Seared Tuna Bites Recipe

Yield: 12 pieces

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 20

I've been making these seared tuna bites for years, and despite their elegance, they're surprisingly easy to make. I'll share six tips to ensure your seared tuna bites come out perfectly, every time! Get ready to impress.

Ingredients

Tapenade

10 manzanilla olives, finely chopped
1 teaspoon capers, minced
1 teaspoon EACH: lemon juice and sherry vinegar
¼ teaspoon fresh thyme
2 anchovy fillets, minced
3 basil leaves, minced

Seared Tuna Bites

6 ounces sushi-grade, Pacific Albacore tuna steak
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
12 cucumber slices
Small basil leaves and black pepper, to garnish

Instructions

To make the tapenade, mix the olives, capers, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, thyme, anchovies, and minced basil in a small bowl.
10 manzanilla olives, 1 teaspoon capers, 1 teaspoon EACH: lemon juice and sherry vinegar, ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme, 2 anchovy fillets, 3 basil leaves
Place a cast iron pan over high heat and let it heat until VERY hot.
While the pan is heating, season both sides of the tuna with pepper and salt. Just before adding the tuna to the pan, pour the oil into the center of the pan and place the tuna on top. Sear for 1 ½ minutes then flip over and sear for 1 ½ minutes more. Remove from the pan, let cool slightly, then slice into 12 pieces.
6 ounces sushi-grade, Pacific Albacore tuna steak, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon olive oil
Place one piece of tuna on top of each cucumber slice, top with some tapenade, a little basil leaf, and some black pepper.
12 cucumber slices, Small basil leaves and black pepper

Notes

Olives: I love using these manzanilla olives. If you can't find them, use another buttery green olive.

Pits: If you use a different olive variety with pits, make sure to remove them before mincing the olive meat.

Vinegar: If you don't have sherry vinegar, substitute with apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar.

Make ahead: This seared tuna can be assembled a few hours in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to serve.

Serving: 1 seared tuna tapenade bite, Calories: 29kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 111mg, Potassium: 49mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 318IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1mg