should discard all yellowfin (ahi) tuna from Truong Phu Xanh Co. Ltd., which was linked to scombrotoxin poisoning in the United States.

Should frozen tuna be thawed before cooking? ›

It's true, you don't! You can skip the thawing process altogether and cook frozen fish straight from the freezer. You'll have to add a few minutes to the cook time in your recipe to account for the lack of thawing, but you can poach, steam, bake, broil, or grill fish straight from the freezer!

What can I put in tuna to make it taste better? ›

Feel free to use a spicy mayonnaise for an extra kick. To offset any heat, swap out soy sauce for ponzu or add lime juice to allow the citrus to cut through. If you want to get real fancy, top the tuna with specialty items like chili oil, kimchi, or melted cheese. Tuna tastes even better when it's sweeter.

What is the best way to eat tuna? ›

I've rounded up some of my best tuna recipes below:
  1. Open Faced Tuna Sandwich with Avocado. As you'll see on this list, my favorite way to make tuna salad sandwiches is open-faced. ...
  2. Canned Tuna Ceviche. ...
  3. Tuna Croquettes. ...
  4. Tuna Pasta Salad. ...
  5. Tuna Egg Salad. ...
  6. Tuna Noodle Casserole. ...
  7. Open-Faced Tuna Melt Sandwich. ...
  8. Tuna Salad Wraps.
Jun 9, 2023

How is tuna steak supposed to be cooked? ›

Cook tuna – Once the skillet is very hot, place tuna in the skillet. – How long to cook tuna: A 2.5cm / 1″ thick, 200g / 7oz tuna steak should be cooked for 90 seconds on the first side then 60 seconds on the other side to get a nice sear on the outside while keeping it rare on the inside.

Which is better canned tuna in water or oil? ›

Oil vs Water

Tuna packed in water will contain fewer calories and less fat but also allows for the loss of omega 3 fatty acids to occur. Water-packed also dilutes the natural juices and flavors contained within the fish and can lead to a more rounded and less refined taste.

Why do you not cook tuna steaks all the way? ›

Because tuna steaks get dry and chewy when overcooked, the center should still be pink when it's done cooking.

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