How to cook ahi tuna steak in oven

Tuna steaks are easy to make in a skillet, oven, or grill. To make tuna steaks in a skillet, brush both sides of the steaks with melted butter, then sprinkle them on both sides with a store-bought or homemade blackening seasoning. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat until it starts to smoke. Use tongs to place the steaks in the hot skillet in a single layer so that they aren’t touching. Cook the steaks for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes on each side, for a total cooking time of 3-4 minutes. The steaks are done when they start to turn golden-brown and flake easily around the edges. Let them rest at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving them. If you’d rather cook the steaks in the oven, brush them with a mixture of 4 tablespoons (59 mL) of teriyaki sauce, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of grated fresh ginger, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt. Bake them in a foil-lined baking sheet for 6-8 minutes at 450° F (232° C), then let them sit for 5 minutes before serving them. Craving grilled tuna? Refrigerate your steaks in your favorite seafood marinade for 30 minutes while you preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Brush a light coating of vegetable oil on the grill grate. Season the steaks to taste and grill them for 3-4 minutes on each side, then let them rest for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before enjoying them with your favorite sides. Keep reading to learn how to broil or grill a tuna steak!

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There's no need to head to a fancy seafood restaurant to get your ahi tuna steak fix. Instead, try this top-rated ahi tuna steak recipe that comes together in just seven minutes — no, seriously, all you need is seven minutes.

How to cook ahi tuna steak in oven
How to cook ahi tuna steak in oven

Dotdash Meredith Food Studio

How to Buy Ahi Tuna

There are two types of ahi tuna you can buy: bigeye tuna and yellowfin tuna. Bigeye tends to have a buttery taste, while yellowfin has a milder flavor. Both types of ahi tuna can be used for this recipe.

You should always buy sashimi-grade or sushi-grade tuna if you plan to eat it raw. This means the fish market has deemed it safe to eat raw.

How to Make Ahi Tuna Steak

How to cook ahi tuna steak in oven
How to cook ahi tuna steak in oven

Ahi tuna steaks are extremely easy to make, mostly because they are served rare or medium-rare — they only need to be lightly seared for about one minute on each side.

Ahi tuna has a mild flavor, so you'll want to make sure you season it before cooking. This recipe seasons the tuna steaks with salt and cayenne pepper, plus sears them in a pan with butter, olive oil, and whole peppercorns. You could also season your ahi tuna steaks with a simple sauce (like teriyaki sauce, orange sauce, or soy sauce).

How to Cook Ahi Tuna Steaks

The best way to cook ahi tuna steaks is in a pan on the stove, but you can also sear them on the grill, or even bake or air fry them.

Skillet

Cooking ahi tuna steaks in a skillet is the preferred method because it will sear the steaks just enough to leave them raw in the center but create a crispy crust on the outside. Sear the steaks in a pan with butter, olive oil, and peppercorns for about 30 seconds to 1 ½ minutes on each side, depending on your desired level of doneness.

Grill

Season the fish then place them on a preheated grill at high heat. Grill each side for about 2 minutes, until they are charred on the outside but remain raw on the inside.

Oven

Bake seasoned ahi tuna steaks in the oven at 450 degrees F for eight to 10 minutes. Feel free to flip the steaks halfway through the bake, but it's not necessary.

Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F, then air fry the seasoned ahi tuna for four minutes.

Nicole's Best Ahi Tuna Tips

How to cook ahi tuna steak in oven
How to cook ahi tuna steak in oven

Allrecipes Video

Culinary producer Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a. Nicole McMom) says these ahi tuna steaks are "the best way to get a fine-dining experience in your own home." Here are some of her favorite tips and tricks for an impressive entree every time:

· You don't want to mask the tuna's natural fresh flavor, so Nicole likes to simply season it with just salt and cayenne pepper.
· There are two secrets to a perfect sear every time: You need very high heat (higher than you think, according to Nicole) and a very dry surface. The tuna can't be too dry before it hits the skillet, so give it a pat with a paper towel if you're unsure.
· Since oil has a higher smoke point than butter, it's perfect for searing ahi tuna steaks — but, if you're like Nicole, you might want to add a little butter anyway for extra flavor.

Can You Freeze Ahi Tuna Steaks?

Yes, you can freeze ahi tuna steaks both raw and cooked.

For raw ahi tuna, first, wrap the fish in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil or place it in a zip-top bag to seal it. Freeze for up to three months. If you remove ahi tuna from the freezer and don't end up using it, you cannot freeze it again. Ahi tuna should never be frozen again if previously frozen.

For cooked ahi tuna, freeze the leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in a zip-top bag. Freeze for two to three months.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Quick, easy and delicious. Served the tuna steaks on a bed of homemade mango, cucumber salsa with a side of grilled sweet corn. The sweetness from the corn combined with the citrus from the salsa enhanced and balanced the flavors from the tuna and chili powder," says moto guzzi.

"This is simply wonderful. The tuna melts in your mouth if cooked as directed. The peppercorns add just the right amount of heat," raves Janice W Davis.

"I made this exactly as the recipe was written and it turned out great! We usually grill tuna steaks, but it is easy to overcook them on a grill. I felt I could control how rare the steaks were done by searing them in the pan. Be sure to have the pan hot before adding the steaks. Quick and easy...I'll use this method again and again," according to Mrs Z.

Editorial contributions by Bailey Fink

Ingredients

  • 2 (5 ounce) ahi tuna steaks

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Optional)

  • ½ tablespoon butter

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

Directions

  1. Pat tuna steaks dry and season on both sides with salt and cayenne pepper.

  2. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and pepper corns; cook until peppercorns soften and pop, about 5 minutes.

  3. Gently place seasoned tuna in the skillet and cook to desired doneness, anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes per side.

  4. Slice tuna into 1/4-inch thick slices to serve.

    How to cook ahi tuna steak in oven
    How to cook ahi tuna steak in oven

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studio

Cook's Note:

Use sushi-grade tuna if you like your tuna on the rare side.

I Made It Print

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

301Calories18gFat1gCarbs33gProtein

Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition FactsServings Per Recipe 2Calories 301% Daily Value *Total Fat 18g23%Saturated Fat 4g20%Cholesterol 71mg24%Sodium 1034mg45%Total Carbohydrate 1g0%Dietary Fiber 0g1%Protein 33gVitamin C 2mg9%Calcium 28mg2%Iron 1mg8%Potassium 645mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

How long does tuna take to cook at 350?

To do this, we recommend cooking the tuna steaks for about 30 minutes at 350° F.

How should a tuna steak be cooked?

Brush the tuna steaks lightly with oil, and season. Put the tuna steaks into a heated griddle pan over a high heat (the pan must be very hot) and allow to cook for 1-2 mins depending on how thick the tuna steaks are. If you want to make a crisscross pattern on the surface, rotate the tuna by 90 degrees halfway through.

How long does ahi tuna take to cook?

Because ahi tuna is best enjoyed rare or medium-rare, it generally doesn't take long to cook tuna steaks. In fact, pan-searing ahi tuna steaks only takes about five minutes total, with each side of the tuna steak cooking for about two minutes.

How long do you cook tuna steaks?

– 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. – Target internal temperature: The target internal temperature is 48°C (118°F).