Soy-Ginger Seared Tuna with Sesame Cucumber Smash

Restaurant-style sear, done in minutes. A quick soy-ginger marinade gives this tuna deep umami flavor, while a blistering-hot pan locks in a dark crust and keeps the center tender and just-warm. There's no heavy sauce here — just garlic, ginger, soy, and a hot skillet doing all the work. Alongside, smashed cucumbers get a satisfying crunch from being cracked open rather than sliced, so they soak up a bright dressing of rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a little chili for heat. It's a light, fast, high-protein dinner that feels like something from a sushi counter but comes together in well under 20 minutes — perfect for a weeknight when you want big flavor without a heavy plate.

Ingredients

• 2 steakssushi-grade tuna steaks, about 5-6 oz / 150g each, thick-cut
• 3 tbspsoy sauce, or tamari for gluten-free
• 1 tbspfresh ginger, grated
• 2 clovesgarlic, minced
• 2 tbsptoasted sesame oil, divided
• 1 tbspAvocado oil, for searing, high smoke point
• 2 wholeEnglish cucumbers, about 1 lb / 450g
• 2 tbsprice vinegar, unseasoned
• 1 tbspsesame seeds, toasted, plus extra for garnish
• 2 wholescallions, thinly sliced
• 0.5 tspred chili flakes, or thinly sliced fresh chili, optional
• 0.5 tspFine sea salt, to taste
• black pepper, freshly cracked, to taste

Method

No instructions listed.