LindySez | Recipes

  • About/Contact
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Techniques
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About/Contact
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Techniques
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About/Contact
    • Recipes
    • Tips & Techniques
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Sesame Crusted Yellowtail Tuna with Two Sauces

    Sesame Crusted Yellowtail Tuna with Two Sauces

    Published: Nov 19, 2013 · Modified: Sep 29, 2023 by Linda Baker · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Simple and elegant, Sesame Crusted Yellowtail Tuna with Two Sauces combines a crunchy sesame seed crust, rare seared tuna with two delicious sauces.

    Sesame Crusted Yellowtail Tuna with Two Sauces

    The making of Sesame Crusted Yellowtail Tuna with Two Sauces

    Sesame Crusted Yellowtail Tuna with Two Sauces is a recipe I put together by combining two of my favorite things; rare seared tuna and tasty sauces. The sauces, Sambal Vinaigrette, and Wasabi Cream, both come from the Epicurious website, with slight modifications, like using less oil and mustard in the Sambal Vinaigrette. Epicurious is one of my many "go-to" websites when I'm looking for ideas for dinner or researching an idea I had for a recipe. Theirs was being prepared with halibut that they coated with finely chopped parsley, fried, then topped with these two sauces. I never got the parsley connection as these sauces both have heat and are very Asian in flavoring.

    Cilantro maybe.

    But parsley? So I decided to put them on a rare seared tuna that I have crusted with sesame seeds, keeping it a little more "Asian" in taste.

    Rare seared Ahi or Hamachi? The choice is yours.

    Rare seared sesame-crusted yellowtail and yellowfin tuna used to be very popular hors-d'oeuvres. I don't see it as often anymore, but when we traveled to Hawaii on a regular basis, they were at every cocktail party and reception we attended, made with either yellowfin (Ahi tuna which is red) or yellowtail  (Hamachi which is white). And just as in good sushi or sashimi, the tuna has to be rare in the middle. Overcooking the fish is simply wrong, IMHO. Rare yellowtail is heavenly. So is yellowfin and either one will work in this recipe.

    Try it. You'll like it!

    sesame seeds

    The Sesame advantage

    The sesame seeds that crust the fish can be black or white seeds or a combination of both. They really give it a great nutty-flavored crust that works so well with the vinaigrette and wasabi cream sauces. When buying sesame seeds, try to buy them at an Asian market, they are so much cheaper than they are in the grocery store. There are also a lot of good sources online like these Regal White Sesame Seeds, 10 ounces for just $1.99.

    And they are already toasted! Bonus Bonus! So why pay more?

    This recipe is simple, elegant, and delicious. Serve it with some steamed Jasmine Rice along with a Simple Cucumber Salad and/or Grilled Sesame Asparagus. 

    Seared Yellowtail Tuna with Two Sauces

    Sesame Crusted Yellowtail Tuna with Two Sauces

    LindySez
    Simple and elegant, Sesame Crusted Yellowtail Tuna with Two Sauces combines a crunchy sesame seed crust, rare seared tuna with two delicious sauces.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Fish & Seafood
    Cuisine Asian
    Servings 4 servings
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • For the Sambal Vinaigrette
    • 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar they say not flavored, but I use flavored all the time so either or
    • 2 teaspoons sambal oelek Southeast Asian chile sauce
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil I use grapeseed oil
    • For the Wasabi Cream
    • 2 teaspoons wasabi powder
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • ¼ cup sour cream Greek yogurt, or Mexican crema
    • For the Yellowtail
    • 1 ½ pound piece of yellowtail tuna left whole OR cut into 1 inch thick steaks (I liked using a whole tuna "roast" as it had less chance of cooking too quickly and becoming overdone, if you can't find one, use thick steaks and cook less time)
    • ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds white, black or a combination
    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare the Sabal Vinaigrette: Whisk the ingredients together until it is smooth. Season with a pinch of salt. Set-aside.
    • Prepare the Wasabi Cream: Whisk together the wasabi powder and water, when smooth, whisk in the sour cream. Season with a pinch of salt. Set-aside.
    • Prepare the Yellowtail: Pour the sesame seeds onto a plate. Season the fish with salt and freshly ground coarse pepper. Turn the fish in the sesame seeds until well covered; adding more seeds if necessary. (If you are using a whole "roast cut" of fish, then coat all sides, if using steaks coat only the top and bottom) Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat (cast iron works great here); when the pan is hot, add the fish, 
      if using a whole roast let it cook about 1 - 2 minutes, then turn, cook again for only 1 or 2 minutes, then turn again for another 1 - 2 minutes.  
      If cooking steaks add the crusted steaks to the hot pan, cook 1 - 1 ½ minutes, turn, and cook 1 ½ minutes on the other side. Remove the fish and let it rest for 2 - 3 minutes. For the whole "roast" slice into ½ inch slices. For the steaks, slice, or don't. It's up to you how to present it. 
    • To Serve: Place a bit of the Sambal Vinaigrette on to a plate, top with the fish, then drizzle with the wasabi cream and a little more of the vinaigrette.
    Keyword ahi tuna, hamachi tuna, rare tuna with sauce
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Mustard Thyme Spaetzle
    A Simple Cucumber Salad »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Hi, I'm Lindy.

    Welcome to LindySez! I'm Lindy, a self-taught home chef with a passion for helping others feel confident in the kitchen. I believe cooking should be approachable, fun, and above all, delicious!

    My mission is to guide anyone—whether you grew up on fast food or rarely cooked at home—to create amazing meals with ease. Through simple recipes and practical tips, I’ll show you how to turn everyday ingredients into flavorful dishes.

    Cooking doesn’t have to be intimidating—let’s make it enjoyable together!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • A blue bowl filled with Pretty Darn Good Chili Verde.
      Roasted Pork Chili Verde with a Smoky Twist
    • A hot dog dressed in chili sauce.
      The Best Hormel Chili No Beans Copycat Recipe
    • Slow cooked in the oven spaghetti sauce on noodles with basil.
      Slow Cooked Oven Baked Spaghetti Sauce
    • A sliced loaf of quick no knead crusty rye bread.
      A Quick No Knead Crusty Rye Bread
    • A tasty plate of ribs.
      Tender Oven-Baked Ribs with Quick Grill Finish
    • Polenta Cornmeal Muffins in cast iron mini skillets.
      The Best Easy Polenta or Cornmeal Muffins
    • German Braised Rabbit served with sides.
      Hasenpfeffer (German Style Wine Braised Rabbit)
    • A skillet and a plate with some fried mashed potato cakes on them.
      Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Mashed Potato Cakes
    • A white bowl filled with Spicy Crab Noodles.
      Spicy Crab Noodles
    • Sole being served on a gold rimmed plate with a light shrimp sauce on it. along with chives.
      Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2024 Lindy Sez