Here’s how to make the very best grilled tuna: seared on the outside and tender on the inside! Full of savory flavor, it’s a true showstopper.

Tired of grilling burgers and salmon? Good, because here’s a uniquely incredible grilled dinner idea: grilled tuna steaks. And there’s nothing fishy about this tuna. Ahi tuna is rich and buttery, and seared perfectly on the outside, it tastes more like chicken or steak than fish! Even better, it’s one of the quickest things you can cook. Just 1 to 2 minutes, and you’ve got dinner. Here are all the tricks to getting that perfect sear on the grill.

Ingredients for grilled tuna

The nice thing about ahi tuna: it’s so flavorful on its own that you hardly need any seasoning! Just salt and pepper will do. Here’s what you need for grilled tuna steaks:

• Ahi tuna steaks: Look for sashimi grade. If you can find it, wild caught tuna is most sustainable. You can use fresh or frozen tuna steaks: if it’s frozen, thaw it by leaving it in the refrigerator overnight the night before you plan to grill.
• Salt
• Pepper

This recipe makes perfectly seared grilled tuna

In this recipe, you’ll use the grill to make seared tuna using ahi tuna. What’s seared tuna?

• Seared tuna is made with only the highest quality, freshest ahi tuna. This is the tuna is the quality that’s used in sushi and sashimi.
• The perfect seared tuna is browned on the outside and raw on the inside: a beautiful pink color! It’s absolutely safe to eat, unless you’re a pregnant woman staying away from raw fish.

How to grill ahi tuna: time and temperature

The basic concept behind grilled ahi tuna: you need to crank up your grill to the highest heat possible! To get a perfect sear on the outside and a raw inside, the hotter the better. Because grills vary, the exact temperature will be different based on your grill.

• Preheat a grill to the highest heat possible: 500 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on how hot your grill gets.
• Pat the tuna dry and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
• Grill 30 to 60 seconds per side, until cooked on the outside but still raw on the inside. It’s helpful to use a food thermometer: the internal temperature should be 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

More on buying ahi tuna

Where to look for ahi tuna at the grocery? If you’re not used to buying it, here are a few things to know:

• Look for frozen steaks. It’s possible that your grocery might have frozen ahi tuna steaks. These can be even fresher than fresh tuna if they’re flash frozen right when they’re caught. You’ll just need to remember to thaw the night before in the refrigerator.
• If not, look at the fish counter. Ahi tuna steaks have become more popular lately, so you should be able to find it at your local grocery counter.
• Find wild caught. If you can find wild caught, this is preferred from a sustainability perspective. US caught is preferable due to US regulations. Read more about buying sustainable seafood here.

Ways to serve grilled tuna

There are lots of fantastic sides to pair with grilled tuna! One thing to note: if you want to serve other grilled vegetables with the tuna, you’ll need to cook at medium high heat (375 to 450 degrees). So you’d grill them first, then increase the heat for the tuna. If this presents logistical challenges with your grill, you may want to opt for other sides like salads or rice.

• Grilled corn: Perfect Grilled Corn or Corn in Foil Corn makes the summer meal complete (also try grilled corn salad).
• Grilled green veggies: Add a green veggie like Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Green Beans, or Grilled Broccoli.
• Summer salads: Try Cucumber Salad, Citrus Salad, Lentil Salad, Beet Salad, Creamy Potato Salad or Greek Orzo Salad.

Other ways to eat ahi tuna

Ahi tuna is a highly nutritious lean protein (more info here). There are many ways to eat it, but here are our favorites:

• Seared tuna: It’s easy to make on the stovetop too! Try this 5-Minute Seared Ahi Tuna.
• Poke! Try this Hawaiian delicacy as Ahi Poke or classic Poke Bowl Recipe.

This grilled tuna recipe is…

Gluten-free, dairy-free, and pescatarian.

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A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes