This rare tuna (little tunny / false albicore) recipe is marinated with soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and honey, crusted with sesame seeds, seared, and served with a spicy wasabi / soy sauce on the side.

4 small pieces of tuna coated in sesame seeds and fried. One is cut open to expose the rare inside. On a plate with asparagus.

Small pieces of seared sesame crusted tuna would also make a fabulous appetizer. Seared tuna is an easy recipe to make and easy recipe to eat!

Marinate the tuna in the for at least 30 minutes in the soy sauce, mirin, honey, and sesame oil mixture.

The trick to getting sesame seeds to stick is to have a gentle hand. Lightly dredge them in the sesame seeds by patting down. Don't try to manhandle or harshly roll them around the sesame seeds. If there are bare spots on the tuna, then sprinkle a couple more sesame seeds on the tuna slices.

8 pieces of raw tuna sliced on a white cutting board. Wasabi, lemon, and sesame seeds in brown bowls in the back.

Turn down the heat if the sesame seeds are burning and/or add a little more oil to the pan.

We got these lovely little Tunny from Abundant Seafood at the Geechee dock in Charleston, SC. The Geechee dock also provides fresh local shrimp nearly daily. The shrimping boat and crew are right there giving you the fresh catch.

8 raw pieces of tuna coated in sesame seeds on a white cutting board with tongs

Serving Suggestion

Serve this Sesame Crusted Tuna recipe with a complementary side dish like:

Things In My Kitchen:

Wasabi Powder - You can find this cheaper at an Asian store and it might be at your local grocery store.

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Sesame Tuna w/ Wasabi Sauce

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EatSimpleFood.com

Marinate tuna for 30 minutes, coat with with sesame seeds, sear, and serve with spicy wasabi sauce.

Author: beckie
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Asian
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

2 ½ lbs tuna, sliced into 1" thick pieces
3 tablespoon soy sauce (regular or gluten free), divided
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon mirin or rice wine vinegar
1 cup sesame seeds
2 Tbsp wasabi powder - as garnish

Instructions

Slice tuna into 1" pieces and place in a large ziploc bag. In a small bowl mix together: 2 tablespoon soy sauce, honey, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and mirin. Add mixture to tuna and marinate for 30 minutes.
Make wasabi sauce: mix wasabi powder with 2 tablespoon water in a tiny bowl. Add a little soy sauce (think Sushi!), and use it as a dipping sauce for the fish.
Fill a shallow dish with ½ cup sesame seeds and keep the rest handy to replenish the dish as needed.
Remove fish from Ziploc, shake off excess liquid and dip each side of each piece of fish into the sesame seeds. Don't swirl the piece of fish around in the seeds or the seeds will get wet and not stick to the fish. Set sesame seeded fish on a plate.
Heat a large pan to medium heat and add enough toasted sesame oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan (~ 1 Tbsp). Place fish in pan and cook for ~ 2 minutes per side (this will result in a rare middle). Cook longer if you want it medium or well done. Make sure the pan is not too hot or you will burn the Sesame Seeds. You will need to cook the fish in batches and replenish oil in pan as needed.
Serve with rice and vegetables. Happy Eating! Beckie