Ahi tuna (also known as yellowfin tuna) is a sushi classic – but there are many different ways to enjoy it. You can quickly cook ahi tuna from the comfort of your home and get those same flavors you crave (plus save on take-out costs)!
This fish is excellent for delving into the world of seafood. It has a mild yet deep flavor with a meaty texture.
It also combines well with many dressings, from tropical fruits to wasabi and from spicy mayo to soy. While it is often enjoyed raw, it also holds together well for cooking.
Finally, it's also really nutritious. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, it's a great lean source of protein. According to Livestrong, ahi tuna is used for tissue strength, blood vessel function, and bone health.
So, take a peek at the recipes below to make ahi tuna. It's fun, fresh, and delicious – your favorite take-out places may start missing you.
Poke Bowl (with Spicy Mayo)
The most refreshing ahi tuna poke bowls pack big flavors and textures. Marinate the tuna to perfection in a (gluten-free) soy and toasted sesame oil marinade before serving over rice.
This recipe has avocado, cilantro, furikake, toasted sesame seeds, and spicy mayo as toppings, but add whatever your heart desires. The post has plenty of suggestions for different styles of bowls and other toppings to use.
Nicoise Salad With Seared Ahi Tuna
This Nicoise salad is vibrant, fresh, and delicious. We've got endive alongside a spicy tuna rub for a different take on this classic French dish. Both play well with traditional ingredients like haricots verts (green beans), hard-boiled eggs, and Nicoise olives.
The seared ahi tuna steak is grilled to a perfect medium rare. It adds a lovely smoky flavor - perfect for entertaining on a warm summer evening.
Ahi Tuna Poke Nachos With Wontons
Bright and spicy, this dazzling nachos brings together an exciting array of textures and flavors. The ahi tuna is marinated in an umami-packed sauce, and the wontons are fried up fresh and crispy. This dish is spicy, crunchy, salty, and irresistible, especially when those take-out cravings hit after a long day at work.
Sesame-crusted Seared Ahi Tuna
This seared ahi tuna gets a ton of flavor from the sesame seed crust. It also contains kosher salt and sugar, which helps with caramelization.
Between the flavor-filled crunch crust and the rare meat of the tuna, this dish impresses no matter the occasion. It comes with a soy-based dipping sauce, and the whole dish comes together in less than ten minutes in a cast iron skillet. Cut it into ¼-inch thick slices, and you're good to go.
Chilled Herb-crusted Tuna Salad Recipe
This dish might take time and effort, but it's a show-stopper. Fresh flavor is the name of the game here, as the perfectly seasoned ahi tuna is crusted in parsley, chives, and tarragon.
It's paired with avocado salsa, citrus, and beets for a unique and delicious combination.
Ahi-tuna Salad With Miso-wasabi Dressing
Wasabi lovers rejoice - you're getting it all with this recipe. This fool-proof salad combines ahi tuna, fresh avocado, carrots, and edamame with a savory/spicy dressing. Switch it up for a miso-ginger or a citrus dressing if you desire.
The tuna is the star of the show but packed with other nutritious, delicious ingredients; the whole bowl is a winner in our books.
Tuna Tartare Served Two Ways
Tuna tartare is now a restaurant staple, but keep your wallet in your pocket (it's easy to make).
This recipe comes with two different ways of serving it: the classic, layered tartare shape that's perfect for sharing with friends; or in individually made wonton cups.
Served with a wasabi-avocado mash, cilantro, and cucumber - each bite is savory, spicy, salty, and fresh. The raw ahi tuna makes for a perfect contrast with the crispy wontons. Plus, the individual servings make great party appetizers!
Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice
Big, bold flavors and contrasting textures play well in this dish - another perfect one to satisfy sushi cravings.
Rather than using wasabi or sriracha, this dish combines mayo and chili crisp for the spicy tuna and then fries up small sushi rice cakes as the base for all the other flavors to rest on. Once all your components are assembled, build the spicy tuna crispy rice into bite-sized flavor bombs that will disappear in no time.
Grilled Tuna With Marinated Tomato and Arugula Salad
Fresh ahi tuna steaks make for a super quick yet impressive dinner. This recipe pairs grilled tuna with fresh arugula and tomato, plus a tart and tangy dressing.
The whole recipe contains only seven ingredients and is flat on your plate in 20 minutes.
Blackened Tuna
If you're ready for some heat, this tuna steak recipe is definitely for you. The Cajun dry rub packs in the flavor while creating a great crust.
Seared ahi tuna in a pan ensures full control so you won't overcook your fish. This recipe also has some great ideas for serving it, like blackened tuna tacos, salads, or sandwiches.
Cherry-glazed Ahi Tuna Kabobs
The sweet-tart combo of a cherry maple glaze over gorgeous ahi tuna is a pairing we didn't know we needed. The unexpected flavors are perfect together. This recipe serves the grilled kabobs over a winter root vegetable salad.
This recipe is for you if you're looking for a new direction to take ahi tuna in. The salad is raw, so once everything is prepped, there are only five minutes of cook time.
Grilled Ahi Tuna Steak Salad With Wasabi Vinaigrette
If you're craving sushi, you need to check out this recipe. This big, refreshing salad has many of the same elements and flavors: Ahi tuna, cucumber, avocado, scallions, and wasabi.
The tuna is grilled to a perfect rare over high heat, so you get great grill marks but leave the refreshing taste in the center.
Sicilian Fresh Tuna Meatballs With Pasta
These meatballs are a great choice if you aren't feeling the sushi vibe but still want some ahi tuna. They're made with mint, pine nuts, and lemon zest for a light and breezy Mediterranean flavor. Ahi tuna isn't found in the Mediterranean, but you can substitute it for bluefin.
Sicilians typically eat these meatballs as an appetizer, but here, they're made into a full pasta meal. For a different flavor, you can also make them with canned tuna.
Ahi Wonton Tacos With Wasabi Sauce
These ahi wonton tacos are quick and flavorful to make on a grill or in a cast-iron skillet. The seared tuna is topped with wasabi sauce and then cooked in fried wonton wrappers.
Try this recipe if you're looking for an excellent twist on Taco Tuesday!
Latin-inspired Ahi Tuna Tartare
This dish pulls from Latin influences like ají amarillo chile paste, ponzu, and fresh citrus for a new take on the classic tuna tartare flavors. Served alongside tortilla chips, it's an excellent snack for sharing (or not).
This refreshing tartare comes together in 30 minutes.
Air Fryer Ahi Tuna Steaks
You need six ingredients and four minutes to cook these simple yet flavorful tuna steaks. The recipe recommends marinating the tuna, but it's not mandatory (so you can eat it even faster).
Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe
No air fryer? No problem. This simple recipe is here to help you get your tuna perfectly cooked and on the table. Marinated in soy sauce, lemon juice, and sesame oil, this sushi-style dish is elegant and done in 30 minutes.
Deceptively Easy Ahi Tuna Tacos
Honestly, "deceptively easy" could be the tagline of most ahi tuna recipes, but this one is truly simple.
These tacos are light, fresh, healthy, and work as a meal any time of the year. The tuna is marinated in soy sauce, lemon juice, Everything But the Bagel seasoning (perfect for tuna, why didn't we think of that?), and then finished with a bit of honey. Pair with crunchy taco shells, avocado, and a salad mix for the topping, and you're good to go!
Grilled Sesame Ahi Tuna
Ahi tuna and sesame go together like peanut butter and jelly. This tuna is seared on the grill for a crispy exterior while the inside stays soft and tender. The soy-honey marinade imparts an umami flavor with just a hint of sweetness for a perfectly balanced bite. Serve it alongside a noodle salad or brown rice for a healthier option.
This article originally appeared on Wealth of Geeks.