Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (2024)

by Scott Groth 19 Comments

The perfect seared ahi tuna recipe with crunchy sesame crust, a delightfully playful wasabi mayo and a mirin ginger dipping sauce. The best part of this recipe is looking through the translucent pink, stained glass window-like tuna after it has been seared and sliced. So beautiful it almost makes you not want to eat it... Almost.

THIS SEARED AHI TUNA RECIPE IS: GLUTEN FREE, PALEO AND LOW CARB. IT IS KETO WITHOUT THE MIRIN DIPPING SAUCE.

Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (1)

SEARED AHI TUNA RECIPE

I first fell in love with seared ahi tuna with a sesame seed crust in Nantucket. Caroline and I were there with her brother, some friends and a beautiful, fresh caught piece of tuna.

I remember clearly that the tuna was ruby red and perfect. Our friends pulled out some sesame seeds, wasabi and soy sauce. Within minutes, we were eating a mind blowing, simple and delicious appetizer.

This is the same recipe that I would like to share with you today. I hope that you enjoy it as much as we did.

Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (2)

Tips on Buying Ahi Tuna

One of the reasons I don't make this recipe very often is due to limited supply. It seems as though the tuna in the seafood cases just don't excite me, particularly with their extreme price tag.

When buying Ahi, you will either be buying yellowfin, bluefin or big eye tuna. They all fall under the Ahi category. What you are looking for is freshness. Ask the following questions:

  1. Ask when the fish arrived and if it was fresh or frozen. If it was frozen, ask when it was defrosted.
  2. Ask to smell it before you buy it as well. If it smells fishy, don't buy it.
  3. Ask if you can touch it before buying. It is okay- they can wash the fish before packaging. If it is slimy, don't buy it.

Ahi tuna should be fresh looking with a nice sheen to the steak. My one piece of advice: never buy Ahi tuna on sale.

You are looking for freshness because you're not going to be cooking it all the way through!

How to Sear Ahi Tuna

It's really easy to sear ahi tuna. Just follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Buy the best tuna you can find.

Step 2: Trim the tuna to allow as much of the protein to contact the pan as possible. See the image below on how I trimmed my ahi tuna for this recipe.

Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (3)

Step 3: Season the tuna. Salt and pepper is fine, or you can add sesame seeds like I've done below.

Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (4)

Step 4: Heat a heavy bottom pan over high heat. Add in the oil of your choice. When the oil is hot, add the Ahi tuna to the pan.

Step 5: Sear each side for 20-30 seconds dependent on the thickness of your tuna. The tuna shown is quite thick so adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Step 6: When seared on each side, remove the tuna from the pan and slice into ¼" pieces.

Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (5)

Other Gluten Free Asian Style Recipes:

Remember that my site started as a Gluten Free blog and has moved into a Low Carb, Keto and Gluten Free blog.

I've got more Asian inspired low carb recipes coming out soon, but in the meantime check out some of these Gluten Free Asian Style recipes:

Spiralized Asian Carrot Salad

Gluten Free Stir Fry Noodles With Chicken

Easy Chicken Fried Rice

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Carrots

Yield: 4 Servings

Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe

Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (6)

The perfect seared ahi tuna recipe with a delightful sesame crust, a playful wasabi mayo and a salty-sweet mirin dipping sauce.

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time5 minutes

Total Time20 minutes

Ingredients

For the Wasabi Mayo

  • ½ Cup Mayonnaise, store bought works fine
  • 2 tablespoon Heavy Cream
  • 2-3 teaspoon Wasabi Powder, depending on how spicy you like
  • ½ teaspoon Braggs Liquid Aminos, Or soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon Honey

For the Mirin Dipping Sauce

  • ¼ Cup Braggs Liquid Aminos, Or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Mirin Sweet Wine
  • 1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Pickled Ginger Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Raw Honey
  • 1 teaspoon Minced Green Onion

For the Seared Ahi Tuna

  • 1 LB Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna
  • 2 tablespoon White Sesame Seeds
  • 2 tablespoon Black Sesame Seeds
  • 3 tablespoon Olive or Grapeseed Oil

Instructions

For the Wasabi Mayo

  1. Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix well with a fork to incorporate. If you have a squeeze bottle, pour into the bottle and decorate the plate.

For the Mirin Dipping Sauce

  1. Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix well with a fork to incorporate. Set aside.

For the Seared Ahi Tuna

  1. Mix the sesame seeds on a plate. Lay the tuna on the seeds and press. Repeat on all sides including the ends.
  2. Heat a heavy bottom, stainless steel pan over high heat. Add the oil. When it is shimmering, but not yet smoking, carefully add in the sesame crusted tuna.
  3. Cook on each side for 20-30 seconds. When you flip, make sure you flip to a section of the pan that wasn't just cooked on. It will be hotter and create a nice crunchy sear. Make sure to sear the ends as well!
  4. Remove from the heat and slice in ¼" slices. Serve with the Wasabi Mayo, Mirin Dipping Sauce and some pickled ginger. Enjoy!

Notes

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND: The recipe is not KETO or LOW CARB if you are using the mirin dipping sauce. A good substitute is Braggs Liquid Aminos as a soy sauce alternative.

Additionally, the NUTRITIONAL DATA is solely for the TUNA, SESAME SEEDS and COOKING OIL.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

¼ Pound

Amount Per ServingCalories 265Total Fat 15gCholesterol 44mgCarbohydrates 2.1gNet Carbohydrates 1gFiber 1.1gProtein 29g

Nutritional data is provided by Nutrifox and is not 100% accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

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Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (7)

About Scott Groth

Scott Groth has gone from a burned out, overweight executive to a professional food blogger, chef, low carb + keto enthusiast. His style is fun, fresh, and family-friendly. Learn more about Scott in his bio, discover the story behind this blog, and learn about his incredible low-carb journey.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. April @ Girl Gone Gourmet says

    Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (8)
    Saw this on FB and had to click through - I love ahi tuna, but I've never tried making it like this at home. Great tips about buying it - sort of scary if you're not sure what you're doing!

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi April:
      Thanks for clicking through and taking a look! You're going to love making tuna like this- it is really tasty. You can use those tips with all the fish that you buy at the store- it has saved my bacon more than once!
      Hope that you have a fantastic afternoon-
      Scott

      Reply

  2. Carol Borchardt says

    Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (9)
    Gorgeous restaurant-style plating, Scott!

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi Carol:
      Thanks very much- the plate just kinda put itself together. Funny how that happens sometimes.
      Have an excellent day in the kitchen-
      Scott

      Reply

  3. Andrea Wyckoff says

    Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (10)
    I LOVE seared ahi tuna! Your photos look divine!

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi Andrea:
      This is a delicious recipe. The wasabi mayo is wickedly good.
      Thanks so much!
      Scott

      Reply

  4. Olivia T says

    Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (11)
    This looks delicious. My husband and I really want to try to make our own, but we've been too nervous/don't know where to buy a high quality tuna that won't break the bank. We will have to try this recipe. Certainly motivated me to look harder for that tuna!

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hey Olivia:
      Thank you for writing and please let me know if you find the right one.
      Hope you have a delicious day in the kitchen!
      Scott

      Reply

  5. Milly G. Anderson says

    Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (12)
    Thank you indeed for the best recipe!

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi Milly:
      Thank YOU for visiting and sharing your thoughts. This is a true delight.
      Take care and happy cooking!
      Scott

      Reply

  6. Lorie S. says

    Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (13)
    Thank you so much for this recipe and tutorial. I made this for a friend who is used to dining at 5 star restaurants and country clubs. He said it was "the best he ever had" and it was so easy to make. I love to try new recipes and often try them out on him, so the bonus came when he asked me to make this for a business meeting / dinner he was hosting in his home. It was a huge success!

    Thanks again!

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hey Lorie:
      So happy to hear that- you just made my day!
      Thank you for making this delicious tuna and sharing your thoughts on it.
      Take care and happy cooking!
      Scott

      Reply

  7. TomH says

    Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (14)
    Thanks for the tip on the powdered wasabi, made this last week really good so making it again tonight. Tip for good fish, have a boss/friend that goes to Mexican waters and brings you Yellowtail, Yellowfin and fresh caught Bluefin because you cover for him while he's gone.

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi Tom:
      Ha, great tip.
      Thanks for stopping by and trying this awesome tuna.
      Take care,
      Scott

      Reply

  8. Tiffany Blankenship says

    Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (15)
    Delightfully simple. The Mirin Dipping Sauce is outstanding. Just love the fresh flavors.

    Reply

    • Scott Groth says

      Hi Tiffany:
      Absolutely delicious- thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts.
      Hope you have a fantastic day in the kitchen!
      Scott

      Reply

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Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (Low Carb and Keto) (2024)

FAQs

Does seared tuna have carbs? ›

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving: 301 calories; 17.8 g fat; 0.7 g carbohydrates; 33.3 g protein; 71 mg cholesterol; 1034 mg sodium.

Can you eat tuna on a low carb diet? ›

Per the USDA, tuna lands at 0 on the fiber spectrum, so needless to say, it is not a good source of the carb. However, with 24 grams of protein and 0 grams of carbohydrates or sugar in just 3 ounces, plus Omega-3 fatty acids (per StarKist), it's pretty perfect for the keto diet.

How much tuna can I eat on keto? ›

One can of light tuna fish in water has almost zero carbohydrates. One can of white tuna fish in oil also contains zero carbohydrates. Watch out for some brands that might add a little sugar; however, even for these, the sugar content is still typically so low that it isn't a problem for most keto dieters.

Is tuna in oil keto friendly? ›

Like most fish, tuna is very low in carbohydrates, containing almost no sugar or fiber, making it the perfect keto-friendly dish. However, the low amount of fiber found in tuna makes it less likely to fill you up so enhancing your tuna dish with some nutritious greens such as kale or spinach is always encouraged.

How many carbs are in Outback seared ahi tuna? ›

Outback Steakhouse Under 600 Calories Seared Ahi Tuna Regular (1 serving) contains 21g total carbs, 18g net carbs, 16g fat, 30g protein, and 470 calories.

Is seared tuna steak healthy? ›

IS TUNA STEAK GOOD FOR YOU? Low in calories but packed with minerals and nutrients, tuna is a powerhouse of essential nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids – full of good fat and protein.

Can I have mayo on keto? ›

Mayonnaise is the perfect condiment for the Keto Diet because it consists of high fat, low protein, and zero carbohydrates. It also has many health benefits that can help you maintain Ketosis and achieve your weight loss goals on the Keto diet.

Is salmon or tuna better for keto? ›

High in protein and low in calories and carbohydrates, tuna makes for a great fish option when planning your keto diet dinners.

Is sweet pickle relish keto friendly? ›

That's not to say that all pickle relishes are alright. You'll want to avoid sweet relishes as they typically have a high sugar content. Hamburger relish is mixed in with a ketchup base, which is decidedly not keto.

Is peanut butter OK on keto? ›

Peanut butter can definitely be part of a keto diet, but it's best to stick to plain options that are free of extra flavors and sweeteners. Almond butter is a good choice, too, and it's slightly lower in carbs. Additionally, you should be mindful of your portion size if you're trying to lose weight.

Can you have pickles on keto? ›

Luckily, pickles are keto friendly, especially those that are of the dill pickle variety, as sugar is low. “Simply put, sweet pickles are made with sugar which will automatically push the carb count up,” says Hultin. “Dill or salt pickles don't have the added sugar and carbs, naturally,” she says.

Can I eat mustard on keto? ›

As long as there are no added sugars, mustard is a great Keto-friendly condiment. You'll want to avoid some mustard such as honey mustard because of the added sugar. Some popular Keto-friendly mustards include yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, spicy brown mustard.

Are shrimp keto-friendly? ›

If you're following a keto diet, shrimp is keto-friendly, virtually carb-free, and very low in fat and calories. Healthy, clean proteins like shrimp make it painless to limit carbs, and the low fat and calorie counts mean you can manage weight while feeling full and enjoying fantastic meals.

Does olive oil keep you in ketosis? ›

The answer is a resounding yes! In fact, many believe that extra virgin olive oil, known for a wide range of health benefits, is the single best oil for a keto lifestyle. Most importantly for keto, olive oil is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat, making it a perfect fit for all versions of the diet.

Can you eat bacon on keto? ›

Can You Eat Bacon On a Keto Diet? While you may not think of bacon as diet food, most types of bacon fit perfectly into a keto diet plan since they're low in carbs yet high in protein and fat. That means bacon is perfect for snacking on in the afternoon or mixing into your chicken dinner dish for some extra flavoring.

Is tuna a good source of carbohydrates? ›

Based on the Big Four nutrients—calories, fat, protein, and carbs—it's obvious that tuna and chicken breast are very similar. Both are basically pure protein, with zero carbs and very little fat per four-ounce (113 gram) serving: Boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked: 180 calories, 4 grams fat, 36 grams protein.

Does canned tuna have a lot of carbs? ›

Here's what's in a serving of canned tuna packed in water:

Total fat: 0.5g. Saturated fat: 0g. Sodium: 140mg. Total Carb: 0g.

How often can you eat seared tuna? ›

Both raw and cooked tuna should be consumed in moderation. Still, adults should eat 3–5 ounces (85–140 grams) of fish 2–3 times per week to get enough omega-3 fatty acids.

Can you eat tuna just seared? ›

Yes, technically, seared tuna is only cooked on the outside, yet rare or somewhat raw on the inside. Think of this like sushi.

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