Seared tuna steaks take about 3 minutes to cook, which makes them ideal for weeknight dinners when time is short. This recipe makes them with a quick balsamic reduction and serves them with a white bean side dish with tomatoes and sage. I developed this recipe when I was a diet and health coach at Coach.me as a quick and easy, high flavor, Slow Carb or Pesco Mediterranean weeknight dinner.
Quick Summary: Seared tuna steaks with a balsamic glaze and white bean side dish. Fast enough for weeknights, impressive enough for company. The tuna cooks in 3 minutes; the whole meal takes about 30-40 minutes. Prep: 20 min | Cook: 20 min | Serves: 4
Jump to: RECIPE | Using Frozen Fish | How to Sear Tuna | Balsamic Glaze | White Bean Side Dish | Pesco Mediterranean Diet | FAQ
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Can You Use Frozen Tuna Steaks?
Yes!! While frozen tuna steaks are not sushi-grade quality, they are delicious and available to the home cook. We’re not making sushi here!
Tuna steaks usually come in about 4-ounce steaks that average around one inch thick. They are a fairly meaty and rich form of seafood.
Recipes that would work with swordfish or even steaks are readily adapted to tuna steaks.
How Do You Cook Tuna Steaks?
Like most seafood, tuna should be cooked quickly, but unlike other seafood, tuna should be left somewhat translucent or raw in the middle. This is because…
- Tuna dries out quickly. I have included a balsamic glaze with this recipe that serves as a great dipping sauce in case your tuna gets dry.
- Tuna will keep cooking once you take it off the burner. With steak, you will often see that it is important to let it rest. This is mostly to allow the meat juices to seep back into the meat. With tuna, however, you want to serve it quickly to avoid overcooking or drying out.
Secrets to Searing
- Use tuna steaks that are about 1” thick. Less than this and the inner portion of the tuna cooks too fast, more than this and the inner portion will still be cold.
- Use a non-stick skillet.
- Triangular-shaped steaks will cook slower than rectangle-shaped steaks.
- Tuna steaks will continue to cook with residual heat once removed from the skillet, so either serve right away for rare or let sit for medium rare.
- Using a paring knife to peek into the center works better than a thermometer (clumsy) due to the speed with which tuna will cook.
Try this! Another popular way to cook tuna is with a nut crust. This pistachio-crusted tuna with sour cream sauce turned out particularly well.
What Seasonings Work Best on Tuna?
In the recipe below I used a jerk seasoning rub before searing the tuna (along with a little salt and pepper). Many different seasoning mixes work well with tuna, however, if you don’t care for spicy foods.
Ground fennel is another one of my favorite rubs. Salt and pepper alone or an Old Bay seasoning rub are also popular seasoning mixes for fish recipes.
If you are a fan of tuna but are looking for something great that you can make with tinned tuna, try this Mexican Tuna Salad (easy peasy) or this classic Nicoise salad made into a sandwich.
How to Make a Balsamic Reduction Sauce
Did you know? A balsamic glaze sounds fancy but it is truly quick and easy to make, and it enhances both the flavor and texture of the fish.
I made the balsamic reduction sauce before searing the tuna so I wouldn’t get overwhelmed and overcook the tuna.
It takes about 5 minutes to make and it can quickly be heated up if it cools down too much while your fish is cooking.
Why do White Beans Work Well with Tuna?
White beans and tuna are a classic combination in salads. They also work well however for a warm dinner side dish.
I used Cannellini beans (white kidney beans), but the smaller navy (pea) beans or the Great Northern beans work well also.
I don’t know why white beans are preferred with tuna over red beans, but it is much more traditional. I suspect some of it is visual, but we do eat with our eyes, and white beans with red tomatoes served with the rich brown balsamic glaze is heavenly.
Differences Between the Types of White Beans
All beans are high in fiber. Here is an easy fiber and carb chart per cup of beans for the 4 types of beans described below.
| Type | Fiber per cup | Carbs per cup |
|---|---|---|
| Navy | 19 grams | 47 grams |
| Great Northern | 16 grams | 46 grams |
| Cannellini | 12 grams | 40 grams |
| Baby Lima | 13 grams | 40 grams |
- Navy (pea) beans are small, oval-shaped, and quick-cooking. Because they get creamy when cooked, they’re perfect for purees, stews, and mashing. While all beans are high in fiber, Navy beans have the most at 19 grams per cup!
- Great Northern beans are medium-sized beans known for their mild, nutty flavor and firm flesh. They hold their shape better than Navy beans and tend to take on the flavors of the foods they’re cooked with.
- Cannellini beans are the largest of the group and because of their traditional kidney shape, they are also referred to as white kidney beans. Meatier than Navy or Great Northern beans, they have a nutty, earthy flavor and retain their shape and texture well.
- Baby lima beans are also called “butterbeans”. They are smooth and creamy with a rich, buttery texture.
I used Cannellini beans in the side dish below, but the white beans are interchangeable. White beans pair nicely with spicy seared tuna.
What Is the Pesco Mediterranean Diet?
I have been practicing a low-carb lifestyle for many years now, but I have recently tweaked it a bit to include more seafood, more vegetables, and less red meat.
This is essentially the basics of a Mediterranean diet, but it is currently being tweaked with intermittent fasting in the Pesco Mediterranean Diet. Whatever you want to call it, it is extremely healthy!
The biggest difference between Pesco Mediterranean and Low-Carb is the addition of some of the healthier grains.
Tip: Learn the similarities and differences between Low-Carb, Slow-Carb, and Keto diets. Decide which works best for you.
Here are some other delicious recipes that fit both Pesco Mediterranean and Low Carb/Slow Carb lifestyles:
FAQ
Yes. Frozen tuna steaks work well for searing. Thaw them completely and pat dry before cooking.
Sear about 90 seconds per side for rare (pink center). Use a paring knife to peek inside rather than a thermometer. The tuna will continue cooking after you remove it from heat.
The balsamic glaze doubles as a dipping sauce and helps compensate for drier fish.
Yes. Navy beans, Great Northern beans, or baby limas all work. Cannellini beans hold their shape best.
Yes. Beans are allowed on slow carb, and the rest of the meal is naturally low carb.
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Seared Tuna Steaks with Balsamic Glaze and White Beans.
Equipment
- Dutch oven Or large pot
Ingredients
White Bean Side Dish
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely sliced or chopped
- 3 tablespoons sage finely minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or other chile spice
- 14 ½ ounces canned, diced tomatoes I like RoTel
- 15 ½ ounces canned white beans I used cannellini
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Balsamic Reduction Sauce
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1 clove garlic sliced
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar aged if possible
- 1 teaspoon chipotle spice or a milder chile spice blend
- ½ teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Seared Tuna
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2-3 tablespoons jerk seasoning can use any seasoning blend
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ pounds tuna steaks I used 6 4-oz filets
Instructions
White bean side dish
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook 5-7 minutes until translucent or caramelized. Add garlic, sage and paprika and cook 1 minute, stirring to combine.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons sage, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Add tomatoes and beans and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside and make the glaze (see next steps).14 1/2 ounces canned, diced tomatoes, 15 1/2 ounces canned white beans
Balsamic reduction sauce
- Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat until it foams. Stir in garlic; cook until edges just start to turn golden, about 1-2 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and simmer over medium heat until it bubbles and thickens a bit (about 1-2 minutes).2 teaspoons butter, 1 clove garlic, 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- Stir in chile spice, tomato paste and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove pot from burner and add the cold butter. Let it melt into the sauce while you cook the tuna in a separate skillet.1 teaspoon chipotle spice, 1/2 teaspoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Seared Tuna Steaks
- Add 1-2 tablespoons oil to a skillet and heat over high to smoking. Meanwhile, lay tuna steaks out on countertop or large plate. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and seasoning mix. Rub in with your hands. Turn the steaks over and repeat on the other side3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, 1 1/2 pounds tuna steaks, 2-3 tablespoons jerk seasoning
- When skillet is smoking place tuna steaks in skillet and sear on each side for about 1 1/2 minutes per side (middle of steaks will be fairly raw). Remove from heat and drizzle with balsamic reduction. Stir in the butter to the warm beans and serve sprinkled with shredded parmesan.1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Video
Notes
-
- Use tuna steaks that are about 1” thick. Less than this and the inner portion of the tuna cooks too fast, more than this and the inner portion will still be cold.
-
- Use a non-stick skillet.
-
- Triangular shaped steaks will cook slower than rectangle shaped steaks.
-
- Tuna steaks will continue to cook with residual heat once removed from skillet, so either serve right away for rare, or let sit for medium rare.
-
- Using a paring knife to peek into the center works better than a thermometer (clumsy) due to the speed with which tuna will cook.
Nutrition
Can you use store bought balsamic glaze instead of making it from scratch?
You sure can! It won’t have the chile spice in it, but that’s just fine. You might want to add a little butter and garlic to it to give it a creamier texture, but the balsamic vinegar itself is the star.
Go light on the vinegarette on the Tuna and pour some over the bean side dish, it’s delish! Thanks so much for the inspiration for a protein packed and satisfying scrumptious dinner!
Thanks so much for the comment Lauren. I haven’t tried it over the beans, but I certainly will now!
Loved it and very easy to make !
So glad you like it Maggie! One of my go-to dinners. I got some tuna at Walmart recently and it was actually pretty good!