Tuna is one of the best seafoods around. My favorite way to eat tuna steaks is rare near raw, and sous vide is the perfect way to achieve this result. With sous vide, there’s no risk of overcooking and ruining that delicious (and expensive!) tuna steak.

Sous vide tuna steak crusted with sesame seeds and sliced on a white plate with soy sauce.
Expensive tuna deserves a method that guarantees you wont ruin it!

Whether you’re working with ahi, yellowfin, bluefin, or albacore, the method outlined in this post will produce delicious results. I think my soy citrus marinade and the sesame crust are the most delicious way to serve tuna, but if you want to use different seasonings, this method will still totally work.

Looking for more marinade inspiration? The soy citrus marinade recipe comes from my cookbook, Sous Vide Meal Prep.

Plates of cooked carrots, sliced steak, and chicken on a pink speckled background with the words Sous Vide Meal Prep in bold pink and white letters overlaid.

Sous Vide Meal Prep

This cookbook outlines my entire method for keeping your freezer stocked with ready to sous vide meals (and some great recipes to boot!).

Learn More

I’m so glad you found this recipe!

I can’t wait to be a part of your sous vide cooking today, and hopefully more to come! 

I’ve been passionate about sous vide for almost a decade now. I take a different approach from other sous vide experts. While I love the science of sous vide, I want it to be an approachable cooking technique for everyone, and I don’t want you to sweat the details.

If you’re new to sous vide, make sure to read through this blog post or consider joining Sous Vide School. 

I also have two sous vide cookbooks I think you’ll love: Everyday Sous Vide and Sous Vide Meal Prep.

Got questions?

Leave a comment and I’ll get right back to you!

Time and temperature

The temperatures listed below produce dramatically different results, so choose wisely! My favorite temperature and the one used to sous vide the tuna in the photos is 110 degrees F.

ResultTemperatureTime
Firm but nearly raw110 degrees F30-45 minutes
Starting to flake120 degrees F30-45 minutes
Flaky130 degrees F30-45 minutes

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    For this recipe, you can use one large tuna steak or two smaller tuna steaks, but you should be working with about 1 pound of meat.

    A raw boneless chicken breast in a square glass container on a textured pink surface, styled similarly to how sous vide tuna is often presented.
    Place the tuna steak(s) in a large glass dish.
    A raw chicken thigh marinating in a glass container filled with seasoned liquid, placed on a textured pink surface, next to a plate of sous vide tuna.
    Pour the soy citrus marinade over the top and turn to coat. Place a lid on the dish and refrigerate for 1-6 hours.
    A vacuum sealer machine sealing a plastic bag with sous vide tuna on a textured pink surface. The FoodSaver has indicator lights, and the bag is partially inserted in the sealer.
    Vacuum seal the tuna steaks.
    A vacuum-sealed bag of sous vide tuna is submerged in a clear water container with an immersion circulator on the side, all placed on a pink textured surface.
    Cook the sealed tuna in a preheated sous vide water bath for 30-45 minutes at your desired temperature according to the chart above.
    A white square plate filled with uncooked quinoa sits on a textured pink surface, ready to be paired with delicate sous vide tuna for a nutritious meal.
    Add sesame seeds and garlic powder to a plate that dips in the middle.
    A piece of sous vide tuna, coated in breadcrumbs, sits on a white square plate atop a textured pink surface. Some breadcrumbs are scattered around the food on the plate.
    Place the tuna on the seeds and turn to coat the tuna completely.

    After coating the tuna in sesame seeds, sear in a very hot cast iron skillet with sesame oil on all sides, slice, and serve with soy sauce! This will be some of the best tuna you’ve ever had, I swear it.

    Five slices of seared, sesame-crusted sous vide tuna are arranged on a white plate, garnished with chopped green onions, with a small pink cup of soy sauce on the side. The background is a light pink surface.
    5 stars from 3 reviews

    Get the Recipe:

    Sous Vide Tuna (Any Species) in Soy Citrus Marinade

    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Sous Vide Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Yield: 4 people
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    The best way to eat tuna steaks is a near raw, rare perfection, best achieved with sous vide. There's no fear of overcooking and destroying the delicious (and not to mention, pricey!) tuna steak.

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb raw tuna, any species

    Soy Citrus Marinade

    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, about 1 orange
    • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, about 1 lime
    • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon
    • 1 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1 tbsp ponzu sauce, can replace with soy sauce
    • 1 tsp crushed red pepper
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

    Finishing

    • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1/4 cup sliced green onions, green part only
    • soy sauce, for dipping

    Equipment

    Instructions
     

    • If not cut already, slice tuna into steaks if desired. However, it's okay to leave as one big piece.
    • Whisk together all ingredients for the marinade. Add the tuna to a large glass tupperware container or zipper top plastic bag and pour the marinade over it. Let marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 3 hours.
    • Preheat a water bath using an immersion circulator to 110 degrees F for very rare, near raw tuna.
    • Remove the tuna from the marinade and place into a vacuum seal bag. Vacuum seal or use another air removal method.
    • Add the tuna to the water bath and cook for 30-45 minutes. Make sure the bag doesn't float; you can use sous vide magnets or place a ceramic plate on top.
    • When done cooking, remove the bag from the water bath. Add the sesame seeds and garlic powder for finishing to a plate and mix together. Press the tuna steak(s) into the sesame seeds to coat on all sides of the steak.
    • Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the sesame oil. Add the tuna and cook until sesame seeds are browned and tuna is seared, 30 seconds-1 minute per side.
    • Remove the tuna to a cutting board and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices. Garnish with the green onions and serve with a bowl of soy sauce for dipping.

    Notes

    This tuna is delicious served with white rice.
    Alternatively, serve this with a spicy mayo sauce. Mix 1/2 cup mayo with 2 tbsp sriracha, more to taste if desired. Cube the seared tuna and toss with the sauce.
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Course: Dinner
    Author: Chelsea Cole
    Calories: 235kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 1247mg, Potassium: 650mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 252IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 105mg, Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @chel.seacole on Instagram or tag #aducksoven.