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This easy recipe for Blackened Balsamic Tuna Steaks has it all, including spicy Cajun blackened seasoning and a sweet balsamic vinaigrette that gives it tons of flavor, and the prep and cooking couldn’t be easier.
A great tuna steak recipe like this deserves only the best sides! Serve it with my cream of asparagus soup, savory Romano beans, and perfectly grilled potato wedges.
One of my favorite seafood dinners is this upscale blackened balsamic tuna steak recipe. All you have to do is marinate the tuna for a few minutes in a simple balsamic mixture, dip it in blackened seasoning, and sear it on all sides. The result is a meltingly tender, flavorful dish with a savory blackened crust.
Why We Love This Tuna Steak Recipe
- Fancy: With this recipe, you can enjoy a restaurant-quality seafood dinner at home.
- Quick: With minimal prep time and fast cooking, this recipe is a breeze to make, offering a delicious, nutritious fish dinner in just minutes.
- Versatile: The savory tuna can be served as a main course, added to salads or tacos, or chopped up and used in tuna grilled cheese sandwiches.
- Hassle-Free: This recipe requires very few utensils and minimal cleanup.
Recipe Ingredients
This easy tuna steak recipe combines just a few basic ingredients, making it perfect for a quick and flavorful meal. With fresh ahi tuna, a simple marinade, and bold blackened seasoning, you’ll have an easy dish you’ll want to make on repeat!
- For the Tuna: This recipe uses two fresh ahi tuna steaks and vegetable oil.
- For the Marinade: Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, and salt are the only ingredients you’ll need to marinate the tuna.
- For the Blackened Seasoning: To season the fish, I use paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Feel free to mix it up and use your favorite herbs and spices.
What Is Ahi Tuna?
Ahi tuna refers to two types of tuna: yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna. The term “ahi” comes from the Hawaiian language, and these fish are often found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.
Yellowfin tuna is commonly used in both cooked and raw dishes, particularly in sashimi and sushi. Bigeye tuna is similar but tends to have a higher fat content, making it especially popular for raw dishes due to its buttery taste. Ahi tuna is best served when lightly seared on the outside, leaving the inside tender and raw.
How To Cook Tuna Steaks
- Marinate. Pat dry the tuna steaks with paper towels. Place them in a large plastic zip-top bag, then whisk together the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl. Set half of the marinade aside, and pour the rest into the zip-top bag with the tuna. Seal the bag and massage the liquid around to coat; set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
- Make the Seasoning. Combine the blackened seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Take the tuna from the bag, lightly pat dry again, and season with the seasoning mix. Press down on the spices to help them adhere.
- Sear the Tuna Steaks. Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it’s smoking hot. Carefully add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the hot skillet, and then place the steaks in the pan. They should immediately begin to sear. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, for medium-rare.
- Rest, Slice, and Serve. Transfer the cooked steaks to a clean cutting board to rest for 3 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Steak’s Thickness: This recipe works best with tuna steaks that are at least 1-inch thick. Thinner steaks will overcook. If they are thinner, try cooking them for a minute per side.
- Sushi Grade Tuna: Generally, sushi or sashimi-grade tuna is good for making seared tuna steaks. Keep the canned stuff for the classic tuna noodle casserole.
- Spice Blend: While the blackening spices make this dish extra delicious, you can skip them if you prefer and use just salt and pepper, or grab this store-bought blackening seasoning.
- Slicing: Tuna steaks should be sliced thinly after cooking for the best texture and flavor.
Serving Suggestions
To serve a perfectly delicious, gourmet tuna steak dinner, pair the fish with these crispy, herbed Parmesan crusted potatoes, which are irresistibly flavorful! For a lighter take, make these grilled summer squash kebabs or my Parmesan panko asparagus fries.
If you want a salad, my Asian cabbage slaw pairs perfectly with tuna steaks. And never forget to finish the meal on a sweet note with my decadent chocolate pudding cake!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- To store, leftovers should be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, place the tuna steaks on a hot pan or grill and re-sear until warm.
More Seafood Recipes
- Salmon Florentine
- Old Bay Roasted Salmon
- Beer Battered Fish
- Crab Cake Sliders
- Shrimp Salad with Avocados
Blackened Balsamic Tuna Steaks
Ingredients
For the Tuna
- 2 (6 ounces each) fresh Ahi Tuna Steaks
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Marinade
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Blackened Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pat dry the ahi tuna steaks with paper towels and place them in a large plastic zip-top bag.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, and salt; remove half of the sauce/marinade and transfer it to a small serving bowl. Set it aside.
- Pour the rest of the marinade into the plastic bag with the tuna. Close the bag and massage the liquid around to coat the tuna steaks. Let stand for 10 minutes. (You can also refrigerate overnight.)
- In the meantime, in a small bowl combine the paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Remove the tuna steaks from the marinade and sprinkle all sides of the steaks with the seasoning mix, pressing down to adhere.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking hot. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the hot skillet.
- Place the tuna steaks in the pan; cook for about 2 minutes per side, for medium rare.
- Transfer the tuna steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Thinly slice the tuna and serve with the reserved sauce.
Notes
- Thickness: This recipe works best with tuna steaks that are at least 1-inch thick. Thinner steaks will overcook. If they are thinner, try cooking them for a minute per side.
- Tuna Steak Selection: Opt for fresh ahi tuna steaks or thawed frozen sushi-grade tuna for the best results in this recipe.
- Oil for Searing: Use a high-heat oil like vegetable oil to achieve a perfect sear. Don’t use olive oil.
- Balanced Blackened Seasoning: Follow my recipe to make your own blackened seasoning, or buy a premade one.
- Prep Your Sides: With the tuna cooking in just a couple of minutes, have your side dishes ready to make sure everything is served hot and delicious.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
I love tuna steaks. I’ve never tried making them like this before. I can’t wait to try this.
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This is my new favorite way to make tuna steaks! So delicious!
That’s wonderful! I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
These tuna steaks look irresistible! I will make them for sure!
Thank you, Catalina! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Such a stunning dish. Thanks for the tips about which oil to use!
Thank YOU! Please enjoy! 🙂
Everyone at my house really loved this! Such a perfect meal!
That’s great! I’m very glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Looks amazingly delicious! Our whole family would love this!
I hope you and your family enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I finally cooked a tuna that’s not dry, and rubbery. I love it, thank you 😊.
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Not a big fan of the marinade. All I could taste was the vinegar. Might try it again with just the spices. Cooking instructions were perfect.
I thought it was absolutely delicious and so did my family! We like balsamic vinegar so it was a definite win. I chose to use ahi tuna steaks and marinated them for about four hours. The honey really cuts the acidity of the vinegar so it was a delicious balance. I added the remaining marinade that was put aside by making small punctures in the fish after letting it set and allowed the marinade to seep into the fish. Let it sit a bit longer and sliced. For the side I did the asparagus as pictured but I instead did the same marinade on the asparagus as the fish only adding butter and the spice rub and believe it or not it was delicious too. So quite obviously this rub and marinade is a win and we will be making it again! 👍🏼 thanks so much for sharing!
Very easy to make and the family loved it. Thanks foe sharing