Grilled Tuna with Sesame Noodles
This recipe cooks up a delicious grilled tuna with sesame noodles supper in just minutes for a light, healthy, and satisfying meal.
Jump to:
- 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- ⭐️Why this recipe works
- 🐟 Ingredients you need
- 📝 Ingredient notes
- 💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
- 👩🏻🍳 How to make this recipe
- 🤔 Recipe FAQs
- 🥣 Equipment we used for this recipe
- 🍽️ What to serve with this recipe
- 😍 Other tuna recipes we love!
- ⭐️ We want to know what you think!
- Grilled Tuna with Sesame Noodles
🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- What It Is: A fast, fresh seafood dinner that combines lightly seasoned grilled tuna steak with savory sesame noodles and crisp lettuce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4 servings
- Calories: 730
- Cooking Method: Stovetop, Grill
- Good For: Summer grilling dinners: light enough for hot weather but still satisfying. Casual dinner parties: it looks impressive without requiring complicated preparation. Healthy weeknight meals: a protein-rich seafood dish that avoids heavy sauces.
⭐️Why this recipe works
The Southern husband and I love us some seafood. It’s light, it’s delicious, it’s good for us and it’s usually super quick to whip up.
And with this recipe, the combination of smoky grilled tuna and flavorful sesame noodles creates a dish that is fresh, filling, and perfect if you are looking for a protein-packed pasta dinner.
And! This dish works well served either hot or at room temperature. It is the seafood pasta supper that keeps on giving. Let’s make it!
🐟 Ingredients you need
📝 Ingredient notes
- Tuna: Aim for steaks about 1 to 1½ inches thick so they can get a nice sear without overcooking. Look for a deep red or ruby color (not brownish or dull). You can also tell your seafood vendor that you are looking for sushi-grade tuna, especially if you are going to cook it as rare as we do.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is a mild, slightly sweet vinegar made from fermented rice….look for it in the international aisle of your supermarket. You can swap in apple cider vinegar if you need to.
- Pasta: We like sturdy linguine for this recipe, but you can use spaghetti or soba noodles as well.
💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
👩🏻🍳 How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Place your tuna steak, 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a zippered plastic bag and zip it up. Gently rotate the bag until the tuna is coated. Set the bag aside in the fridge while you make the noodles.
STEP 2: Cook up some noodles…we use linguine but you can also use spaghetti, soba noodles or any other long pasta that you have. Drain.
STEP 3: While the noodles are cooking, whisk some soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice vinegar and sesame oil together in a bowl.
STEP 4: Pour your delightful sauce over the warm noodles and toss to coat.
STEP 5: Heat your grill to high. Grill your tuna for 1-2 minutes per side (this results in rare tuna…you can let it go for another couple of minutes per side if you like your tuna more well-done).
STEP 6: Slice tuna into thin slices. Divide lettuce among plates, top with noodles and tuna slices, sprinkle with green onions and toss.
🤔 Recipe FAQs
Fresh yellowfin (ahi) tuna is the best choice because it has a firm texture and mild flavor that pairs perfectly with the sesame noodles. Bluefin and bigeye tuna also work well if you can find them.
Yes! A cast-iron skillet or grill pan works beautifully and can create the same flavorful sear as an outdoor grill. (Make sure you turn on the stovetop fan!)
No. Tuna is usually cooked rare to medium-rare, but you can grill it longer if you prefer it more fully cooked. Just be careful not to overcook it, as tuna can become dry.
For medium-rare tuna, the outside should be seared while the center remains pink. If you are using an instant-read thermometer, aim for about 125°F to 130°F in the center.
Yes! Salmon, swordfish, mahi-mahi or any other sturdy fish are all excellent options that go well with the sesame flavors.
100% percent yes! Shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, edamame, snap peas, or red bell peppers all add color, crunch, and a little extra nutrition.
Store leftover tuna and noodles separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The noodles often taste even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.
Pop your question in the Comments section under the recipe card and I will answer pronto!
🥣 Equipment we used for this recipe
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
- Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
- Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
- Pyrex Mixing Bowls: These classic sturdy bowls come in all different sizes and are great for everything from mixing ingredients to being casual serving bowls.
- Strainer: This classic strainer is just right for these potatoes and your favorite pasta recipe (one of ours is pasta with egg sauce!)
- Tongs: We have this essential kitchen tool in all sizes from short to extra long.
🍽️ What to serve with this recipe
We like to add some extra veggies on this side of this recipe. Chilled sesame spinach, a corn and beet salad and this dreamy watermelon salad are all great choices.
And for dessert, how about some banana cream pie?
😍 Other tuna recipes we love!
⭐️ We want to know what you think!
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe card!
Grilled Tuna with Sesame Noodles
This recipe cooks up a delicious grilled tuna with sesame noodles supper in just minutes for a light, healthy, and satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
- 1 tuna steak, about one pound
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 12 ounces linguine
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 3 green onions, sliced thin
- Bibb or other soft lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
Instructions
- Place tuna, 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper in a ziplock bag. Gently rotate until tuna is coated, and set aside in the fridge while you make the noodles.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, whisk soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, canola oil and hot water together in a large bowl.
- Add the warm pasta to the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat.
- Grill tuna for 1-2 minutes per side over hot grill (this will give you super rare tuna…leave on for another minute or two per side if you like your tuna more well done).
- Slice tuna into thin slices. Divide lettuce among plates, top with noodles and tuna slices, sprinkle with green onions and toss.
Notes
-
- Tuna: Aim for steaks about 1 to 1½ inches thick so they can get a nice sear without overcooking. Look for a deep red or ruby color (not brownish or dull). You can also tell your seafood vendor that you are looking for sushi-grade tuna, especially if you are going to cook it as rare as we do.
-
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is a mild, slightly sweet vinegar made from fermented rice….look for it in the international aisle of your supermarket. You can swap in apple cider vinegar if you need to.
-
- Pasta: We like sturdy linguine for this recipe, but you can use spaghetti or soba noodles as well.
Awesome.
Easy and fast.
I used spaghetti and the sauce was the best. We do a lot of fish but typically with rice so this was different and very good. I will use it again .
Thanks Troy, I’m so glad you liked it! :)
I am amazed and kind of in love with how fast this meal comes together!! Plus those raw tuna insides and cooked outsides look so appealing.
I heart tuna. We need another sushi lunch soon!