These flavorful blackened ahi tuna steaks are coated in a smoky spice blend and seared to perfection, combining bold spices with tender ahi tuna for a delicious meal.
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Why You’ll Love Blackened Tuna Steaks
If you love the smoky, spicy taste of blackening spice mixture, this a great way to experience those bold flavors with an elegant medium-rare ahi tuna steak.
This is a great recipe for busy weeknights. The spice blend only take a few minutes to put together, then just pat the tuna dry, give it a quick sear on the stovetop, and you're ready to eat!
The best part about this recipe is you can can also make it for meal prep. Because ahi tuna is delicious cold, you can use leftovers for an impressive salad or bowl the next day.
What You’ll Need
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Tuna
- Fresh Tuna: I recommend using ahi tuna steaks for this recipe. Yellowfin tuna or albacore tuna will work as well.
- Olive Oil: You can use olive oil to cook the tuna or a neutral oil like avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
Homemade Blackened Seasoning
- Cayenne Pepper This adds heat to this spice blend. If you are worried about the spice mix being too spicy, try mixing in some chili powder or additional paprika.
- Garlic Powder I like using a good amount of garlic powder in this recipe for a savory flavor. If you'd like, you can also add a bit of onion powder.
- Thyme Dried thyme is what I recommend for this recipe. Using dried spices will allow the spice mix to last for longer.
- Oregano I also recommend using dried oregano.
- Paprika I used sweet paprika when testing this seasoning blend, but smoked paprika or hot paprika are also fantastic choices.
- Black Pepper Freshly ground black pepper will add the most flavor to the blend.
- Kosher Salt I always use kosher salt in my recipes. Because this recipe uses a specific amount of salt, be sure to use less if you are substituting table salt or sea salt.
Recommended Equipment
How to Make This Ahi Tuna Recipe
Step One: In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the blackening seasoning recipe and place them in a dish.
Step Two: Pat the steaks dry with paper towels.
Step Three: Coat the tuna on all sides with the blackening spice.
Step Four: Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, sear the tuna steaks for 2-3 minutes per side for a perfectly pink center. If you would prefer your fish cooked closer to a medium doneness, increase the cooking time by 1-2 minutes per side.
Step Five: Let the tuna rest for a few minutes, then use a sharp knife to thinly slice it.
Variations and Substitutions
Soy Marinade: Try marinating the tuna steaks in a bit of soy sauce and ponzu sauce for an Asian twist. You can add sesame seeds to the blackening spice.
Grill: You can also use a grill for this recipe. Heat the grill to medium heat, brush the grill grates with oil, then cook the tuna for 1-2 minutes per side.
Tuna Bites: This recipe works well for bite-sized pieces of tuna as well. You can cut the tuna into pieces before or after cooking. If cutting it beforehand, make sure all of the tuna is coated in blackened seasoning and that you only cook it for a minute or so per side.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Store leftover tuna steaks in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this dish.
Reheating: There's not need to reheat this dish as tuna steaks are wonderful at room temperature or chilled. However, you can reheat tuna steaks in the microwave at 30-second intervals or in a pan with a bit of oil until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Blackening seasoning is a mix of dried herbs and Cajun spices that is used to season "blackened" dishes such as blackened fish, shrimp, or chicken. It is a smoky, somewhat spicy blend that is similar to Creole seasoning.
Absolutely! Try this recipe with salmon, cod, red fish, or even shrimp. Just about any fish will work with this recipe. You will just need to update the cooking time.
You can. Feel free to use a storebought blackening spice for convenience. I recommend tasting it for seasoning before adding it to your fish and adjusting to your tastes as needed.
How to Serve This Seared Tuna Steak Recipe
This is a delicious main course with a variety of sides and sauces. Try the suggestions below!
Condiments: I like to serve this tuna with different condiments and sauces, like avocado and mango salsa, pineapple pico de gallo, mustard sauce, chimichurri aioli, pineapple habanero sauce, chili sauce, or a remoulade sauce.
Rice Bowl: Make a rice bowl with chimichurri rice, some air fryer zucchini and squash or air fryer broccoli and cauliflower, sliced ahi steaks, and some green onions.
Veggie Sides: Some of my favorite side dishes to serve with blackened tuna are simple and versatile. Try these spicy roasted vegetables, these roasted Brussels sprouts and asparagus, or this roasted broccolini with lemon.
Potatoes: This recipe would be delicious with potatoes. Try these wasabi mashed potatoes or these air fryer fingerling potatoes!
Tacos: You can make tuna tacos by replacing the cod in this blackened cod tacos or the redfish in these blackened redfish tacos with cilantro lime crema.
Expert Tips
- Use the right pan. Don't use a non-stick skillet for high-heat cooking. It will degrade the coating more quickly, making the pan lose its non-stick coating. I recommend using either a cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan for this recipe.
- Have an instant-read thermometer. Using a reliable thermometer can help you nail the temperature of your protein every time. A rare tuna steak will have an internal temperature of about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, while medium-rare steaks will about about 130 degrees internally.
- Taste for seasoning. The most important thing I learned in culinary school is to taste as you go! Be sure to taste the blackening spice for seasoning before coating the tuna to ensure it is seasoned properly and balanced.
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment 💬 and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! You can also tag us @twocloveskitchen on Instagram or follow us on Facebook!
More Fish Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Blackened Ahi Tuna
Equipment
- Paper Towels
Ingredients
Tuna Steaks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or neutral oil like avocado oil
- 1 pound ahi tuna steaks cut into (4) 1-inch thick steaks
Blackening Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 teaspoons paprika sweet, hot, or smoked
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt see note 1
Instructions
- Pat the fish dry on both sides with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Evenly coat both sides of the fish with the blackening seasoning. This recipe makes enough seasoning to liberally coat 1 pound of fish.
- Place a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, sear the tuna steaks for 3 minutes. They should be well browned. Flip the steaks and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more for medium-rare.
Notes
- If you are not using kosher salt, be sure to start with half of the amount listed and then taste for seasoning. Table salt and sea salt can be twice as salty per teaspoon as kosher salt.
- Fridge: Store leftover tuna steaks in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this dish.
- Reheating: There's not need to reheat this dish as tuna steaks are wonderful at room temperature or chilled. However, you can reheat tuna steaks in the microwave at 30-second intervals or in a pan with a bit of oil until heated through.
ROBERT MILLER says
Thank you for the recipe! This was delicious but way too done for me! My tuna states were an inch thick but three minutes for each side was way too long for my taste. It was definitely past medium rare but I really prefer rare so next time I will try one and a half minutes per side. Thanks again!
Genevieve says
Thanks for the feedback, Robert! 1.5 minutes sounds like a solid plan for next time. 🙂
Hannah says
So yummy! Made this for dinner and honestly they taste absolutely amazing! I put it on top of rice with some sautéed broccolini and cauliflower and it was just perfect! Thanks a bunch!
Genevieve says
That sounds lovely! Thanks, Hannah!