10 Best Yellowfin Tuna Recipes to Make for Dinner

Want to add fish to your diet? Let these healthy, refreshing, and mouthwatering yellowfin tuna recipes lead the way.

If you’re looking for a healthier source of protein, yellowfin tuna is definitely a great choice.

Yellowfin or ahi tuna is a nutritious fish with soft meat and a rich flavor.

It’s able to soak up marinades in a jiffy and cook pretty quickly, too.

It also tastes great no matter how you prepare it. Whether grilled, pan-fried, or served raw, it won’t disappoint.

If you’re not familiar with the fish, here are 10 recipes to get you started!

From simple seared tuna to colorful poke bowls, these yellowfin tuna recipes will get you hooked!

1. Tuna Poke Bowls 

When I hear the word “tuna,” I can’t help but follow it with the phrase, “poke bowls.”

This dish is the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to tuna recipes.

While I also do love salmon poke bowls, I think tuna is the superior protein in this particular dish. 

The way tuna soaks up the soy sauce marinade is quite something else. I mean, look at how juicy those tuna cubes are.

For this recipe, the poke bowls are also topped with slices of avocado, cucumber, edamame, diced mangoes, and get this, potato chips.

Aside from adding crunch, the potato chips also provide a fun contrast to the healthy dish!

2. Ahi Yellowfin Tuna Rolls and Hand Rolls 

Put those sushi-making classes to good use and whip up these scrumptious yellowfin tuna rolls!

Filled with tuna, carrots, cucumber, and bell peppers, these rolls are crunchy, tasty, and oh-so refreshing.

For this recipe, you won’t need to use raw tuna.

Sashimi-grade yellowfin is a bit on the expensive side, so let’s just stick to a more affordable option here.

Instead of sashimi, just use canned tuna! Doctor it up with some mayo, mustard, chives, and voila.

3. Ginataang Yellow Fin Tuna 

Raise your hand if you’re a fan of Filipino food! I’m in love with this underrated cuisine.

This Filipino dish features yellowfin tuna fillets bathed in creamy coconut sauce.

The cream is infused with ginger, fish sauce, onion, garlic, and spices, which give a deeper flavor to both the sauce and the fish.

And because tuna absorbs flavors fast, you only need less than 30 minutes to whip up this phenomenal dish.

Be sure to also prepare a large pot of white rice as you cook this dish! You’ll want a lot of it.

4. Grilled Yellowfin Tuna in Lemon and Garlic 

This grilled tuna dish is the embodiment of fresh flavors!

Here, tuna steaks are grilled to smoky perfection and served in a rich, lemon garlic butter sauce.

Light, bright, and refreshing, this is the ultimate summer dish.

You won’t need much to pull this off. Aside from the tuna, the rest of the ingredients are all pantry staples.

For the best results, soak the tuna in the marinate overnight and grill them the next morning. 

5. Southwest Tuna Chopped Salad 

While I’m not the biggest fan of salads, chopped salads are an exception.

Plus, how can anyone say no to such a colorful bowl?

In this bowl is a merry mix of chopped lettuce and avocado, corn, black beans, grape tomatoes, and of course, the star of the show, tuna.

All tossed together in a creamy and spicy chipotle dressing, this salad is impossible to resist.

By the way, this is another recipe that doesn’t require fresh tuna. Tuna in a can works perfectly fine here.

6. Wasabi Seared Tuna 

Do you like your tuna raw or cooked? Can’t decide between the two? Searing is the solution.

In this recipe, the tuna is cooked quickly just to give it a good sear around the edges, while the center remains nice and pink.

The tuna is also coated with a mixture of crushed wasabi peas and black sesame seeds, to give it a lovely crunch and a punch of heat.

Serve these tuna slices with a small bowl of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and grated ginger for a savory dipping sauce.

7. Tuna Steak Marinade 

While tuna is the main component of this dish, it’s the marinade that gives it the utmost flavor.

It’s a blend of honey, olive oil, garlic, lemon, herbs, and spices.

This marinade has a tastebud-tickling combination of sweet, savory, earthy, and zesty flavors.

It’s the kind of marinade that will make the tuna taste amazing, no matter how you prepare it.

Heck, you can even over-cook the tuna and it’ll still be awesome!

8. Sesame-Crusted Seared Tuna Salad Bowl 

This salad bowl features sweet and savory seared tuna encrusted with sesame seeds.

Honestly, the tuna slices alone are delicious enough to be their own dish.

But this is a salad, so you also toss the tuna with other mix-ins. 

For this recipe, you add arugula, avocado cubes, jalapenos, and brown rice to the bowl.

All these are coated with a refreshing dressing of soy sauce, garlic, Sriracha, and lime juice.

9. Spicy Pan Bagnat with Yellowfin Tuna 

Obviously, there has to be a recipe for a tuna sandwich on this list! 

The one I picked for this collection is a spicy pan bagnat, an elevated version of the classic sandwich.

This French sandwich features canned tuna with a creamy spread. It’s made of onions, garlic, and capers cooked in red wine vinegar.

I mean, talk about next level!

To make the sandwich, you fill baguette halves with the onion-garlic spread, tuna, tomatoes, roasted peppers, sliced boiled eggs, and more.

10. Seared Ahi Tuna 

Let’s cap things off with a simple dish that truly highlights the deliciousness of ahi tuna.

I have for you another fantastic recipe for seared tuna.

Here, the tuna steaks are marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and lime to give them umami-rich flavors.

Once seared, slice the steaks and serve them with white rice for a hearty, healthy, and delicious Asian meal.