Air Fryer Tuna Steak

Make the best tuna steak easily in the air fryer! The tuna steak is first marinated in a flavorful mixture of honey, ginger, and coconut aminos (or soy sauce). Then, cooked to perfection in the air fryer! Serve it with your favorite sides or add it on top of a hearty salad!

If you love air fryer fish recipes, you’ll definitely want to check out my Crispy Air Fryer Fish, Air Fryer Lobster, or 3-Ingredient Air Fryer Salmon next!

You may have been wondering, “Can you cook tuna steak in an air fryer?”, and the answer is YES! The air fryer is the easiest way to make perfectly seared air tuna without overcooking it.

Tuna is such a delicious, versatile fish! Of course, you can serve it with sides like rice, kimchi, and your favorite veggies for a delicious, healthy bowl, but there’s so much more you can do! Try adding this tender, tasty tuna to your salad, or use it to make tacos. I love mahi mahi tacos, but I love tuna tacos even more!

You’ll Love This Air Fryer Tuna Steak Recipe! It’s:

• Quick & Easy
• Super Flavorful
• Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free
• Cooks Perfectly Everytime!

The key to making the best air fryer tuna steak is to start by marinating the tuna steak to infuse it with delicious flavors. Then, when you are ready to enjoy the tuna steak, cook it to your desired doneness in the air fryer. You can use frozen ahi tuna steaks, but I highly recommend thawing them first before cooking.

The marinade is quick to put together and gives the ahi tuna such great flavor. Twenty minutes marinade time is sufficient, or up to 1 hour.

Here’s What You’ll Need For The Tuna Steak Marinade

Zesty Sweet Sticky Sauce

• Coconut Aminos (or soy sauce)
• Honey
• Seasame Oil
• Olive Oil
• Apple Cider Vinegar (or rice vinegar)
• Freshly Grated Ginger
• Minced Garlic

How To Make Air Fryer Tuna Steak?

1. In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade. Set aside 1/4 cup of the marinade to use as a dipping sauce for later, if desired.
2. Place the tuna steak in the sauce, cover, and marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or up to 1 hour).
3. When ready to make the tuna steak, start by preheating the air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes.
4. Place the tuna steaks in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until it reaches your desired doneness. (check with an instant thermometer.)
5. Carefully remove the tuna steaks from the air fryer and let rest for 1-2 minutes. Slice thinly and enjoy! (These cook times are approximate keeping in mind each air fryer cooks a little different.)

How Long To Cook Tuna Steak In The Air Fryer?

• Rare: 1.5 minutes per side
• Medium-Rare: 2-3 minutes per side
• Medium: 4 minutes per side
• Well-Done: 5-6 minutes per side.

How Do You Know When Ahi Tuna Is Done?

Tuna Steaks can quickly and easily be overcooked and become dry and rubbery. The best way to know when your tuna steak is done is to cook for the proper amount of time and use an instant thermometer to check for doneness (see below). You also can check the doneness by slicing into the tuna steak. The outside should be slightly golden in color while the inside should be pink.

• Rare: 115°F
• Medium-Rare: 125°F
• Medium: 135°F (The USDA recommended temperature is 145°F)
• Well-Done: 150°F+ (cooking tuna steak well-done or 150°F is not recommended)

It is best to cook ahi tuna steak to medium-rare (125°F) for the best flavor and texture.

Common Questions

Can I Make The Ahi Tuna Steak Without The Marinade?

Yes, you most certainly can. Ahi tuna steak is quite flavorful on its own, especially if you buy high-quality sushi-grade tuna steak. You can always skip the marinade and simply season both sides of the tuna steak generously with salt and pepper. Cook the fish the same, according to the directions. If you still want the marinade, you can always make it and enjoy it on the side as a dipping sauce!

Yellowfin Tuna VS Ahi Tuna VS Tuna Steak

Tuna Steak, Ahi Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna are essentially the same. “Ahi” is the Hawaiian term for yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna

How To Thaw Frozen Tuna Steaks?

The best way to thaw frozen tuna steak is to either:

1. Leave it in the fridge overnight to thaw.
2. Place the frozen tuna steaks in a ziploc bag and submerge in a cold water bath until thawed completely. The tuna steak should be thawed in less than 1 hour. (Do not use hot water because this can potentially cook the tuna and lead to bacteria growth. Do not thaw on countertop.)

How To Cook Frozen Ahi Tuna Steak In the Air Fryer?

I highly recommend thawing your tuna steak before cooking, but if you’d like to cook from frozen you can. Simply add 2-3 minutes onto the cooking time for each side until you reach your desired doneness. Be sure to season with salt and pepper first before cooking.

Cooking Times For Frozen Tuna Steak:

• Rare: 3 minutes per side
• Medium-Rare: 4 minutes per side
• Medium: 6 minutes per side
• Well-Done: 8 minutes per side.

I Hope You Enjoy This Air Fryer Ahi Tuna Steak Recipe!

If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. Leave a quick review & star rating ★ below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.

More Air Fryer Recipes To Try!

• 3-Ingredient Honey Garlic Air Fryer Salmon
• Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Turkey Legs
• Cauliflower Tots | Air Fryer or Baked
• Crispy Air Fryer Okra
• Crispy Gluten-Free Air Fryer Fish
• Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp (Gluten-Free)