5-minute Seared Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna

Honestly you can make this seared tuna steak in even less than 5 minutes, I just thought that sounded good for the title of this recipe…

Seared Ahi Tuna with Sesame Glaze
Serves: 2
Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 2 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 ahi tuna steaks (also known as yellowfin tuna, at least 4oz each and about 2 inches thick)
Sesame seeds (enough to lightly coat each side. I use both toasted and black sesame seeds simply for aesthetics.)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Salt/pepper
1 green onion for garnish
Optional dipping sauce: teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, coconut aminos, sriracha.. you get the point!

DIRECTIONS

Heat a pan over high heat.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the tuna steak. If using a dipping sauce go light on the salt.
Place the sesame seeds in bowl or plate, and coat both sides of each tuna steak by pressing each one into the seeds.
Add the sesame oil to the pan and let it get hot, but not smoking.
Place the tuna steaks in the pan side by side. Don’t walk away! Things are about to move quickly.
Flip after about 45 seconds. (The best judge of timing here is your eye, but I’ve found that about 45 seconds to a minute is perfect.)
Remove the tuna steaks to a cutting board after another 45 seconds or so. (You’ll be able to watch the level of “doneness” as the grey cooked color climbs the side of the tuna.)
Chop a green onion into small slices or quickly sautee a whole green onion in the pan with the left over hot oil.
Thinly Slice the tuna steak into 1/4 inch pieces with your sharpest knife (see notes), top with green onion, and serve immediately while the sesame crust is still warm.
Optional: I love heating up a good store bought teriyaki sauce mixed with a tablespoon of sriracha, my favorite being a coconut aminos blend because it doesn’t rely on sugar for its sweetness.

NOTES

There’s a proper way to slice tuna steak against the grain to get the texture just right. Watch this video to see how!
If your tuna steak is thin (an inch or less) you’ll likely need even less time to sear, maybe even just 30 seconds. Use your eye and watch the color changing along the side. When you’re happy with the level of “doneness” on one side, flip!
There are many easy side dishes for seared tuna, my favorite being baby bok choy. I simply slice the baby bok choy in half long-wise, and place it cut side down in a hot pan with sesame oil. I let it sit untouched until properly browned on one side, then throw in a little soy sauce or coconut aminos, salt, and pepper.