Grilled Ahi Tuna Steaks with Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce

Add a kiss of charcoal flavor to grilled ahi tuna steaks and serve with an easy-to-make Asian-inspired sesame soy dipping sauce.

What is ahi tuna?

Ahi tuna is different than the type of tuna you buy in the can. That’s usually made with skipjack tuna or albacore tuna.

Ahi is the Hawaiian word for fire. It refers to both yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna.

Yellowfin is a species of tuna that is fished from tropical and subtropical oceans. It has a deep red flesh and mild flavor. The texture is slightly firm and ideal in both raw and cooked applications.

Bigeye tuna is not as popular in the U.S. It’s larger than yellowfin tuna and has a higher fat content. It’s often used in sashimi.

You should be able to find ahi tuna steaks at your local grocery store. I do recommend grilling fresh tuna steak instead of frozen. Frozen seafood holds a lot of water and makes it more challenging to create a good sear.

The grilled tuna steak is going to be gently seared for just a couple of minutes on each side, so it will still be rare in the middle. Therefore, it’s important that you purchase your tuna from a reputable fish market. I buy mine from Whole Foods.

You’ll see some packaging will say sushi grade or sashimi grade, indicating its level of freshness. There are actually no standards for meeting those conditions, but if it makes you feel better, look for that on the label.

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• Ahi Tuna Steaks: Look for the freshest steaks you can find. The color should be bright and they shouldn’t have a fishy smell.
• Canola Oil: This will be used to season the tuna and to oil the grill. If you prefer, you can use olive oil to season the fish, but you should use a high-heat oil for the grill. You can also use avocado oil or vegetable oil.
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
• Soy Sauce: This is the base of the dipping sauce. You can use original or low sodium.
• Rice Wine Vinegar: Look for rice vinegar in the Asian aisle at your local grocery store.
• Sesame Oil: A little goes a long way, but this is the key to great umami flavor.
• Honey
• Red Pepper Flakes: These add a touch of heat to the dipping sauce. You can also use a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Green Onion
• Sesame Seeds

See the full recipe card below for servings and a full list of ingredients.

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How to grill ahi tuna steak

I like to make grilled tuna steak on a charcoal grill, so it gets a kiss of smoke. You can also grill them over high heat on a gas grill with wood chips, on a pellet grill or even on a grill pan.

To get cooking, place Cowboy Charcoal Hardwood Briquets in a charcoal chimney. Add a fire starter below the chimney and light the coals.

Once the coals ash over, dump them into the charcoal grill. Adjust the vents, so the grill reaches a temperature of 400F degrees.

1. STEP ONE: As the grill heats up, combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

2. STEP TWO: Remove the ahi tuna steaks from their packaging. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Rub with oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. STEP THREE: Brush some oil on the hot grill grates to prevent the tuna from sticking. You can also use cooking spray. Just be very careful because it’s highly flammable. Just spritz in small bursts.

PRO TIP: It's really important that your grill grates are clean. Seafood is more likely to stick to a dirty grill. 

4. STEP FOUR: Place steaks on the grill over the direct high heat. Grill the tuna steaks for 2 minutes. Don’t move the tuna steak while it’s cooking. It will sear and form grill marks. It should easily flip when ready.

5. STEP FIVE: Flip and grill tuna steaks for another 1-2 minutes. The tuna should still be red in the center.

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How to serve grilled tuna

Remove from the grill. Place the grilled tuna steaks on a cutting board and slice into strips. Layer the strips on a serving platter and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with the dipping sauce.

This makes a wonderful low-carb, protein-packed entree, but it’s also a beautiful option for an appetizer.

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Storage

Store leftover grilled tuna steaks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s great cold the next day on salads or cold noodles. If you reheat the tuna, it will continue cooking it.

You can also freeze grilled tuna steaks for 1-2 months. Defrost them in the refrigerator.

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