This is one of my favorite dishes, in part because I adore raw fish. A lot. The texture of seared tuna is wonderful: It’s buttery, soft and so delicious. And the marinade and sauce complement it well with citrus notes and just enough heat.
I typically buy sushi-grade tuna from my local greenmarket. The fish mongers there sell gorgeous whole fish, white fish varieties and more, and yet I always buy their tuna. I have sushi-grade yellowfin in this photo, and I recommend it highly! You could certainly use albacore, which isn't sushi grade. Albacore is more often used for tuna salads, but you can sear it, too.
Seared tuna is flash-cooked in less than 1 minute. Fewer than 30 seconds depending on the size of your piece, and I don’t even flip it. It really is that quick, and then you’re on to tuna heaven.
All you need for this dish are a cast iron or heavy-bottomed pan and a plastic/silicone bag in which to marinate the fish. Enjoy, and leave a comment below if you try it! Or tag me on Instagram if you make it!
A citrusy, spicy sauce on a buttery fish that cooks in 20 seconds? Yes, please!
40 Minutes
30 Seconds
40.5 Minutes
Step 1
Make the marinade. Add 1/4 cup each of vinegar and oil, juice of 1 orange, juice of 1 lime, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp honey to a large ziplock bag or plastic-free equivalent. Add tuna to the bag, close and shake to ensure tuna is fully covered in marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Make the dipping sauce. Add the remaining oil, vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, honey, salt and mustard to a bowl, and whisk. Set aside.
Step 3
Cook the fish. Heat a cast iron or heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Ensure the pan feels quite hot by holding your hand a foot over the pan. Add all contents of the bag—the fish and marinade—to the pan, and flash-cook for 20-30 seconds. Edges should just start to turn more opaque, but just barely. Don’t overcook! Remove immediately to a plate. Pour sauce on the fish. Finish with flaky salt.
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