Grilled Tuna with Fennel
Prep
20 mins
Cook
25 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
Here's a dish I've come to love for its incredible simplicity and elegant flavors. Grilled tuna with fennel brings together Mediterranean ingredients that work beautifully together, ready in under an hour from start to table. The fresh fennel adds a subtle anise note that complements the rich tuna perfectly, and I appreciate that tuna is packed with omega 3 fatty acids, which are wonderful for heart health. What makes this recipe so practical is that it requires minimal prep work and uses just a handful of pantry staples. The whole meal feels restaurant quality but comes together easily on any weeknight.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 4ahi tuna steaks(6 oz each, 1.5 inches thick)
- 2fennel bulbs(trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch planks)
- 6 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- 2fresh lemon(1 for juice, 1 for zest)
- 3 tablespoonsfresh dill(chopped)
- 2garlic cloves(minced)
- 1 teaspoonsea salt
- ½ teaspoonblack pepper
- ½ teaspoonfennel seeds(lightly crushed)
- 1 tablespoonred wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoonhoney
- 1shallot(finely diced)
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your grill to high heat (about 450°F). Pat the tuna steaks dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with sea salt, black pepper, and crushed fennel seeds.
Tip: Dry tuna creates a better crust when grilled; avoid moving it around too much during cooking.
- 2
Brush the fennel slices lightly with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place them on the grill perpendicular to the grates and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden and tender. Transfer to a plate.
Tip: Grilling fennel caramelizes its natural sugars and mellows its licorice flavor.
- 3
Make the vinaigrette by whisking together 4 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, diced shallot, honey, and fresh dill in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 4
Place the tuna steaks on the hot grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side without moving them. Flip and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes for medium-rare (or longer for your preferred doneness).
Tip: Tuna is best served rare to medium-rare to keep it moist and tender; overcooking will make it dry.
- 5
Remove the tuna from the grill and let it rest for 2-3 minutes on a warm plate.
Tip: Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the fish.
- 6
Arrange the grilled fennel on serving plates and top each with a tuna steak. Drizzle the lemon-dill vinaigrette over the top and finish with fresh lemon zest.
Tip: The bright acidity of the vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the tuna beautifully.
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