- Ninja Foodi (or air fryer with a rack)
- Resealable bag
- Shallow dish (for the sesame crust)
- Thin, sharp slicing knife
- Tongs
These sesame encrusted air fryer tuna steaks look like something off a fancy restaurant menu, but they are so easy to make right at home. The tuna gets a bright, Asian-inspired marinade, a beautiful black and white sesame seed crust, and just a few minutes in the air fryer so the centers stay perfectly rare. If you have been nervous about cooking tuna at home, this is the technique that turns out great every single time.
The best part is that everything happens in one pot. A quick zucchini and squash salad roasts in the bottom while the air fryer preheats, then the tuna steaks cook on a rack right above. The marinade does double duty too. Half of it flavors the tuna and the other half becomes a tangy sesame dressing that ties the whole plate together.
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I have made this air fryer tuna steak recipe a few different ways to get the timing just right, and I will walk you through everything. Once you see how simple it is, this restaurant-quality tuna steak will become one of your favorite easy weeknight meals.
Suggested Kitchen Tools for Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
- Ninja Foodi or any air fryer with a rack
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Resealable bag (for marinating)
- Shallow dish (for the sesame crust)
- Thin, sharp slicing knife
- Cooling rack and tongs
Ingredients & Substitutions
This air fryer tuna steak recipe uses simple ingredients for the marinade, the sesame crust, and a fresh little salad. Let's take a closer look at each part.
Tuna Steaks
Used in Recipe: Four tuna steaks, about 4 ounces each. I like to buy the cryovac (vacuum-sealed) tuna, which you can find even at Walmart.
What it Does: Tuna steaks are the star here. Because we serve them on the medium to rare side, make sure the ahi tuna is either sushi grade or flash frozen on the boat and then put in cryovac bags.
Substitutions: While you can use a different fish, the cook times will be different. If substituting a flaky fish filet for the tuna, reduce the marinade time to 15-30 minutes.
Asian Marinade
Used in Recipe: The marinade is a blend of ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon yuzu juice, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon sambal oelek, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, and ¼ cup avocado oil. It makes about 1 cup total.
What it Does: This marinade is bright, savory, and citrusy, which is exactly what you want so it really coats and flavors the tuna. Half marinates the fish and the other half becomes the dressing. The rice vinegar and yuzu bring the acid, the soy and hoisin bring savory depth, and the avocado oil carries it all.
If you enjoy these Asian-inspired flavors, you will also love my General Tso's Chicken Dinner made in the Ninja Combi.
Substitutions: If you don't have yuzu, use about 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice instead. Yuzu is more powerful than lemon, so 1 tablespoon is plenty. Garlic paste keeps the garlic from burning, but minced garlic works too. Use chili garlic paste in place of sambal oelek, or leave the heat out entirely.
Black and White Sesame Seeds
Used in Recipe: A mixture of 5 tablespoons white sesame seeds and 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds forms the crust.
What it Does: The sesame seeds create that signature crunchy, nutty crust and a beautiful two-tone look. They toast up as the tuna air fries, so they go on untoasted.
Substitutions: Use all white or all black sesame seeds if that is what you have. The mix is just for the pretty look. Toasted sesame seeds also work and will not burn in the short cook time.
Yellow Squash, Zucchini, and Onion
Used in Recipe: One small to medium yellow squash, one small to medium zucchini, and one medium onion, all cut into bite-size pieces and tossed with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
What it Does: These vegetables roast in the bottom of the pot while the air fryer preheats, which softens them and gives them a lovely browned texture and flavor. They become the base of the salad.
Substitutions: The exact size doesn't matter as long as the vegetables fit in the bottom of the pot. Olive oil works in place of avocado oil. You can also serve the roasted vegetables as a simple side dish instead of folding them into a salad.
Romaine and Tomatoes
Used in Recipe: One head of romaine lettuce and 1 to 2 tomatoes. The prettiest outer leaves are saved for plating and the rest is chopped for the salad.
What it Does: The romaine adds fresh crunch and a base for plating, while the tomatoes add juicy brightness. Everything is chopped to about the same size for a tidy chopped salad.
Substitutions: Cherry tomatoes work great and are a little less juicy, so they hold up nicely. Any sturdy lettuce you like can stand in for the romaine.
Toasted Sesame Oil for the Dressing
Used in Recipe: The reserved marinade gets whisked with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more avocado oil to taste, to turn it into the dressing.
What it Does: The toasted sesame oil mellows and rounds out the strong marinade into a balanced, nutty dressing for the salad and the sliced tuna.
Substitutions: Add more heat with chili garlic paste or extra ginger if you like, or more avocado oil if you want to tone down the tang. Adjust it to your own taste.
How to Make Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
From start to finish, the active work is about 25 minutes, plus an overnight thaw and a 1 to 2 hour marinade that are both hands-off. Here is everything you need to know!
Mise En Place
- The night before, remove the tuna from its vacuum-sealed bag, set it on a tray with a rack, cover loosely, or place it in a zip lock baggy and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Measure the marinade ingredients: ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon yuzu juice, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon sambal oelek, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, and ¼ cup avocado oil.
- Measure the sesame seeds and mix them together: 5 tablespoons white sesame seeds and 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds.
- Have the vegetables ready to cut: 1 yellow squash, 1 zucchini, 1 medium onion, 1 head of romaine, and 1 to 2 tomatoes.
- Set out the dressing finishers: 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and a little extra avocado oil.
Make the Marinade
In a bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, yuzu juice, garlic paste, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sambal oelek, ginger paste, and avocado oil. You will have about 1 cup. Give it a taste. It should be bright and very puckering. Reserve half of the marinade in a separate container to use later for the dressing.
Marinate the Tuna
Pour the remaining marinade into a resealable bag with the tuna steaks, lay it flat in a single layer, press the air out, and seal. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
Quick Tip
Do not marinate the tuna longer than 2 hours. The acid in the marinade is strong, and going much longer than that will start to break down the texture of the fish.
Prep the Vegetables and Preheat
Cut the yellow squash, zucchini, and onion into bite-size pieces, about ½ inch. Toss them with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, then spread them in a single layer in the bottom of the air fryer pot.
Coat the Tuna in Sesame Seeds
While the air fryer preheats, stir the white and black sesame seeds together in a shallow dish. Remove the tuna from the marinade and discard the used marinade. Do not blot the steaks. Press each one into the sesame seed mixture, coating the top, bottom, and all four sides so the edges look finished.
Quick Tip
Coat the sides of the tuna, not just the top and bottom. The edges can look a little funny when they are bare, and a full sesame crust all the way around gives you that restaurant-quality finish.
Air Fry the Tuna & Veggies
Set the rack in the high position so the tuna will sit close to the heating element. Set the air fryer to the Air Fry setting at 400℉/200℃ and the time to 14 minutes for rare tuna and 16 minutes for medium tuna.
The vegetables roast in the bottom during the first 10 minutes of air frying.
When the time says 4 minutes remaining, Place the sesame crusted tuna on the rack in the high position, spacing the steaks apart. Move quickly so you don't let the heat escape. Air fry at 400℉/204℃ for 2 minutes (3 min if you are cooking to medium).
Flip and Finish Cooking
Flip the tuna and air fry 2 more minutes for a rare center. For a medium center, cook 3 minutes per side instead. Remove the tuna to a cooling rack right away and let it rest a few minutes. Take the roasted vegetables out of the pot.
Prep the Lettuce for Plating
Separate the prettiest outer romaine leaves and set them aside whole for plating. They make a fresh, pretty base for the sliced tuna and salad.
Make the Chopped Salad
Chop the remaining romaine and the tomatoes into bite-size pieces and add them to a mixing bowl with the warm roasted vegetables. Toss to combine.
Finish the Dressing
To finish the dressing, whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil into the reserved marinade, then taste and add 1 to 2 tablespoons more avocado oil if you want to mellow the tang.
Plate the Salad
Toss about ¼ cup of the dressing through the salad. Lay a romaine leaf on each plate and add a little of the dressed salad on top.
Slice the Tuna and Serve
Using a thin, sharp knife, slice each tuna steak thinly. Fan the sliced tuna alongside the dressed salad and drizzle with a bit more dressing. Serve right away.
Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
Equipment
- Ninja Foodi (or air fryer with a rack)
- Resealable bag
- Shallow dish (for the sesame crust)
- Thin, sharp slicing knife
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 4 4 ounce ahi or yellowfin tuna steaks thawed; see prep tips for safe thawing
- 5 tablespoon white sesame seeds untoasted; they toast during air frying
- 3 tablespoon black sesame seeds untoasted
Marinade Ingredients
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yuzu juice or 1½ tablespoons lemon juice; do not use more, it is very puckering
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste or 1 tablespoon minced garlic; paste is recommended so it doesn't burn on the tuna
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or chili garlic paste; omit if you don't want any heat
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- ¼ cup avocado oil
Dressing Ingredients (added to the remaining marinade)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoon avocado oil optional, to taste, to balance the dressing
Squash & Zuchini Salad
- 1 small to medium yellow squash cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 small to medium zucchini cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 medium onion cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 head romaine lettuce 4 outer leaves reserved for plating, the rest chopped
- 1 to 2 tomatoes or a handful of cherry tomatoes
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Instructions
- Remove the tuna steaks from their vacuum-sealed packaging. Do not thaw them inside the sealed bag. Place them on a tray fitted with a rack, cover loosely, and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. This step is important for food safety because we serve this tuna on the medium to rare side.4 4 ounce ahi or yellowfin tuna steaks
- Make the marinade. In a bowl, whisk together ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon yuzu juice, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (if using), 1 teaspoon ginger paste, and ¼ cup avocado oil. You will have about 1 cup. Give it a taste. It should be bright and very puckering.¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon yuzu juice, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, ¼ cup avocado oil, 1 tablespoon sambal oelek
- Reserve half of the marinade (about ½ cup) in a separate container to become the dressing later. Pour the remaining half into a resealable bag with the tuna steaks. Lay the bag flat in a single layer, press the air out, and seal. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Do not marinate longer than 2 hours or the acid will start to break down the fish.
- Prep the vegetables. Cut 1 yellow squash, 1 zucchini, and 1 medium onion into bite-size pieces, about ½ inch (cut them a little larger if you are serving the vegetables as a side instead of in the salad). Place the vegetables in the bottom of the Ninja Foodi Pot and add oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.1 small to medium yellow squash, 1 small to medium zucchini, 1 medium onion, 1 tablespoon avocado oil, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt
- Set the rack in the high position so the tuna will sit close to the heating element. Set the air fryer to the Air Fry setting at 400℉/204℃ and set the time to 14 minutes for rare tuna (we add the tuna after 10 minutes of air frying) or 16 minutes for medium tuna. The vegetables roast in the bottom of the pot during the initial 10 minute air fry time.
- While the air fryer is cooking the vegetables, stir together 5 tablespoons white sesame seeds and 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds in a shallow dish. It is fine to mix up a little extra so you don't run out while coating.5 tablespoon white sesame seeds, 3 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- Remove the tuna from the marinade and discard the used marinade. Do not blot the steaks. Press each one into the sesame seed mixture, coating the top, bottom, and all four sides so the edges look finished.
- After 10 minutes, place the sesame crusted tuna on the rack in the high position, spacing the steaks apart. Move quickly so you don't let the heat escape. Air fry at 400℉/204℃ for 2 minutes, flip, and air fry 2 more minutes for rare. For a medium center, cook 3 minutes per side instead.
- Remove the tuna to a cooling rack and let it rest for a few minutes. You can also pop it into the refrigerator if you would rather serve it chilled. Take the roasted vegetables out of the pot. They should be slightly browned and tender.
- Make the salad. Chop the reserved romaine and 1 to 2 tomatoes into bite-size pieces so everything is about the same size. Add them to a mixing bowl along with the warm roasted vegetables and toss to combine.1 head romaine lettuce, 1 to 2 tomatoes
- Finish the dressing. To the reserved marinade, whisk in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Taste, and whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons more avocado oil if you want to mellow the tang. Toss about ¼ cup of the dressing through the salad.1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 to 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- Slice and serve. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut each tuna steak into thin slices. Lay a romaine leaf on each plate, add a little dressed salad, fan the sliced tuna alongside, and drizzle with a bit more dressing. Serve right away.
Notes
• Buy cryovac (vacuum-sealed) tuna, which you can find even at Walmart. Always remove it from the sealed bag before thawing and thaw it on a tray or in a babby in the frigerator overnight.
• Do not marinate longer than 2 hours. The acid in the marinade is strong and will begin to break down the texture of the fish.
• Use garlic paste rather than minced garlic. Minced garlic tends to stick to the tuna and can burn during air frying. MARINADE & DRESSING TIPS
• The full batch of marinade makes about 1 cup. Half marinates the tuna and the other half becomes the dressing, so set that portion aside before the tuna goes in.
• You want the marinade to taste very strong and puckering so it really coats and flavors the tuna. The dressing is mellowed afterward with sesame oil and a little more avocado oil.
• Yuzu is more powerful and more puckering than lemon juice, so 1 tablespoon is plenty. If you substitute lemon juice, use about 1½ tablespoons.
• Adjust the heat to your taste by adding more or less sambal oelek, chili garlic paste, or ginger. COOKING TIPS
• Keep the rack in the high position so the tuna cooks close to the heating element. The vegetables roast in the bottom during the 10 minute preheat, then the tuna cooks fast.
• For rare tuna, air fry 2 minutes per side at 400℉/204℃. For a medium center, cook 3 minutes per side. NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
Nutritional information provided is an estimate based on typical ingredient values and standard portion sizes. Actual nutritional content may vary significantly depending on specific brands used, ingredient substitutions, preparation methods, portion sizes, and individual cooking techniques. For precise nutritional information tailored to your specific ingredients and preparation, please consult with a registered dietitian or use laboratory analysis. This information should not be used for medical nutrition therapy or to manage medical conditions without professional guidance.
Nutrition
Alternate Cooking Instructions
- Cast iron skillet on the stovetop: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with a little avocado oil until very hot. Sear the sesame crusted tuna for about 1 to 1½ minutes per side for rare, just long enough to toast the seeds and warm the outer edge while keeping the center pink.
- Outdoor grill: Heat the grill to high. Grill the tuna over direct heat for about 1½ to 2 minutes per side for rare. Keep a close eye on it, as the sesame seeds toast quickly over an open flame.
- Roast the vegetables separately: If your air fryer doesn't have room for both, roast the squash, zucchini, and onion in a 400℉/204℃ oven for 15 minutes while you cook the tuna in the air fryer.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
How to Store Leftover Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
Let the tuna cool before storing
- Refrigerator: Store leftover cooked tuna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It is delicious cold, sliced over a fresh salad the next day.
- Dressing: Store the dressing separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Whisk or shake it before using.
- Freezer: Freezing is not recommended once the tuna is cooked,
Quick Tip
Leftover rare tuna is best enjoyed cold rather than reheated. Warming it back up tends to cook the center past that lovely rare texture, so slice it straight from the fridge over greens for an easy next-day lunch.
How to Reheat Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
- Serve cold: The easiest option is to slice leftover tuna and serve it cold over a fresh salad. No reheating needed.
- Quick warm in the air fryer: If you prefer it warm, give it 1 minute at 350℉/175℃ just to take the chill off, knowing the center will cook a little more.
- Skillet: Warm slices very briefly in a hot dry skillet, just a few seconds per side, to refresh the sesame crust without overcooking the center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because we serve this tuna on the medium to rare side, food safety matters. Some of the bacteria that can grow on fish are anaerobic, meaning they thrive in the oxygen-free environment of a vacuum-sealed bag. The packaging itself usually tells you to remove the fish from the bag before thawing. Take the tuna out of the cryovac bag, place it on a tray with a rack, cover it loosely, and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
Marinate the tuna for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Do not go longer than 2 hours. The acid in the marinade is strong, and marinating too long will start to break down the texture of the fish and leave it mushy. One hour is enough for great flavor.
Garlic paste is recommended for this recipe. Minced garlic tends to cling to the surface of the tuna, and those little bits can burn during air frying. Garlic paste gives you the same flavor without that risk. If you only have minced garlic, about 1 tablespoon works, just know it may brown more on the surface.
With the rack in the high position and the air fryer at 400℉/204℃, cook the tuna 2 minutes, flip, and cook 2 more minutes for a rare center. For a medium center, cook 3 minutes per side instead. The tuna cooks fast, so don't walk away, and pull it out to a cooling rack as soon as it is done so it doesn't keep cooking.
No. Use untoasted sesame seeds because they toast up during the air frying process. You can use toasted sesame seeds if that is what you have, and they will not burn in the short cook time. A mix of white and black seeds just looks pretty, but all white or all black works fine too.
Lemon juice is a great substitute for yuzu. Yuzu is more powerful and more puckering than lemon, so where you would use 1 tablespoon of yuzu, use about 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice. Do not add more than that, since too much acid will make the marinade overly sharp.
Variations
- Simple salt and pepper tuna: Skip the Asian marinade entirely and just season the tuna with salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning blend. The sesame crust and air fryer technique still work beautifully.
- Serve the vegetables as a side: Instead of a salad, cut the squash and zucchini into ½ inch slices and the onion a little larger for a prettier presentation, then serve the roasted vegetables right alongside the tuna.
- Add avocado: Sliced avocado on the plate is delicious with the tuna and the tangy sesame dressing.
- Adjust the heat: Add more or less sambal oelek, chili garlic paste, or ginger to make the marinade and dressing as spicy or as mild as you like.
- All one color crust: Use all white or all black sesame seeds if that is what you have on hand. The flavor is the same, only the look changes.
More Air Fryer and Seafood Favorites
If you love how quick and fresh these tuna steaks are, here are a few more air fryer and seafood favorites worth adding to your menu. Each one is simple, full of flavor, and easy enough for a busy weeknight. Give them a try and let me know which one you reach for next.
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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