20 Delicious Ways to Cook With Fresh Tuna

Put Fish on the Menu Tonight

By
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
A freelance journalist and avid home cook, Cathy Jacobs has more than 10 years of food writing experience, with a focus on curating approachable menus and recipe collections.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/4/21
Grilled Tuna Steaks With Asian Sesame Crust

The Spruce

Whether you're cutting back on meat or just craving a lighter dinner, it's a good time to put fresh tuna on the menu. Meaty tuna steaks and fillets cook quickly on the grill or stovetop, and the subtle flavor can be enhanced by a variety of sauces and seasonings. High-quality ahi tuna is also delicious eaten raw in thin slices or as part of sushi rolls—and even makes an outstanding burger.

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  • 01 of 20

    Spice-Rubbed Seared Tuna Steaks With Balsamic Reduction

    Spice-Rubbed Seared Tuna Steaks With Balsamic Reduction

    The Spruce

    Ahi tuna (also called yellowfin) is a firm-textured fish that stands up wonderfully to grilling. This seared tuna steak recipe coats it in a zesty spice rub and sears the fish quickly on the outside, leaving it rare in the middle. With a crunchy exterior, a rich, buttery texture inside, and balsamic reduction drizzle, it's a tasty, healthier alternative to steak.

  • 02 of 20

    Grilled Tuna Steaks With Asian Sesame Crust

    Grilled Tuna Steaks With Asian Sesame Crust

    The Spruce

    Restaurant-style grilled tuna steaks can be yours at home with this quick and easy recipe. Tuna steaks or fillets are marinated in a soy-ginger-sesame oil mixture, then coated in sesame seeds and cooked in less than 10 minutes on the grill. Follow the instructions for thickening the marinade to use it as a delightful finishing sauce.

  • 03 of 20

    Lemon Pepper Grilled Tuna

    Lemon Pepper Grilled Tuna

     
    Fabio Balbi / Getty Images

    You only need six ingredients and a 5 minutes of grilling to make this delicious lemon pepper tuna. It's a great choice on summer evenings when you don't want to sweat over a hot stove. Be sure to plan for at least an hour of marinating the fish in the fridge so it can absorb the flavors of the citrus-infused olive oil.

  • 04 of 20

    Honey Lime-Glazed Grilled Ahi Tuna

    Honey Lime-Glazed Grilled Ahi Tuna

    James and James / Getty Images

    Firm ahi tuna fillets are marinated for 30 minutes in a mixture of lime juice, garlic, and ginger, before taking a turn on the grill. The summer-worthy tuna dish is finished with a honey-lime glaze for a hint of sweetness and unforgettable flavor. Serve with your favorite grains and a salad for a complete meal.

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  • 05 of 20

    Seared Black Pepper-Crusted Ahi Tuna Steaks

    Seared Black Pepper-Crusted Ahi Tuna Steaks

     Carin Krasner / Taxi / Getty Images

    If you like peppercorn steak, give this black pepper-crusted ahi tuna a try. Season thick tuna fillets with a mixture of salt, coriander, paprika, and cayenne pepper, then coat with plenty of coarsely ground black pepper. This forms a crunchy crust when the fish is seared briefly on both sides in a cast-iron skillet.

  • 06 of 20

    Spicy Tuna Rolls

    Spicy Tuna Rolls

    The Spruce

    If you've always wanted to learn how to make sushi at home, here's your chance. It is easier than you might think to make spicy tuna rolls in your own kitchen and recreate one of the most popular Japanese restaurant orders. Simply shop for the ingredients, pick up a bamboo mat for rolling, and follow the recipe's step-by-step instructions.

  • 07 of 20

    Spicy Tuna and Avocado Sushi Burger

    Spicy Tuna and Avocado Sushi Burger

    The Spruce / MacKenzie Smith

    This spicy tuna and avocado sushi burger requires barely any cooking and tastes like a spicy sushi roll. Fresh tuna chunks are dressed in an easy, creamy sauce and layered with avocado, cilantro, and crispy fried garlic onto buns made from leftover sushi rice.

  • 08 of 20

    Grilled Spicy Tuna Steaks

    Grilled Spicy Tuna Steaks

    Joff Lee / Getty Images

    Grilled spicy tuna steaks are a breeze to make. This recipe uses a marinade of lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, shallot, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Adjust the spices to suit your personal spice tolerance and add a cilantro garnish for a stunning presentation.

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  • 09 of 20

    Grilled Tuna With Honey Mustard Marinade

    Grilled Tuna With Honey Mustard Marinade

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Ready for the table in under 30 minutes, your family is going to love this flavor-packed grilled tuna entrée. The fish is quickly marinated in a sweet and zesty honey and mustard mixture, then flash-cooked over a hot grill. Serve over rice with grilled vegetables on the side for a complete meal.

  • 10 of 20

    Nicoise Tuna Salad With Dijon Dressing

    Nicoise Tuna Salad With Dijon Dressing

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Using fresh tuna fillets instead of canned fish is a great way to upgrade a bistro-style Nicoise salad. The grilled fish mingles with boiled new potatoes, crisp-tender green beans, fresh spinach leaves, hard-cooked eggs, red onion, and chopped olives. The homemade Dijon-vinaigrette dressing is incredibly easy and the perfect finishing touch.

  • 11 of 20

    Tuna Teriyaki

    Tuna Teriyaki

    Datacraft Co Ltd. / Getty Images

    In less than 30 minutes, you can cook restaurant-style tuna teriyaki at home. It requires only a handful of ingredients, so it's a great choice for a weeknight dinner. Fresh tuna steaks are pan-sautéed on your stovetop and glazed with a delicious teriyaki sauce (but you could use store-bought in a pinch).

  • 12 of 20

    Tuna Gravlax

    Tuna Gravlax (Vodka Cured Tuna)

    Ralph Daily-Flickr / CC BY 2.0

    Move over, salmon gravlax. High-quality fresh tuna becomes luscious and smooth when cured in vodka for 12 to 24 hours in the fridge. Serve it as a party appetizer alongside cream cheese, rye bread, and horseradish to impress guests at a brunch or holiday gathering.

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  • 13 of 20

    Tuna Tartare

    Tuna Tartare

    The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

    This tuna tartare recipe sticks closely to a traditional version. It lacks the really bold flavors, which allows the fresh tuna to sing with the other ingredients while adding subtle back notes and texture. Be sure to use fresh sushi-grade tuna for this dish.

  • 14 of 20

    Ginger Soy Braised Tuna

    Ginger Soy Braised Tuna

    The Spruce / Hideki Ueha

    Enjoy home-style Japanese cooking with this recipe for braised fresh tuna. Pouring boiling hot water over the raw fish before braising it is the traditional way to clean tuna and prevent fishy cooking aromas. The cubed fish then cooks for about an hour in a simmering liquid of ginger, ginger ale, soy sauce, sake, and rice wine so it absorbs all the fantastic flavors.

  • 15 of 20

    Olive Oil-Poached Albacore Tuna

    Poached tuna steaks

     Nabil Kassir / Getty Images

    Poaching tuna in olive oil is a chef-favorite way to slowly cook this meaty fish. It produces a satisfying texture that is similar to tapas-quality canned tuna while amplifying its great taste. Garlic, black peppercorns, citrus zest, bay leaf, and chile pepper are added to the poaching oil for a delicate lift of flavor.

  • 16 of 20

    Italian Tuna Crudo

    Italian Tuna Crudo

    Meike Bergmann / Taxi / Getty Images

    Crudo means "raw" in Italian, and this fresh tuna appetizer from Italy is similar to Japanese sashimi. Thinly sliced sushi-grade tuna is briefly marinated in olive oil then served with classic regional ingredients, including Meyer lemon and fresh basil.

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  • 17 of 20

    Tuna Chops With Lemon Cream Sauce

    Tuna Chops With Lemon Cream Sauce

    The Spruce / Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

    Tuna chops with lemon cream sauce is an elegant Italian-inspired dish for two. The fresh tuna steaks are seared in a pan, then dressed up in a delectable lemon cream sauce. Capers add briny flavor, while onions and garlic do their aromatic magic in the background. Even better? It's ready in 15 minutes from start to finish.

  • 18 of 20

    Tuna Sashimi With Daikon and Ginger

    Tuna Sashimi With Daikon and Ginger

    DigiPub / Moment Open / Getty Images

    When you crave tuna sashimi, skip the restaurant and make it at home. Delicate daikon radish and fresh ginger are the perfect accompaniments to the meaty, raw fish.

  • 19 of 20

    Hibachi Teriyaki Tuna

    Hibachi Teriyaki Tuna

    Xsandra / Getty Images

    The hibachi teriyaki tuna recipe is simple yet impressive. Thinly sliced yellowfin is marinated in a mixture of homemade teriyaki sauce then seared quickly on a hot grill. Dress the fish up with prepared teriyaki sauce and garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds, then serve with rice and grilled veggies.

  • 20 of 20

    Spicy Tuna Donburi Rice Bowl

    Spicy Tuna Donburi (Rice Bowl)

    The Spruce / Judy Ung

    When you have sashimi-grade tuna, spicy tuna donburi is a dish you'll want to try. The Japanese recipe seasons minced tuna with a special mayonnaise, Sriracha sauce, chile peppers, and sesame oil. Serve it over rice for a quick and flavorful meal.