Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
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 is marinated, pressed into a black and white sesame seed crust, and air fried for just a few minutes so the centers stay beautifully rare. They cook right over a quick zucchini and squash salad in one pot, and the reserved marinade becomes a tangy dressing to tie it all together.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 415kcal
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
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
PREP TIPS
• 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.
• 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
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 690mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g