Honey Lime Glazed Grilled Ahi Tuna

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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Updated on 09/24/21
Honey Lime-Glazed Grilled Ahi Tuna

The Spruce / Karen Hibbard
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Marinate: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
425 Calories
15g Fat
24g Carbs
50g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 425
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 80mg 27%
Sodium 173mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 50g
Vitamin C 15mg 76%
Calcium 29mg 2%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 974mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Tuna on the grill is delicious. It can withstand the high heat and is incredibly flavorful, but a larger yellowfin, or ahi, tuna is even better for grilling because it has a higher fat content than a smaller fish. If you've never grilled tuna before, it's easy—and the marinade comes together quickly.

This very simple glaze recipe is great on these grilled ahi tuna fillets. The tangy lime juice and the sweet honey beautifully complement the subtle smokiness from the grill. Cook until the meat is medium-rare. Serve it with some white basmati rice and a simple green salad. Or try the tuna with a cold noodle salad, fresh asparagus in season, bok choy, or even boiled new potatoes seasoned with butter, salt, pepper, and parsley.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium limes, juiced

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

  • 4 (6-ounce) ahi tuna fillets

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/4 cup honey

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Honey Lime-Glazed Grilled Ahi Tuna ingredients

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  2. In a bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger.

    Lime juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a bowl

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  3. Lay tuna fillets on a plate, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and spoon over half of the glaze, turning to coat evenly.

    Tuna fillets seasoned with salt and pepper on a plate

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  4. Let tuna fillets marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

    Tuna fillets in marinade

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  5. Add honey to the remaining half of glaze and mix well.

    Glaze in a bowl

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  6. Heat an outdoor grill on high or make a hot fire in a charcoal grill. When grates are hot, lightly oil them and place tuna fillets on the grill. Cook for about 2 minutes and turn over, brushing glaze over the cooked side. Grill 2 minutes more for medium-rare to medium.

    Tuna cooking on the grill

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

  7. When fish is cooked, transfer it to a plate and, using a clean brush, spread honey-lime glaze over other side of fillet.

    Honey Lime-Glazed Grilled Ahi Tuna on a platter, glaze in a bowl

    The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

Tip

The ahi tuna may cook more slowly or quickly on the grill, depending on how thick it is. If it's a little on the thick side, it may take a few minutes longer than what the recipe calls for. Cooking ahi tuna until an instant-read thermometer reaches 140 F to 145 F is USDA recommended, but tuna and swordfish steaks are often cooked to medium-rare, which is an internal temperature of around 125 F.

How to Store Grilled Ahi Tuna

  • This tuna will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days after it's been cooked. Leftover grilled tuna is a great candidate to eat cold in a salad or with noodles for lunch.

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