Air Fryer Tuna Steaks Recipe​ With Lime Dipping Sauce

You need no skills to make these juicy and tender air fryer tuna steaks without marinating them. Serve with a dipping sauce that adds so much flavor to the fish.

Seared tuna steaks in the air fryer taste divine to any fish lover; you can make them rare, medium-rare, medium, and even well-done following the tips and the recipe in this post. 

You can even make frozen tuna steak in air fryer cooked to your favorite doneness following the directions in this post with time and temperature to make frozen ahi tuna steaks in an air fryer.

But if you don’t want to make them frozen, I got you covered with the safest way to thaw frozen tuna steaks before cooking in the air fryer or on the stovetop.

Maybe you have been wondering if you can cook tuna steak in an air fryer without overcooking the steaks. Searing, raw tuna steaks in the air fryer is possible and so easy to make like with any other air fryer fish recipe.

What is ahi tuna

First, let start by saying tuna is a large and muscular fish with flesh that ranges from pink to a darker red. The Yellowfin tuna or ahi tuna is smaller in size and is often used in raw fish dishes in Asian cuisines like sushi.

The Hawaiian name ahi tuna, also known as yellowfin, is one of the common types of tuna used for canning. It can also be seared or grilled, and that’s what this recipe is about seared ahi tuna in the air fryer.

Is ahi tuna healthy

Eating ahi tuna fish is good for you. This fish is low in fat but full in proteins and other nutrients that can do good to your overall health; it’s also higher in mercury than different types of tuna, and you should limit its consumption to 1-3 times a month, and if you are pregnant, you should avoid it. 

How to season tuna steaks

Season the raw tuna steaks with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It can also be seasoned with herbs like cilantro, dill, mint, and green onions for extra flavor. 

For this air fryer recipe; olive oil, salt, and pepper are all you need to make ahi tuna in the air fryer, and the dipping sauce will add the extra flavor.

How to make air fryer tuna steaks

Don’t be intimidated by cooking yellowfin tuna in air fryer. It’s easy to just season the fish with salt and pepper and seared in the air fryer in a flash. 

• Preheat the air fryer at 370 F for 5 minutes.
• Coat all sides of the ahi tuna steaks with olive oil and season all sides with salt and pepper to taste.

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• Add the tuna steaks in the air fryer basket and air fry at 370 F for 2 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. 
• Meanwhile, combine the coconut amino, green onion, lime juice, and water into a small bowl, set aside.

• Remove the steaks from the basket and thinly slice tuna steaks and serve with the lime dipping sauce and the sides of your choice.

How long to cook tuna steaks in the air fryer 

Ahi tuna is a fish low in fat, and it’s usually cooked to medium-rare 125ºF to retain moisture. 

These cooking times and doneness works with thaw or fresh tuna steaks.

• Rare: 110-115ºF (1 minutes and 30 seconds per side)
• Medium-rare: 125-130ºF (2-3 minutes per side)
• Medium: 135- 145ºF (4 minutes per side)
• Well-done: over 150ºF (6+ minutes per side)

The FDA recommends cooking all seafood to an internal temperature of 145ºF to prevent foodborne illness. 

How to cook frozen tuna steaks in the air fryer

Add the seasoned frozen tuna steaks in the air fryer basket and air fry at 370ºF for 7-10 minutes turning halfway through or desire doneness. 

These times work with frozen tuna steaks.

Rare: 3 minutes per side

Medium-rare: 4 minutes per side

Medium: 6 minutes per side

Well-done: 8+ minutes per side

How to cook tuna steaks on the stove

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tsp olive oil, sear ahi tuna for 2 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Remove from heat and let it rest for a minute or so before slicing.

How to thaw frozen tuna steaks

Here are a couple of the best options on how to thaw frozen yellowfin tuna.

• Put the ahi tuna steaks in the refrigerator and thaw them overnight.

If you forgot to take it out of the freezer, this is a quick and safe option to thaw fish.

• Transfer the fish to a leak proof plastic bag.

• Fill a large bowl with cold water and place the fish in the bowl with the top of the bag out of the water.

• Thaw the fish in the cold water changing the water every 30 minutes until the fish thaws.

• Don’t use hot water or thaw ahi tuna on the counter as this can lead to bacteria growth on the fish's surface.

Can you reheat tuna steaks 

Leftover tuna steaks can be easily overcooked. There is a fine line between reheating and overcooking yellowfin tuna steaks in the air fryer. If you opted to reheat it in the air fryer, choose a lower temperature and keep checking every 30 seconds until it is heated through. 

What to serve with ahi tuna steaks

• Roasted or air fried Brussel sprouts
• Instant Pot Brown rice
• Instant pot Quinoa
• Air Fryer Broccoli 
• Asian salad
• Saute Bok choy 

More air fryer steaks recipes you'll love

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Cauliflower Steak Air Fryer

Delicious Air Fryer Steak Bites

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