How To Season And Cook The Perfect Tuna Steak, According To An Expert

If you haven't worked tuna steaks into your weekday dinner rotation, now is the time to change that. Hearty and filling, quick to cook, and mild enough to mix and match with all kinds of sauces and sides, tuna steak recipes can challenge salmon and chicken breasts as the champions of easy meals. But while every kind of protein can be overcooked or dry, tuna steaks are a little more tricky. It isn't that the process of cooking them is complicated, just that tuna steaks are at their best when they're rare (or medium rare), as the meat gets very mealy and dry the minute its pink center disappears. To help make sure that doesn't happen to you, Tasting Table reached out to an expert, Robert DiGregorio, the director of seafood quality at Fulton Fish Market, and asked how he would season and cook the perfect tuna steak.

"To cook tuna steaks to perfection, simplicity is key," DiGregorio told us. "I like to keep it straightforward, allowing the natural flavors of the fish to shine." His recommended seasoning is not different from what you would use with a good steak: just salt, pepper, and a high-quality oil to cook it in. With most tuna steaks being around an inch thick, DiGregorio recommended "searing them for roughly 90 seconds per side to achieve that perfect rare center." That time is best achieved with medium-high to high heat, depending on your stove.

With tuna's meaty flavor and a well-browned crust, a perfectly cooked steak won't need much else. Robert DiGregorio explained that he usually only has one more addition, advising that once your tuna is cooked you should "finish with a drizzle of fresh oil for added richness."

If you do wish to further accent your fish's flavor, it's best to keep it uncomplicated. The savory fish can be rich, meaning the additions that do help it are on the sharper side. "For an extra burst of flavor," DiGregorio told us, "I love to create a simple topping by mixing chopped tomatoes with capers, olives, fresh parsley, rosemary, and a squeeze of lemon juice. This bright, Mediterranean-inspired garnish complements the tuna beautifully."

Anytime you move beyond those flavors for your tuna steak, you should still follow DiGregorio's lead and look to brighter flavors and seasonings to take tuna to the next level. The punchy tang of wasabi is a favorite as a rub for good reason, and adds a lot of flavor without overwhelming the fish. A basic marinade including soy sauce and ginger also brings more complexity that can wake up a tuna dish. Another way to upgrade tuna without compromising the flavor or adding much work is to focus on creating texture, as with a classic sesame-crusted tuna steak recipe. But no matter what you do flavor-wise, sticking to that quick, high-heat sear and pink center is most essential.