I’m always on the lookout for quick, simple, and delicious recipes. This air fryer tuna steak recipe checks all those boxes and more! And you can make this restaurant quality meal in less than 15 minutes.
With simple ingredients and a delicious flavor using the air fryer to make tuna is fantastic. Cooking tuna at home can be tricky, since it goes from delicious to rubbery fast.
But with an air fryer you have excellent control over the process so you enjoy smooth and buttery tuna, which is firm while still tender and moist. You will be amazed at how easy it is to cook perfect tuna steaks at home.
In this post, I’m going to walk you through how to perfectly cook a tuna steak in your air fryer. We’ll cover everything from selecting the best tuna steak to the actual cooking process, and even some tips on how to serve it.
Reader Review
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We make tuna steak all the time and pick them up from Sam’s Club where they are pretty inexpensive. I can’t believe I’ve never though to use the air fryer to cook them. Yum! Thank you for the easy recipe!
— Jean
🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Tuna steaks: Look for thick, meaty slices that make you feel like you’re dining at a fancy seafood restaurant.
- Lemon juice: This adds a tanginess that cuts through the richness of the tuna
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
Looking for more air fryer seafood recipes? Check out air fryer shrimp, air fryer salmon or air fryer cod.
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🥣How to Make Air Fryer Tuna Steak
- Set your air fryer to 360F.
- While your air fryer is heating up, pat your tuna steaks dry with a paper towel and drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides. I know it sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s crucial for that flavor-packed crust.
- Place the steaks in the basket. Cook the tuna steaks for 2 minutes each side. This will give you a medium-rare steak. If you’re like me and prefer your steak a bit more done, go for 3 minutes on each side. Or see below to figure out the perfect cooking time for your desired level of doneness.
- Once they are cooked to your liking, remove them from the air fryer and let them rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
🍣How Do You Know When Tuna Steak is Done?
The best way to tell when tuna is done is to use an instant read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The best temperature for tuna steak is up to your personal preferences.
Here is a temperature chart for tuna steak. along with suggested cooking times.
| Internal temperature | Air fryer time per side | |
| Rare | 110-115 °F | 2 minutes |
| Medium rare | 125-130 °F | 3 minutes |
| Medium | 135-145 °F | 4 minutes |
| Well done | over 145 °F | 5 minutes |
Note that the FDA recommends cooking all raw fish to an internal temperature of 145ºF to prevent foodborne illness.
❓Is it Safe to Eat Rare Ahi Tuna?
Consuming rare tuna is a popular choice at restaurants, but doing it safely at home can be a little complicated. The safety largely hinges on the tuna’s preparation and its quality suitable for raw consumption.
For home preparations, you must select tuna either previously frozen or certified as fresh and high-quality by a reputable fishmonger. The act of freezing can eliminate potential parasites, making the tuna safer for raw consumption.
However the FDA still recommends that all seafood be cooked to 145 ºF. Tuna cooked to that temperature is dry and tasteless. So if you want to stick to the FDA guidelines it is probably best to just avoid making tuna steaks! Here are the guidelines from the FDA.
🍴Serving Ideas for Your Air Fryer Tuna Steak
To serve, slice the tuna steak and give it a good drizzle of lemon juice. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds and green onions. You’ve got yourself a restaurant-quality tuna steak, all thanks to your trusty air fryer.
You can easily dress up this simple recipe to make it look like you’ve been slaving away in the kitchen for hours. Here are a few ideas:
- Salsa Fresca: One of my favorites is to top the tuna steak with a homemade salsa fresca. Just chop up some ripe tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapenos, squeeze in a bit of lime. A topping that’s as fresh and vibrant as it is easy to whip up.
- Asian Twist: Looking for something a little different? Try drizzling your tuna steak with a mix of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger. It’s a flavor explosion that pairs so well with the meaty goodness of the tuna and it makes a perfect dipping sauce.
- Simple Lemon and Parsley: Sometimes, less is more. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of chopped parsley can elevate your tuna steak to gourmet levels with minimal effort.
💭How to Store
If you have leftover tuna steak put it in an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 2 days. It’s just as good cold! I like to add any leftovers to a fresh salad for lunch the next day.
But if you decide to reheat it be gentle. Use the oven or microwave on a low setting so you don’t end up with a rubbery mess.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- The timing here is key. In an air fryer, your tuna steak will cook rapidly. Overcooked tuna can be as appealing as chewing on a rubber flip flop. So, keep a close eye on the clock.
- Don’t skimp on the quality of your tuna. Invest in a good quality, thick tuna steak. If you are aiming for restaurant-style tuna you need to start with a good steak.
📝FAQ
Absolutely! Make sure your frozen yellowfin tuna steak is properly defrosted before you pop it into the air fryer, so you don’t bite into a tuna popsicle.
Yes it is when eaten in moderation! Tuna is a powerhouse of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, cooking tuna in air fryer means you’re cutting back on unnecessary fats. It does have higher mercury content than many fish, so it should only be eaten about 3 times a month.
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Air Fryer Tuna Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tuna steaks
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Garnishes
- sesame seeds
- green onions
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees F for 3-5 minutes.
- Dry the raw tuna steaks with paper towels. Then drizzle them with oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.2 tuna steaks, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Place the steaks in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook the steaks at 360 degrees F for 2 minutes – this is for medium rare tuna. See the notes section for other doneness options.
- Flip the steaks to the other side and air fry for another 2 minutes.
- After another 2 minutes, the steak is ready. Let it rest on a plate for 2-3 minutes before serving.
- Cut the tuna steak into slices, drizzle with lemon juice and serve.1 teaspoon lemon juice, green onions, sesame seeds
Notes
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
Excellent! My tuna came out a perfect medium rare. I felt so fancy cooking it myself! I have never made tuna before except out of a can. haha
We make tuna steak all the time and pick them up from Sam’s Club where they are pretty inexpensive. I can’t believe I’ve never though to use the air fryer to cook them. Yum! Thank you for the easy recipe!
My local store had delicious looking tuna steaks that I bought and then wasn’t sure how to cook them. So glad I saw your recipe. The air fryer made it quick and easy! I paired with salad and broccoli and I feel like I had the healthiest meal ever!
My husband went tuna fishing and came home with a lot of meat. The steak was cooked perfectly in the air fryer so it’s going to be my go-to cooking method from now on.
Tuna steak is one of my favorite fish recipes to make in the air fryer. This was delicious.
You’re right! This is my new go-to. I love the ease and simplicity. Pan-frying is so much messier than cooking in an air-fryer and I never know if the fish is cooked through or not. I had much better success with this recipe.
I am working on getting more fish into my diet, and Tuna steak is a fish I have never done before! I loved the directions for the air fryer, and they turned out amazing!
I made this air fryer tuna steaks using some frozen tuna steaks in my freezer. I followed your instructions and it was so easy to prepare. We loved it.
This tuna steak came out perfect, it was tender and flavorful. I had it with a brioche bun and a sweet chutney the combination was fresh especially with the lemon zest I added as well.
My family has always been a bit fearful about eating sashimi or sushi. I talked them in to having sushi rolls with tuna cooked as per your instructions with an air fryer. I sliced the tuna steak thinly and added a mild miso sauce to it. The sushi rolls came out perfectly! My family loeved them! (Now if I could only convince them to eat other Japanese dishes with chopsticks…Sigh…)
We have a great local fisherman and often buy 3-4 lbs of fresh tuna or Mahi from his wife. She confirms for us whether it is fresh enough for sushi and we have never had bad fish from them.
She recommends putting the meat in a plastic bag and then storing it on top of a bowl of ice ( sometimes we use a refrigerator drawer if we buy a lot!). It’s good for sushi bowls and sashimi on days 1 and 2, then we cook the rest as steaks (or fresh homemade tuna casserole for a change of pace). Thanks for the great recipe!