It’s seriously quick and easy to Air Fry Yellowfin Tuna Steaks. Also known as Ahi Tuna, the steaks are beautifully meaty. I keep the tuna very simply seasoned so you can use these cooking instructions as a base to create all kinds of wonderful tuna-based feasts.
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Using my simple trick to move the tuna steaks closer to the heat source, my air frying method cooks the tuna quickly without overcooking it. The butter helps to colour the outside but I want to be absolutely upfront here –
Air frying tuna steaks will not give you the same kind of sear, colour or caramelisation that cooking it in a steaming hot pan will. Given the option, that is how I would choose to cook ahi tuna. But I’m sharing this recipe/cooking instructions because not everyone has access to all cooking options and sometimes just throwing something into the air fryer is simply the easier option.
Jump to…
- HOW TO SERVE
- INGREDIENTS
- HOW LONG TO AIR FRY TUNA STEAKS
- HOW TO AIR FRY YELLOWFIN TUNA FROM FROZEN
- LEFTOVERS
- COMMON AIR FRYER QUESTIONS
- THE RECIPE IN FULL
The Air Fried Fish & Shellfish Collection
Find all of my best fish and shellfish recipes in one easy place.
Featuring everything from king prawns and scallops to haddock fillets, sea bass and sea bream as well as whole plaice, cod loins, mackerel fillets and of course I couldn’t miss out salmon fillets!
How to Serve
You can serve the tuna hot or cold although its best to aim for room temperature rather than fridge cold so the flavours aren’t dulled.
I love to serve fresh and simply cooked fish with herby rice like my green coriander and garlic rice, a fruity salsa like my mango salsa or peach salsa and and other fresh salady bits like avocado and baby spinach.
Tuna also works brilliantly as an addition to a classic Caesar salad or atop some lemony herbed cous cous. Add to that Mediterranean vibe with some confit tomatoes and griddled courgettes.
Or pivot to an Asian vibe and brush the steaks with teriyaki sauce or sweet chilli. Serve with plain chow mein, chilli edamame beans and sesame broccoli.
Ingredients
Yellowfin Tuna
Tuna steaks are actually fairly easy to come by – pretty much all of the UK supermarkets including the discounters sell it fresh. It’s also often available frozen in bigger packs so they’re worth looking for too. And of course you’ll be able to get the steaks from any good fishmonger.
The pre-cut steaks all tend to be a very similar size and thickness. So if you are buying from a fishmonger, you can request thicker steaks which will actually cook much better in the air fryer as they will cook through less easily.
Albacore tuna steaks are also sold in the UK but are a little less common than the yellowfin. You can use exactly the same instructions to cook this tuna too.
Butter
Although it is an oily fish, tuna is extremely lean and I find that the steaks seriously benefit from having a little fat added during the cooking process. This adds flavour, moistness and helps the surface of the fish start to brown.
You can use another oil instead if you prefer. Think about the flavour of the oil in combination with the seasonings you’re using and the overall vibe of the final dish.
Seasoning
As always with these simple how to recipes, I’ve kept things simple and just used a little sea salt flakes.
You can add any additional herbs or seasonings you see fit. Plus you can marinade the fish before cooking or brush with a glaze during cooking
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, gluten and nuts.
Dairy Free: The butter I’ve used contains dairy so to make a dairy free version, use a plant based butter substitute or an oil.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Yellowfin Tuna Steaks
The fairly thin 125g/4oz steaks cook in just 6 minutes. I don’t turn them, the underside cooks with the circulated heat and the top needs as much time as close to the heat source as possible.
How to Air Fry Tuna From Frozen
I actually like cooking yellowfin tuna from frozen as it means that the centre of the steaks thaw but don’t necessarily cook right through as quickly. You do need to add a couple of steps to the preparation however.
Firstly rinse the steaks under running water to remove any surface ice crystals. Then make sure that the steaks are thoroughly dried. You can then proceed to brush with the butter and salt as normal. Don’t be surprised when the butter solidifies on the fish. If anything, this is a good thing so you can get a good layer to stick!
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Cooked fresh tuna will keep for a couple of days in the fridge if stored in an airtight contained. You can serve leftovers cold (room temp) and this is probably my preference.
You can also reheat it with a couple of drop of water in the microwave very quickly. Or simulate the environment by loosely wrapping the fish in foil, also with a few drop of water. Air fry on the highest setting until heated through.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
Come on over to Facebook and join my community discussing all things air fryer. Get involved in sharing your experiences and trials, help out others and find out what wonderful things everyone is cooking in their air fryers!
What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
How To Air Fry Yellowfin Tuna Steaks (Ahi Tuna)
Ingredients
- 2 Yellowfin Tuna Steaks - roughly 125g/4oz each
- 1 tbsp Salted Butter - see notes
- 1 tsp Sea Salt Flakes - see notes
Instructions
- Place a heatproof bowl or dish into the air fryer basket underneath the crisper plate. This will bring the tuna closer to the top of the basket and the heat source.
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, Start this setting now.
- Melt 1 tbsp Salted Butter in a small bowl. I do this in the microwave but you could use a small heatproof bowl in the air fryer if you like. The preheat setting will likely do the trick.
- Thoroughly dry 2 Yellowfin Tuna Steaks.
- Use a pastry brush to coat the all sides of the steaks with the melted butter. Don't forget the sides.
- Sprinkle roughly 1 tsp Sea Salt Flakes over the tuna, again making sure to cover all sides. Crush the flakes between your fingers as you sprinkle for a thinner and more even coverage.
- Place the tuna steaks into the air fryer basket. Leave a little space between each steak so the air can circulate.
- Air fry for 6 minutes at 200c/390f. There is no need to turn the fillets.
- Be careful removing the tuna from the fryer as they will be delicate. Serve hot straight away.
To Air Fry From Frozen
- Run the steaks under cold water to remove any surface ice crystals. Thoroughly dry them then proceed with preparing them as normal.
- Air for 6 minutes at 200c/390f.
Notes
- Butter – You can use an oil instead of butter but I do find that butter helps the fish skin crisp a little more and adds a nice flavour.
- Salt/Seasoning – You can use any seasoning mix or sauce instead of just salt but make sure that salt is included in the mix. You can also add a little citrus juice. If you use a sauce with a high sugar content, you may want to brush this on halfway through cooking so it doesn’t catch and burn.
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can easily fit 2 steaks in the basket at a time. This gives plenty of room to allow air to circulate – I could maybe squeeze in 1 more if I really needed.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Louise says
This worked perfectly and I served it with salad and some of your mango salsa.
Karen says
I’ve used a few of your fish recipes in the air fryer and the fish has always been perfectly cooked. Tried the tuna and it was delicious.