Grilled Tuna with Lemon Caper Sauce
These grilled tuna steaks are perfectly charred on the outside, buttery and rare in the center, and ready in 15 minutes. A dead simple, Sicilian-inspired sauce made with lemon, capers, and oregano complements the fish without overpowering. If you've ever been intimidated by grilling fresh tuna, this recipe will show you just how easy it is!
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We get spoiled with beautiful fresh tuna in the summer since our friends and neighbors are always out fishing, and if we're lucky, they generously share their catch.
I'm always looking for different ways to prepare it, but grilling is usually my go-to technique. It's perfect for warm weather, always turns out great and works with any variety of fresh tuna you can find.
A light coating of olive oil, salt, and pepper before grilling is all fresh tuna really needs. I never marinate it before grilling since acidic ingredients like lemon can change the texture of the fish. Instead, I like to finish with a sauce after cooking.
There are endless ways to serve grilled tuna, but I find that when a piece of fish is really high-quality and fresh, it's best left simple.
When you order a piece of grilled tuna in Sicily, or anywhere in Italy, it's typically served with just a piece of lemon on the side. When it's fresh and cooked well, it needs little else!
Sometimes you'll also see it served with a super simple sauce like this one. It's just freshly squeezed lemon juice, good olive oil, capers, and oregano. You can use other herbs if you like, and dried oregano works well here too. It adds a bit of saltiness, acidity, and flavor without overpowering the fish.
How to Grill Tuna Perfectly Every Time
The key to excellent grilled tuna is using a very hot grill to quickly brown the outside while keeping the center rare.
You don't have to serve your tuna rare, but I highly recommend not taking it further than medium to medium-well at the absolute most. Because it's such a lean fish, tuna becomes noticeably drier and firmer as it cooks past medium.
I love grilling over charcoal whenever possible to add a subtle smoky flavor that pairs especially well with tuna. I highly recommend grilling over hardwood charcoal if you can, but gas works great too. You can also use a grill pan indoors.
To keep tuna from sticking, make sure your grill is clean and preheat it until very hot. Oil the grates right before cooking and also oil the tuna for extra insurance.
Don't try to flip the tuna until it naturally releases. This is why it's important to have high heat. If it's too low, the tuna may stick, which can lead to overcooking.
Grill for about 30-60 seconds on each side, depending on your preference. Pull the tuna just before it reaches your preferred doneness since carryover cooking will continue for a minute or two.
Unlike beef, tuna doesn't benefit from a long rest. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes before serving so the juices settle, then spoon the sauce over and serve it immediately.
Want more fresh tuna recipes? Try this foolproof pan seared tuna, this impressive tuna tartare recipe with capers and tomatoes, or this fun twist on a fresh tuna Niçoise salad.
Why You'll Love This Grilled Tuna
- A delicious and straightforward method for cooking tuna with great results.
- Can be made with any variety of tuna, fresh, or frozen.
- Simple seasoning and a bright lemon caper sauce add enough flavor while letting the tuna shine.
- A very hot grill with well-oiled grates creates a golden brown crust while keeping the center rare and preventing sticking.
Ingredient Notes
The Best Tuna for Grilling
Tuna steaks - Any variety of tuna can be used in this recipe, depending on what's fresh and available to you. Yellowfin tuna is my first choice for grilling because it's meaty, mild, and widely available. Bigeye and bluefin are also excellent, while albacore tends to be leaner and cooks more quickly. Ahi is not a species; it's just the Hawaiian name for both yellowfin and bigeye tuna.
High-quality frozen tuna is often just as good as fresh because it's typically frozen shortly after being caught. Buy from a reputable fish market and thaw slowly overnight in the refrigerator, then dry it well with paper towels for best results.
Whether using fresh or frozen, choose tuna steaks that are at least 1 inch thick for the best results. The thicker they are, the easier it is to not overcook them.
Olive oil - Make sure to use a good-quality extra virgin olive oil for both the sauce and the fish. It will make the tuna taste even better! Read my guide to Italian olive oils and vinegars to choose the right bottle.
Capers - Any kind of capers will work here, just soak or rinse them if they are salt-packed or brined. Small nonpareil capers will be sharper and more complex, while large capote capers are milder and meatier. Both are delicious!
Lemon - Only fresh lemon juice allowed here! Skip the bottle and use real lemons.
Garlic and oregano - Grated garlic and fresh oregano leaves will complement the flavor of the sauce. You can use dried oregano if needed or try another herb such as marjoram, thyme, or rosemary.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
How to Grill Tuna
- In a small bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and capers. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Preheat a grill to very high heat. Clean the grates well, then oil them thoroughly.
- Pat the tuna steaks very dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.
Pro Tip: Make sure to season the tuna steaks just before grilling to prevent the salt from drawing out moisture. Unnecessary moisture building up on the surface due to salt dehydration will result in less browning and can lead to sticking.
- Place the tuna over the hottest part of the grill. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side for rare to medium-rare, depending on the thickness of the steaks and your preferred doneness. Avoid moving the fish until it's ready to flip.
- Transfer the tuna to a serving platter and spoon the lemon caper sauce over the top. Serve immediately.
Chef's Tips For Perfect Grilled Tuna
- For the best texture, cook the tuna to rare or medium-rare. Well-done tuna becomes dry and tough very quickly.
- The lemon caper sauce can be made a few hours ahead. Let it sit at room temperature before serving so the flavors have time to meld.
- If your capers are packed in salt rather than brine, rinse them well and let them soak for 20 minutes before adding them to the sauce.
- For extra smoky flavor, grill a few lemon halves cut side down for 2-3 minutes and serve them alongside the tuna for squeezing over top.
Variations
- Make this with yellowfin, bigeye, bluefin, or albacore tuna.
- Switch up tuna with swordfish or salmon, changing the cooking times accordingly.
- Use chopped olives instead of capers or use a mix.
- Use marjoram, thyme, basil, or parsley instead of oregano or use a mix of herbs.
- Add finely grated lemon zest to the sauce for extra citrus punch.
Grilled Tuna Serving Suggestions
This delicious grilled tuna is super easy to pair with other dishes. I recommend trying it next to my famous baked goat cheese stuffed tomatoes, a creamy zucchini orzo pasta, comforting buttered parsley potatoes, or some smoky grilled marinated eggplant.
How to Store and Reheat
This tuna is best enjoyed fresh off the grill. You can store leftover steaks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat them on a super hot skillet with a little olive oil for about 30-60 seconds per side. Do not cook further if you want to maintain a medium-rare doneness.
To avoid overcooking but still properly reheating them, let the steaks come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before getting them on the skillet.
You can also eat the leftover tuna cold!
Grilled Tuna Steak FAQs
Absolutely. Frozen fish can be just as good quality as fresh fish because it's usually frozen as soon as it's caught. Just make sure it comes from a sustainable, reputable source, and thaw it completely before cooking for best results.
You can, but the technique in this recipe is focused on tuna, which is a fish that's usually eaten rare or medium-rare. If you switch it up with other kinds of fish, you'll probably want to cook them a little longer, which means using a more moderate heat to avoid burning the fish before it's properly cooked.
Sushi-grade is not an official regulatory term for fish; it's more of a marketing thing and any seller can use it. What actually matters is freshness, how the fish was handled, and whether it's been previously flash-frozen (which kills parasites). When buying tuna to eat raw or rare, ask your fishmonger when it came in and whether it's been flash-frozen. A trustworthy seafood store should be able to answer both questions. If they can't or seem unsure, that's a sign to look elsewhere. Avoid anything that's been CO-treated, which is often used to mask low-quality fish.
Not necessarily. Tuna carries a lower parasite risk than other fish like salmon. If it's super fresh and has been cleanly handled, you can safely eat it that way. If you're unsure of its origins, seeking out flash-frozen tuna helps ensure it's safe to eat raw or rare.
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Grilled Tuna Steaks with Easy Lemon Caper Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil divided (6 tablespoons for the sauce and 2 for the tuna)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 garlic clove finely grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves finely minced
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 4 tuna steaks about 6 ounces each and 1 to 1½ inches thick
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon juice, garlic, oregano and capers. Season to taste with salt and pepper.½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, 2 tablespoons capers, kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper
- Preheat a grill to very high heat. Clean the grates well, then oil them thoroughly.
- Pat the tuna steaks very dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.4 tuna steaks
- Place the tuna over the hottest part of the grill. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side for rare to medium-rare, depending on the thickness of the steaks and your preferred doneness. Avoid moving the fish until it's ready to flip.
- Transfer the tuna to a serving platter and spoon the lemon caper sauce over the top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure to season the tuna steaks just before grilling to prevent the salt from drawing out moisture. Unnecessary moisture building up on the surface due to salt dehydration will result in less browning and can lead to sticking.
- For the best texture, cook the tuna to rare or medium-rare. Well-done tuna becomes dry and tough very quickly.
- The lemon caper sauce can be made a few hours ahead. Let it sit at room temperature before serving so the flavors have time to meld.
- If your capers are packed in salt rather than brine, rinse them well and let them soak for 20 minutes before adding them to the sauce.
- For extra smoky flavor, grill a few lemon halves cut side down for 2-3 minutes and serve them alongside the tuna for squeezing over top.
