5 Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes Quick And Delicious

Tuna steak is a mouthwatering food and having leftovers is the best. Listed below are about five Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes to consider when you have leftover tune steaks. Tuna is not easy to cook, especially if you want it to have the same consistency as steak. Although leftover tuna is safe to eat, there is a short shelf life to consider.

I love eating leftover tuna steak, but I get creative with Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes. There are so many ways to exaggerate flavors in a delicious leftover tuna steak! For example, you can use different seasonings or reheat the steak using the stove or oven. These Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes are perfect for beginners in the kitchen!

What Is A Tuna Steak?

Before we can find unique Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes, we should know what tuna steaks are and how to cook them! There are many different types of tuna, and not all are the same thickness. For example, tuns steaks are thick cuts of tuna that are typically 7-12 oz.

Usually, a cook will use Ahi Tuna (a large type of tuna), when making tuna steak because of how thick their meat is. Like regular red meat steak, tuna steak is cooked like a steak on a grill. The meat is seared, meaning that internally the fish is raw while completely cooked on the outside.

How Do You Cook Tuna Steak?

There are many ways to cook tuna steak. That being said, if you want to cook it traditionally like a steak, it takes about 6-8 minutes on a low heat. I recommend using a skillet or grill. On the skillet, add a tablespoon of whole milk butter or olive oil. The butter is fatty and sucks into the tuna, helping keep moisture as it cooks.

The most important part about cooking a fatty tuna steak is minding the heat levels. The skillet should be placed on medium to low heat. If the heat is too hot, the tuna steak will cook too fast and burn on the outside, while leaving the inside raw and full of bacteria. Throughout the searing, flip the tuna steak so both sides cook equally.

 Can tuna steak be well done?

The Best way to Store Cooked Tuna Steak

After the tuna steak is thoroughly cooked, you should learn how to store it. Since tuna steak is still fish meat, it really only lasts about 3-4 days max in the refrigerator. Keep tuna steak in an airtight container or tightly packed aluminum foil. Unlike other styles of meat, do not freeze tuna steak after cooking as defrosting is not easy.

5 Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes

Since it is hard to store tuna steak meat, it is best instead to find Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes to use the meat as quickly as possible. Listed below are five common leftover tuna steak recipes.

1. Tuna Cakes

Have you ever had a tuna cake? This is a great way to use leftover tuna steaks that are close to spoiling. Mash or grind the tuna to break it apart. In a mixture of flour and different seasonings, fry the cakes in a small tablespoon of hot oil. I love adding fresh Italian herbs on top with cheese!

2. Tuna Salad

 Can you reheat leftover tuna?

You can make a tuna salad using tuna steak. First, cut and shred the tuna as lightly as possible. Afterwards, take the shredded tuna and mix it with both mayo and butter. To make it more nutritious and light, add onions, garlic, green peppers, and red peppers to the mixture. Season lightly and serve cold!

3. Fried Rice with Tuna

Possibly my favorite of all Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes, is to eat tuna fish with fried rice. If you have leftover rice, simply add soy sauce, peanut oil and olive oil to a large skillet. Add your favorite seasonings, hot sauce, and other sauces. Chop and dice leftover tuna into the fried rice mixture and move around as it cooks for 5-10 minutes.

If you want to add something else, I like cracking and scrambling an egg into the fried rice with tuna mixture. It adds both protien and flavor to the dish!

4. Lemon and Garlic Ahi Tuna Pasta

What about pasta? A tuna pasta is just as healthy and filling. When making this recipe, add lemon, garlic, and ahi tuna into a large skillet. On low to medium heat, warm up these ingredients. Cook and boil the pasta beforehand, before dumping into the large skillet and mixing. If you have other seafood dishes, place them inside the pasta.

5. Tuna Sandwich or ‘Burger’

A tuna sandwich or burger is the simplest Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes out of this bunch, but still tasty and worth mentioning! Reheat the tuna steak like you would a burger patty on the grill or a warm skillet with oil or butter. Pair this tuna with spicy mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, and hot peppers!

Tips And Tricks For Reheating Tuna Steak

If you are thinking of reheating tuna steak and still need extra tips and tricks to help, try sauteeing the meat with a small dash of oil. If you want less oil, placing the tuna steak in aluminum foil within the oven can also warm and toast leftover tuna steak.

Try not to reheat the tuna steak more then once as reheating it can cause the fish to harden and change in texture and flavor. The only way to know when tuna steak is safe to eat and cooked is when the internal temperature reaches 140-145 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if you want a medium rare tuna steak with a raw middle, 125 degrees is safe.

Conclusion

What do you think of our Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes? Although we have only listed a few common ways to use leftover tuna steaks, there are a lot more recipes and unique ideas to try. Tuna steak is delicious, especially when it is cooked right, but having leftovers can be tricky since fish has a short shelf-life, even when cooked and stored.

Let us know in the comments below if you have a different idea or favorite way to reheat and enjoy tuna steak leftovers! We love hearing back from you. Know anyone interested in unique and delicious Leftover Tuna Steak Recipes? Share these recipes with them to keep the conversation going!

 How long does cooked tuna steak last in the fridge?

FAQs

How do you eat leftover tuna steaks?

Eating leftover tuna steaks is easy! Reheat the tuna steaks with moisture (water, oil, or butter) and enjoy!

Can tuna steak be well done?

Yes! However, it becomes harder to eat well done tuna steak the more it cooks on the inside. It is not cooked well done by most chefs and instead is seared on the outside so that the tuna steak is a medium-rare.

How long does cooked tuna steak last in the fridge?

Cooked tuna steak only lasts about 3-4 days in the fridge. Fish is very susceptible to bacteria like salmonella.

Can you reheat leftover tuna?

Yes, you can reheat leftover tuna, but you should do so in the right way.