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Jessica Gavin
December 30, 2023
4.75 from 63 votes
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Seared ahi tuna with crispy sesame green beans is a gourmet recipe made right at home! Silky cauliflower carrot ginger puree adds a touch of elegance with ease. Thank you Bumble Bee SuperFresh® for sponsoring this post.
Table of Contents
- Seared Ahi Tuna from Bumble Bee SuperFresh®
- Crispy Sesame Green Beans
- How To Make Vegetable Puree
- More Seafood Recipes:
- FAQs About Seared Ahi Tuna
- How To Prepare Frozen Ahi Tuna
- Seared Ahi Tuna with Crispy Sesame Green Beans Recipe
Fish is king in our home! I love the ease, quick cooking times, and health benefits of eating fish. Plus I always feel good about creating seafood meals with my family. Now with the holiday season in full effect, I can’t wait to share my time-saving tips on how to make a delicious meal with little effort to impress your guests!
This seared ahi tuna with crispy sesame green beans is a beautiful dinner meant to be shared. You don’t have to spend all day cooking to make a gourmet meal. I’ll show you how easy and nutritious it can be to prepare the fish and fresh ingredients!
Seared Ahi Tuna from Bumble Bee SuperFresh®
The key ingredient that makes this dish shine is Bumble Bee SuperFresh® Ahi Tuna. I am a big sashimi fan and enjoy making a lightly seared ahi tuna version at home. However, I know that the handling and preparation can be a little bit intimidating, especially if it’s your first time making a meal with raw fish.
Bumble Bee SuperFresh® Seared Ahi Tuna is the first-ever sushi quality “thaw and serve” packaged seafood product. It stays frozen during the processing and is never fully defrosted or re-frozen during preparation, so we can guarantee our quality is on par with what you expect from fine chefs who know how to source the best product for their restaurants.
Recipe Resources
Cooking Methods
Steaming 101
Cooking 101
How to Cook Green Beans Like a Pro
8 mins
Ingredient Guides
Carrots 101: Types and Benefits
Crispy Sesame Green Beans
I want to add some Japanese-inspired flavors to the accompaniments for this seared ahi tuna dish. The high-quality tuna is paired with crispy green beans and some silky carrot and ginger puree for a light-yet-satisfying and healthy meal.
Crunchy green beans are a fast and flavorful side! I use haricot verts—French-style beans which are a little more slender in shape and extra crispy in texture. You can also use regular green beans which are slightly wider. You just may need an extra minute or two of cooking time. To add in some Asian flavors, the beans are sauteed with soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic, and topped with sesame seeds.
How To Make Vegetable Puree
You can create the most delicious and fluffy vegetable puree with just a few simple techniques.
- Vegetables: Hearty vegetables like cauliflower, carrot, onions, beets, and sweet potato provide a nice texture and can be broken down into a fine puree. Because the blender uses very high speed and shear, starchy potatoes can get a little too gummy.
- Cooking: You want to tenderize the vegetables so they break apart easily in the blender. I like to steam the vegetables because they don’t get as soggy, retain many of their nutrients, and cook for only 10 minutes. As an alternate method, you can boil the vegetables until tender for about 20 minutes.
- Equipment: I use a high-speed blender because it does an excellent job breaking down the cooked vegetables into a superfine silky puree. The moisture retained for cooking plus a small amount of oil creates a cloud-like light and airy texture that will taste amazing with your fish.
I use a combination of cauliflower and carrots for the low-carb vegetable puree. Fresh ginger, a touch of salt, and olive oil add some lovely aromatics and flavor to the puree. I love how the natural orange pigments and vitamins in the carrots make the color pop!
The gorgeous tuna is plated on top of the divine carrot ginger puree. I add some shredded carrots, red cabbage, green onions, and cilantro for extra crunch and vibrant color to the green beans. Totally optional, but it’s a nice extra touch to wow your guests!
More Seafood Recipes:
- Ahi Tuna with Soy Ginger Lime Sauce
- Pan-Roasted Halibut with Lentil Salad
- Mahi Mahi with Tahitian Vanilla Sauce
FAQs About Seared Ahi Tuna
Is ahi tuna safe to eat seared/partially raw?
If the ahi tuna you are preparing is sushi-grade or sashimi-grade ahi tuna, then yes, it is safe to eat raw. Seafood that is “sushi grade” has been processed, prepared, and frozen to meet FDA guidelines, making it safe for raw consumption. Searing ahi tuna leaves this fish with a tender outside and moist, supple inside.
How long should you cook seared ahi tuna?
If you aren’t buying pre-made frozen seared ahi tuna, then no worries—at-home seared ahi tuna is simple to make. For a perfect sear, you want to cook the ahi tuna in a skillet preheated over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil for 1-2 minutes per side.
Can you eat seared ahi tuna while pregnant?
For expecting moms-to-be, it is recommended to avoid raw, smoked, or seared fish while pregnant. Bacteria in undercooked food can be harmful to pregnant women. If you want to make seared ahi tuna at home during pregnancy, cook the tuna to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
When you present this seared ahi tuna to your hungry diners this holiday season, it is sure to be a memorable meal that will be devoured in an instant! It’s never been this simple to impress in the kitchen without all of the stress. Go ahead and take a bow, you deserve it!
How will you pair Bumble Bee SuperFresh® Ahi Tuna with your cooking adventures? It’s a delicious treat with a side of soy sauce and wasabi, in a classic Nicoise Salad or served alongside your favorite seafood accompaniments. I would love to hear your recipe combinations in the comments section!
Recipe Science
How To Prepare Frozen Ahi Tuna
When consuming raw fish, food safety is critical! It’s best to look for “sushi quality” or “sushi grade” when purchasing from the market. Some markets will have that indication on the package, but don’t be afraid to ask. Searing the surface of the ahi tuna steaks on each side help to reduce the risk of microbial contamination. When preparing frozen ahi tuna, remove the fish from any vacuum packaging. Always thaw the fish in the refrigerator, so it defrosts but does not reach thetemperature danger zone. Serve and consume the same day and do not re-freeze the fish.(Source:FDA.gov)
Seared Ahi Tuna with Crispy Sesame Green Beans
Seared ahi tuna with crispy sesame green beans is a gourmet recipe made right at home! Serve with a delicious carrot, cauliflower, and ginger vegetable puree and crispy pan-sauteed sesame green beans for a quick and healthy meal.
Pin PrintSaveReview
4.75 from 63 votes
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Servings 2 servings
Course Entree
Cuisine Japanese
Ingredients
Seared Ahi Tuna
- 6 ounces seared ahi tuna
Puree
- 2 ½ cups cauliflower florets
- 1 ½ cups carrots, 1-inch pieces
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Sesame Green Beans
- 8 ounces green beans, or haricot verts
- ½ teaspoon Sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce, low sodium
- ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
- ¼ cup grated carrots, optional
- ¼ cup red cabbage, thinly sliced, optional
- 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves, optional
- 1 tablespoon green onions, thinly sliced, optional
Instructions
Seared Ahi Tuna
Thaw the Ahi Tuna – Remove tuna from vacuum pack and place in refrigerator to thaw, covered with plastic wrap. Allow to thaw for approximately 3 hours.
Puree
Steam the Vegetables – In a medium-sized pot with about 1-inch of water in the bottom and fitted with a steamer, cover, and heat over medium-high until steam forms. Add cauliflower, carrots, garlic, and ginger. Steam for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender.
Transfer Vegetables to Blender – Transfer steamed vegetables to a blender. Add olive oil and salt. Blend on medium-low speed for about 30 seconds, until the vegetables are broken down.
Blend Until Pureed – Increase speed to high and puree for 30 seconds, until smooth puree forms. Use the blender stick to help push the vegetables down, or stop and scrape the blender as needed.
Taste & Season Vegetable Puree – Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired. Keep covered and set aside.
Sesame Green Beans
Pre-Heat Pan – Heat a medium-sized pan fitted with a lid over medium-low heat. Add sesame oil and olive oil, and heat until oil is warmed but not smoking.
Saute Aromatics & Green Beans – Add garlic and ginger, saute for 30 seconds, continuously stirring until fragrant. Add green beans and increase heat to medium, saute for 1 minute. Add one tablespoon water and one teaspoon soy sauce, stir to combine. Cover and allow to cook for 2 minutes.
Steam Green Beans – Stir and cover, cook another 1 to 2 minutes, or until beans are crispy and tender. Turn off heat. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle beans with sesame seeds.
Add Extras – If adding carrots, cabbage, cilantro, and green onion, add and combine right before serving.
To Serve
Plate Seared Ahi Tuna & Sides – Remove tuna from the refrigerator. Divide cauliflower carrot puree evenly among two bowls. Layer tuna on top. Add sesame green beans to each bowl.
Equipment
Countertop Blender
Notes
- Optional Green Bean Ingredients: ¼ cup grated carrots, ¼ cup thinly sliced red cabbage, two tablespoons cilantro leaves, one tablespoon green onions. Toss all ingredients with cooked green beans right before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Serves: 2 servings
Calories 323kcal (16%)Carbohydrates 31g (10%)Protein 31g (62%)Fat 11g (17%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 41mg (14%)Sodium 1024mg (43%)Potassium 532mg (15%)Fiber 13g (52%)Sugar 12g (13%)Vitamin A 16900IU (338%)Vitamin C 226.1mg (274%)Calcium 150mg (15%)Iron 3.1mg (17%)
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Published on
Jessica Gavin
I'm a culinary school graduate, cookbook author, and a mom who loves croissants! My passion is creating recipes and sharing the science behind cooking to help you gain confidence in the kitchen.
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Reader Interactions
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13 Comments Leave a comment or review
Elsie says
I thought the purée just tasted like a very thick soup and took too long to make. It was ok. I appreciate trying something different though.
Reply
Jessica Gavin says
I appreciate your feedback, Elsie!
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Kelly says
OMG, this was AMAZING! It looks beautiful, contains so many healthy ingredients, and tastes fantastic! My whole family loved it and wouldn’t stop raving about it. And the ones that usually whine about healthy foods didn’t even seem to notice because it tasted so good. This is a keeper for sure.
I did have to season and sear my own tuna. Our store doesn’t carry the tuna called for in this recipe. But I did everything else exactly as the recipe stated. Don’t leave anything out!
Reply
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Kelly! So happy that your family enjoyed the tuna recipe.
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Cathy says
This is a fantastic recipe! We grilled a pepper encrusted tuna steak and followed the rest of your recipe. So simple to put together and so good. We will be making this again!
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Jessica Gavin says
Wow, grilled tuna sounds lovely!
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Sarah R. says
I used fresh ahi tuna marinated in oyster sauce, ginger, soy and sesame oil. Them seared it in a pan. The rest of the recipe i filed to the foot and MAAANNN it was delicious!!!!
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Jessica Gavin says
Sounds amazing! Love the addition of oyster sauce.
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Jessica Docasar says
My boyfriend and I made this last night and it was simple, delicious, and healthy! We absolutely loved everything about the flavors and how they all work so well together. We definitely added the carrots, cilantro, red cabbage, and sesame seeds at the end and man that is pure beauty! We will absolutely make this again and are looking into buying your book. Great discovery! Thanks for what you do.
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Amanda says
I love this recipe. I use the Puree for other dishes like steak or even scallops. I have always made an Ahi tuna steak that is pan seared… not prepackaged and it tastes like restaurant food. Thanks for the recipe
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Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Amanda! The puree is so versatile, glad to hear you are using it for other dishes.
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Paul says
I tried the puree, I thought it was kind of bland w/the tuna and didn’t really add a complementary layer of flavor. I like the lime ginger sauce so much better.
I also tried making the beans and have some questions…
How do you keep the ginger and galric from burning? Even at med heat and adding in the green beans when required the two ingreidents seemed to still cook and almost burn. Any recommendations in keeping the cabbage and carrots colorful after adding them. They seem to take on the soy sauce color. Still tasted great, just not as colorful as I would like to present the dish as.
Reply
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for your feedback Paul! Feel free to season the puree with more salt, pepper and ginger to your liking if you give it a try again. Lime ginger sauce does add a nice tangy punch! I’ve adjusted the green bean recipe to have you start the heat on medium-low instead of medium to help with preventing so much browning of the garlic and ginger. Add the cabbage and carrots right before serving, or sprinkle on top for color. They are meant to add color and crunch so shouldn’t get cooked with the beans.
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