Seared tuna steak with capers, parsley and lemon cooked very rare is a wonderfully simple and elegant dish that is guaranteed to impress!
This recipe features a “raw” sauce and as a result, most of the work is in the preparation and will go from your fridge to your table in around 25 minutes.
Seared Rare Tuna Steak
Capers and fish are a match made in heaven as far as I am concerned.
They are a regular supporting act in dishes like the classic lemon sole meuniere and pan-fried skate wings, to dishes like my tomato tuna pasta, salmon fishcakes and tuna pesto pasta.
Of course, it ain’t just fish, they work well with, they are the star of a chicken piccata too!
Here capers are pushed through a simple parsley, olive oil and lemon sauce and served with a delicious rare seared tuna steak.
If you want this nice and pink cooking takes an eye-wateringly quick 5 minutes, preparing the sauce only takes 10 minutes too.
Bolt-on a few minutes for resting and dinner is cooked and on your table in a real hurry!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook this with pre-sliced tuna steaks?
Yes, but try to get ones cut to around 25mm or 1″ thick if you want to keep them really rare. I would cook them for no longer than 90 seconds per side and rest them.
They are thinner and as a result, the residual cooking will heat them up more when they are resting so remove them from the pan when the internal temperature is 20-22°C around 70°F.
Can I cook this so that it is not as pink?
Yes, but if I were to do that I would finish it in the oven rather than in the pan. Sear as per my instructions and then transfer to a baking sheet and cook for 8-12 minutes at 200°C or 400°F.
This is the technique that I use in my honey and soy baked tuna steak.
Do I have to use a meat thermometer?
No, but I swear by them, as far as I am concerned they are the very best way to cook meat and fish accurately.
Can I cook this in advance?
The tuna needs cooking when it is to be eaten because reheating will cause it to overcook.
However, the parsley sauce will happily sit in the fridge for a few hours. You could even do it the day before, but I would add the lemon juice just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve served this tuna steak with a lemon, caper and parsley sauce with some simply seared leeks slices in these pictures, but it is a versatile dish that pairs well with lots of sides.
If you wanted to “bulk” out this light centrepiece then you could go with potatoes. I would personally choose Parmentier potatoes, but buttered and boiled parsley potatoes would work well too.
When it comes to greens then something like my air fryer cooked asparagus or even green beans amandine would be perfect.
If you really wanted to pull out all of the stops on a salad then opt for my stunning samphire and asparagus salad!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- 30cm or 12″ nonstick frying pan.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Pestle and mortar, a mini blender would work too.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Stirring spoons.
- Quick read meat thermometer. Optional but recommended.
Seared Tuna Steak With Capers, Lemon and Parsley Recipe
Rich and magical tuna steak works so well with zingy sauces and this one features lemon, capers and parsley... and it is all done and dusted in 25 minutes too!
Ingredients
For the Tuna Steaks:
- 400-450g Tuna Steak in a Single Piece
- 1 Tbsp Neutral Cooking Oil
- ½ Tsp Salt
- ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
- ½ Tsp Dried Chilli Flakes
For the Lemon Caper Sauce:
- 20g (1 Cup) Parsley
- 50g (⅓ Cup) Capers
- 75ml (⅓ Cup) Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon
- ½ Tsp Coarse Sea Salt
Instructions
- Before you begin any preparation remove the tuna from the fridge and allow it to sit on your work top whilst you prepare the sauce.
- Roughly chop the parsley and place it in a pestle and mortar.
- Zest the lemon and add it to the parsley along with the coarse sea salt and the olive oil, then pound the sauce to bruise the parsley and get the oils flowing.
- Stir the capers through the sauce and have a taste and squeeze in enough lemon juice to get a nice zingy flavour.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" non-stick frying pan over a very high heat.
- Rub the tuna steak with the neutral cooking oil and then season it on all sides with the salt, pepper and chilli flakes.
- Place the tuna in the pan and sear it on all sides, trying to ensure that each side gets the same amount of time in contact with the pan. Aim for around 45-60 seconds on each side for a very rare tuna steak.
- Allow the tuna to rest for 3-4 minutes before carving. You want an internal temperature of around 32-35°C or 90-95°F for really pink tuna after resting, this means you should remove it from the pan at around 25-27°C of 77-80°F.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 681Total Fat: 43gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 36gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 1884mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 67g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.
Demeter
Thursday 10th of May 2018
That lemon caper sauces sounds so light and flavorful! Perfect for spring!
Brian Jones
Thursday 10th of May 2018
Thank you!
Helen of Fuss Free Flavours
Thursday 10th of May 2018
The flavours in this dish sound amazing. A perfect blend to go with the tuna. A great dish to enjoy in the summer sun.
Brian Jones
Thursday 10th of May 2018
Thanks Helen, perfect with a glass of white or pink in the garden :D
Alyssa
Thursday 10th of May 2018
I love leeks and like the idea of pairing them with tuna and lemon, such a great combo.
Brian Jones
Thursday 10th of May 2018
Thanks Alyssa
Sarah
Thursday 10th of May 2018
We love Tuna Steak over here! It's one of our favorites...but I bet that lemon caper sauce takes it to an entirely new level!!
Brian Jones
Thursday 10th of May 2018
It certainly does!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Thursday 10th of May 2018
What a delicious looking tuna steak, love the flavours. They sound like they really compliment the fish.
Brian Jones
Thursday 10th of May 2018
Thanks Bintu