Seared Peppercorn Tuna Steak

Slices of seared tuna steaks on top of a baby spinach salad.

Course: Entree / Seafood

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Keyword: pepper encrustred tuna, seared tuna steaks

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 290kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

These seared tuna steaks are so flavorful and healthy and come together in about 30 minutes, or less. Use less ground pepper for mild heat, or just go with a combo of black and white sesame seeds.

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Ingredients

4 8 oz tuna steaks fresh, 8 to 12 oz.
1 tbsp sesame seed oil or more, as needed
1 tsp olive oil plus more, if needed
¼ cup black peppercorns crushed, or black sesame seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds white
4 cups baby spinach fresh, rinsed and dried
½ cup pine nuts toasted
½ cup goat cheese crumbled
½ cup strawberry vinaigrette or more, if desired
½ cup pea sprouts or bean sprouts

Instructions

DO AHEAD: Make the strawberry vinaigrette.
Pat the tuna steaks dry with a paper towel.
Rub the tuna on all sides with the sesame oil.
Mix together the cracked peppercorns and sesame seeds on a large platter. Dredge the tuna steaks in the pepper/sesame mixture until completely coated.
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Working in batches of two at a time, place the encrusted tuna steaks into the hot skillet and cook for 1½ minutes. Flip, then cook the other side for another 1½ minutes. For medium-rare, cook 2 minutes per side.
Remove from heat, and when cool enough to handle, cut, against the grain, into ½-inch thick slices.
Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, add the spinach and top with the toasted pine nuts and goat cheese. Toss with about ¾ cup of the vinaigrette.
Divide the dressed spinach across for serving plates. Add the sliced tuna, in a circular fashion, on top of the salad.
Drizzle a little more of the vinaigrette over the top of the tuna and add a small bunch of the pea sprouts in the center of the salad. Serve at once.

Video

Notes

Albacore, bluefin, and yellowfin are all excellent choices for tuna steak. Make sure the fillets are firm, and a vibrant bright red in color. Fresh tuna steaks are always best, but frozen will work, too, if that's all that's available. Let thaw completely before proceeding with the recipe. NOTE: Seafood thaws much quicker than beef or poultry.

Use a spice grinder, or coffee grinder, to grind the peppercorns. The less fine you grind the peppercorns, the less heat you'll get with each bite. This recipe, as is, is medium heat. To reduce heat, go with only 1 or 2 tbsp of the peppercorns, or replace the peppercorns with black sesame seeds.

Be sure to look at the direction of the grain before you coat with the pepper/sesame seeds. Once cooked, you'll want to slice the tuna against the grain.

The vinaigrette can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in the fridge and give it a good shake before adding to the salad.

The cooked tuna is best served soon after searing. However, leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. We don't recommend freezing the tuna.

Nutrition