Name: Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup soy sauce (or tamari); 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 tablespoon lime juice; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 clove garlic (minced); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 tablespoon sliced green onions (for garnish); 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (for garnish)

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It's easy to make soy marinated Air Fryer Tuna Steaks at home that are just as good, if not better, than you've ever had in a restaurant!

closeup view of an air fried ahi tuna steak topped with sesame seeds and green onion. The steak has been sliced to show the pink inside color and texture.

AIR FRYER TUNA STEAKS RECIPE

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I'm always so pleased (but not really surprised) when I can make fancy, restaurant quality meals in the air fryer like these seared air fryer Ahi tuna steaks!

Air Fryer Salmon, Air Fryer Steak Bites, Air Fryer Scallops, and Air Fryer Lamb Chops can all be made in the air fryer in just a few minutes, for way less than those plates would cost in a restaurant.

This recipe for Tuna Steaks in the air fryer uses a simple Asian-inspired marinade packed with the delicious flavors of soy, honey, garlic, and lime.

In just a few minutes you will have perfectly seared, medium-rare air fryer Tuna Steaks, ready to enjoy with that special someone.

If you love Asian flavors, you should also try making Air Fryer Sticky Ginger Chicken!

WHAT IS AHI TUNA?

Ahi is the Hawaiian name for what is more commonly known as yellowfin tuna. Ahi or Yellowfin is a firm, meaty fish that can stand up to grilling or searing.

It's also commonly used in sushi or other raw applications like these ahi tuna nachos.

You can use the air fryer to make seared ahi tuna! It's easy, and I'll show you how.

INGREDIENTS FOR AIR FRYER TUNA STEAKS

Tuna Steaks: You should be able to comfortably fit two 6-ounce tuna steaks in your air fryer basket, so that's how many we're making in this recipe. Feel free to make just one, or double the recipe and cook the steaks in batches.

Soy Sauce: The salty, umami base of our tuna marinade is soy sauce. Use regular or low sodium. You can also use tamari or coconut aminos if you prefer.

Sesame Oil: I love the nutty flavor that this oil gives to all types of asian style marinades.

Lime Juice: Get a tablespoon of fresh lime juice by juicing it yourself. Bottled lime juice is nice sometimes, but it's just not as good as the real thing.

Honey: To balance the sour and salty flavors in the marinade, honey is the perfect choice.

Garlic: So now we have honey, soy, lime, and garlic. These things go so well together, and can make almost anything taste amazing! Just mince up one clove to toss into the tuna marinade.

Kosher Salt: Just a pinch makes this marinade extra flavorful. You can leave this out if you're watching your sodium.

Garnish: Top your cooked tuna steaks with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and some thinly sliced green onion.

If you have any questions about Air Fryer Tuna Steaks, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!

a collage of six numbered images showing how to make tuna steaks in air fryer

HOW TO MAKE TUNA STEAK AIR FRYER

Make the marinade for the tuna by combining soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, and salt in a large bowl.
Add the tuna steaks to the bowl and toss to cover with the marinade. Be sure to spoon some of the minced garlic onto the top of the steaks.
Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
Place the marinated tuna steaks in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Avoid letting the steaks touch each other, give them lots of room.
Air Fry Tuna Steaks at 380°F/ 190°C as directed in the recipe below. Flip them over halfway through the cooking time so that they are seared on both sides. The cooking time will depend on how rare or well done you'd like your tuna steaks, so be sure to check the recipe card for the details.
Rest the tuna steaks for 1-2 minutes before serving them, topped with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with fresh lime wedges too!

For the complete list of ingredients and instructions for making tuna steaks in the air fryer, please see the recipe below.

a triangular shaped whole tuna steak topped with sesame seeds and green onion on a white plate with lime wedges on the side.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER TUNA STEAKS

This air fryer fish has lots of Asian flair, so it will be most delicious with jasmine rice and steamed veggies, or my delicious Air Fryer Fried Rice.

You might also like to try Air Fryer Dumplings or some easy Air Fryer Egg Rolls.

Make a healthy salad! Use this grilled tuna salad recipe, but instead of grilling the fish, make it in the air fryer instead.

AIR FRYER TUNA RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS

Instead of honey, you can use any sweetener that you enjoy. This recipe pairs honey, lime and soy together in a really delicious way, however maple syrup or brown sugar will also work well.

To make this recipe gluten free be sure to choose gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminios instead of traditional soy sauce.

HOW LONG CAN I MARINATE TUNA STEAKS?

You should marinate the tuna steaks in the honey soy and lime mixture for at least 20 minutes, but no longer than 1 hour. After an hour, the acid from the lime will start to break down the fish too much, and will give you a mushy final dish.

HOW LONG DO YOU AIR FRY TUNA STEAK?

For medium-rare seared tuna steaks, you should air fry them for 4-5 minutes, flipping them over halfway though.

I have found that an air fryer temperature of 380°F/ 190°C is the best for cooking tuna steaks.

For medium tuna steaks, you'll want to cook them for 5-6 minutes, and for well done tuna it will be 6-7 minutes of cooking time.

Remember that all air fryers cook a bit differently. These times may be different for your model, so keep a close eye on the fish, especially the first time you make this recipe.

DO TUNA STEAKS NEED TO BE COOKED THROUGH?

Tuna steaks do not have to be fully cooked all the way through. Many restaurants and home cooks serve tuna steaks Medium Rare, which is an internal temperature of 125°F/ 52°C.

At this temperature, the inside will be pink and the outside of the tuna will be an opaque light orange color.

If you prefer your fish to be well done, add a few minutes to the cooking time here.

SO, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN TUNA STEAKS ARE DONE?

It's always best to use an instant read thermometer to test your meats for proper doneness.

When it comes to tuna steaks, look for these temperatures, depending on if you like your tuna cooked well done, medium rare, or somewhere in between.

Well Done Tuna Steak: no more than 150°F/ 65°C
Medium Tuna Steak: 140°F/ 60°C
Medium Rare Tuna Steak: at least 125°F/ 52°C
Rare Tuna Steak: 115°F/ 46°C

Serving fish that is less than well done can be risky, as there may be certain parasites or bacteria in raw Tuna that can make you sick.

If you like to follow FDA guidelines, they recommend cooking all fish to an internal temperature of 145°F/ 63°C.

That being said, raw tuna is often served in sushi and other dishes, so it is generally considered safe to consume in moderation.

a ridged white plate holding two air fryer tuna steaks, garnished with lime wedges, sliced green onion, and sesame seeds

HOW TO THAW FROZEN TUNA STEAKS

Buying tuna steaks frozen is often the most cost effective way to do so, especially if you don't live very close to to ocean where fresh fish is readily available.

There are two ways to thaw frozen fish steaks or fillets:

Place the frozen tuna steaks in the refrigerator and allow them to thaw for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
Use a cold water bath. Place the frozen fish in a sealed bag, and place that bag in a large bowl of cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes to keep the temperature cold enough. Continue to do this until the fish is thawed.

CAN I COOK FROZEN TUNA STEAKS IN AIR FRYER?

Did you forget to thaw your fish? We've all done that before!

I always recommend that you allow frozen fish to thaw naturally, either in the refrigerator overnight or in a cold water bath for an hour or so.

Trying to quickly thaw frozen tuna or cooking it from frozen will not give you the best texture, however, here's how I suggest making this recipe if you don't have time for a full thaw:

Cook the Tuna steaks in a preheated 380°F/190°C air fryer for 3-4 minutes. This will thaw the steaks partially so that you can marinate them, but won't cook them all the way through.

Then follow this air fryer tuna steaks recipe to finish them. The marinating time in the fridge will thaw the fish the rest of the way.

IS AHI TUNA HEALTHIER THAN SALMON?

Both fish are a healthy protein option with lots of protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Tuna steaks contain less fat than salmon fillets and provide more protein than salmon too.

On the other hand, Yellowfin Tuna is has higher mercury levels than many types of salmon, so it it suggested that you enjoy this fish no more than once per week. Pregnant women are generally told to avoid tuna steaks.

horizontal image showing a dinner plate filled with air fried tuna steaks. One has been sliced. There are lime wedges on the plate and a silver fork is holding a piece of fish.

MORE WAYS TO COOK FISH IN THE AIR FRYER

Try some of these other easy and tasty air fryer fish recipes!

Crispy Air Fryer Fish Tacos are a tasty treat for taco night, topped with fresh veggies and a creamy garlic lime crema.

Cook up a southern style Air Fryer Catfish and serve it with Air Fryer Hushpuppies for the full effect.

Salmon in the Air Fryer is super simple to make with a delicious smoky spice rub.

A white plate of sliced air fryer tuna steaks, text at top of photo describes it as Easy air fryer tuna steaks

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5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Tuna Steaks

A simple yet restaurant quality recipe for air fryer tuna steaks marinated with the delicious flavors of soy, honey, garlic, and lime.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Marinating/Resting Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: air fryer tuna steaks, air fryer tuna steaks recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 121kcal

Cindy - Air Fryer Eats

Equipment

Air fryer
Large Bowl

Ingredients

¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sliced green onions for garnish
1 teaspoon sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

Place the soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, and salt in a large bowl. Mix to combine.
Add the tuna steaks to the bowl and toss until covered in the marinade.
Let marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, or up to an hour.
Place the marinated tuna steaks in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
Air fry at 380°F/190°C for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the tuna steaks reach an internal temperature of 125°F/52°C for medium rare tuna steaks. You can cook the tuna steaks for few minutes longer if you prefer your tuna to be medium or medium well done.
Let sit and rest for 2 minutes before serving. Top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

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Video

Notes

Instead of honey, you can use any sweetener that you enjoy. This recipe pairs honey, lime, and soy together in a really delicious way, however, maple syrup or brown sugar will also work well.
To make this recipe gluten-free be sure to choose gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos instead of traditional soy sauce.
I don't recommend using frozen tuna steaks for this recipe. Be sure to safely defrost your tuna steaks. The best way is to allow the to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
You should marinate the tuna steaks in the honey soy and lime mixture for at least 20 minutes, but no longer than 1 hour. After an hour, the acid from the lime will start to break down the fish too much
Tuna steaks do not have to be fully cooked all the way through. Many restaurants and home cooks serve tuna steaks Medium Rare, which is an internal temperature of 125°F/ 52°C.
Pro Tip: Remember that all air fryers cook a bit differently. These times may be different for your model, so keep a close eye on the fish, especially the first time you make this recipe.
Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the "Air Fry" function.

Air Fryer Tuna Steaks Cooking Chart:

Well Done Tuna Steak: no more than 150°F/ 65°C (Cook for 6-7 minutes)

Medium Tuna Steak: 140°F/ 60°C (Cook for 5-6 minutes)

Medium Rare Tuna Steak: at least 125°F/ 52°C (cook for 4-5 minutes)

Rare Tuna Steak: 115°F/ 46°C (Cook for 3-4 minutes)

Have oven recipes that you’d like to convert to an air fryer recipe? Use our Air Fryer Calculator to help you estimate cooking times and temps! Calculator here: https://airfryereats.com/air-fryer-conversion-air-fryer-calculator/

Nutrition

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Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.

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Comments

Faye Houghton

May 31, 2022 at 11:03 am

I just had to stop by and leave a review! I saw this recipe today and something told me I had to try it. Well, I'm so glad I did!
The recipe is flawless and so delicious - even my husband, who isn't the world's biggest fan of tuna, enjoyed it!
Something told be to buy tuna steaks when I was shopping at the weekend. Fate maybe?!

Air Fryer Tuna Steaks