Ahi Tuna with Ponzu Sauce

Seared Ahi Tuna shines in a simple 6-ingredient ponzu sauce. Serve with white rice on the side for a light, sushi-like meal any time the craving strikes.

Whether it’s your birthday, a dinner party, or just a stay-in date night, this seared Ahi Tuna is the epitome of simple, delicious cuisine.

If you can’t think of an occasion special enough to make this, just wait for a gorgeous chunk of tuna to show up at the fish market: that’s as special as it gets! Cook it up for anyone in your life who loves sushi.

Recipe ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

• Mirin: If you can’t find Mirin (a sweet Japanese cooking wine), substitute 2 tablespoons white wine or rice vinegar + 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Brown sugar: Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to the ponzu sauce to taste, if desired.
• Cayenne pepper: Add to taste or omit entirely.
• Ahi tuna: Fresh tuna will be red or pink in color and will usually come in a giant loin that gets cut as it’s requested. If you can only find pre-cut pieces of tuna, look for tuna steaks that are moist and shiny with barely translucent meat. If the steaks look dull, brown, or if the muscle starts to separate into flakes, the fish isn’t fresh. Fresh tuna smells like the sea; if it smells too “fishy,” pass. 

Step-by-step instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, lime juice, mirin, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper. Divide sauce in half and reserve half the sauce for dipping.

2. Coat the tuna steaks in remaining ponzu sauce and marinate for at least one hour.

3. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Remove tuna steaks from marinade, wipe off excess, and add to skillet without moving. Sear 1 to 2 minutes per side for rare.

4. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch slices.

5. Garnish with scallions and serve with rice and reserved ponzu sauce for dipping.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe makes 4 (4 ounce) servings.
• Storage: Ideally, you should prepare and eat the ahi tuna on the same day you buy it. If that’s not possible, carry the fish home over ice and store it dry, wrapped in butcher paper and placed in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator over ice. The deep color that ahi is known for is temperature and water sensitive. Stored that way, the fish should keep for up to two days. 
• Grilled: Preheat the grill on high and grill the tuna directly on the grates, searing 1-2 minutes per side, or in a grill-safe pan, prepared according to the recipe.
• A different fish: Try Mahi Mahi, sea bass, cod, or even salmon. You may prefer to cook these fish a bit more thoroughly in this recipe, however, depending on your personal taste. 
• More Asian flavors: Start off your next Asian meal with Chinese Chicken Wings or Pot Stickers. Try a Chinese Chicken Salad with Asian Salad Dressing or a side of quick Brown Fried Rice for a hearty lunch. For a delicious main dish, try a warm bowl of Chicken Ramen or a plate of Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles (made with mostly pantry ingredients!).

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Ahi Tuna with Ponzu Sauce

By Meggan Hill

Seared ahi tuna shines in a simple 6-ingredient ponzu sauce. Serve with white rice on the side for a light, sushi-like meal any time the craving strikes.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Marinating time 1 hour hr

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Calories 235

5 from 38 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the Ponzu Sauce:

• ▢ 1/3 cup soy sauce
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1-2 limes)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons mirin (see note 1)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar plus more to taste (see note 2)
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (see note 3)

For the Ahi Tuna:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 (8 ounce) ahi tuna steaks (about ¾ of an inch thick, see note 4)
• ▢ scallions for garnish
• ▢ toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• ▢ cooked rice for serving

Instructions 

To make the Ponzu Sauce:

• In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, lime juice, mirin, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper. Divide sauce in half and reserve half the sauce for dipping.

To make the Ahi Tuna:

• Coat the tuna steaks in remaining ponzu sauce and marinate for at least one hour.
• In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Remove tuna steaks from marinade, wipe off excess, and add to skillet without moving. Sear 1 to 2 minutes per side for rare.
• Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch slices and garnish with scallions. Serve with white rice and reserved ponzu sauce for dipping.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Mirin: If you can’t find Mirin (a sweet Japanese cooking wine), substitute 2 tablespoons white wine or rice vinegar + 1 teaspoon sugar.
2. Brown sugar: Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to the ponzu sauce to taste, if desired.
3. Cayenne pepper: Add to taste or omit entirely.
4. Ahi tuna: Fresh tuna will be red or pink in color and will usually come in a giant loin that gets cut as it’s requested. If you can only find pre-cut pieces of tuna, look for tuna steaks that are moist and shiny with barely translucent meat. If the steaks look dull, brown, or if the muscle starts to separate into flakes, the fish isn’t fresh. Fresh tuna smells like the sea; if it smells too “fishy,” pass. 
5. Yield: This recipe makes 4 (4 ounce) servings.
6. Storage: Ideally, you should prepare and eat the ahi tuna on the same day you buy it. If that’s not possible, carry the fish home over ice and store it dry, wrapped in butcher paper and placed in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator over ice. The deep color that ahi is known for is temperature and water sensitive. Stored that way, the fish should keep for up to two days.

Nutrition

Serving: 4 ouncesCalories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 29gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 1190mgPotassium: 342mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2501IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill

Meggan Hill

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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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