20-Minute Moroccan Spiced Tuna Steaks with Olive-Orange Relish

This vibrant dinner brings together the bold, warming spices of North Africa with the bright acidity of fresh citrus for a dish that feels special but comes together in under 20 minutes. Meaty tuna steaks are rubbed with a fragrant blend of cumin, smoked paprika, and cinnamon, then seared hard and fast in extra virgin olive oil to develop a deeply flavorful crust while keeping the center tender and just-cooked. The real magic happens on top: a chunky relish of briny green and kalamata olives, juicy orange segments, shallot, and fresh parsley cuts through the richness of the fish with sweet, salty, and citrusy notes in every bite. This dish is a textbook example of Mediterranean eating — fatty fish, extra virgin olive oil, fresh produce, and bold herbs and spices, all with no refined ingredients and minimal added sodium. Serve it alongside a simple whole grain like couscous or farro, or atop a bed of arugula for a complete, heart-healthy dinner that proves fast food can still be whole food.

Ingredients

• 4 6-oz steaksTuna steaks, ahi or yellowfin, about 1-inch thick
• 2 tspground cumin
• 1.5 tspsmoked paprika
• 0.25 tspground cinnamon
• 0.75 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
• 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 wholeOranges, segmented, juice reserved
• 0.33 cupgreen olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• 0.33 cupkalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• 1 smallshallot, finely minced
• 0.25 cupfresh parsley, chopped
• 0.5 wholelemon, juiced

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper.
2. Pat the tuna steaks dry and rub both sides evenly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then coat with the spice mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
3. On a cutting board, segment the oranges over a bowl to catch the juice, then roughly chop the green olives, kalamata olives, and parsley, and finely mince the shallot.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the orange segments and their juice, chopped olives, shallot, parsley, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss gently and set aside.
5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until shimmering. 1:30
6. Sear the tuna steaks for 1.5 to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare, using tongs to flip, until a dark crust forms but the center remains pink. 4:00
7. Transfer the tuna steaks to plates and let rest for 1 minute before topping generously with the olive-orange relish. Serve immediately. 1:00