One of the simplest yet most delicious meals I make, Balsamic Glazed Tuna with Roasted Peppers and New Potatoes involves simply roasting red peppers and new potatoes, pan frying tuna steaks and serving it all on a bed of fresh spinach, drizzled with a simple glaze made from balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
This Balsamic Glazed Tuna recipe, like some of the best recipes I make, is a hand me down recipe from my parents. Several years ago my parents went on holiday to Whitby and ate something very similar to this at the Magpie Café – a wonderful fish restaurant overlooking the harbour (or so they tell me – I’ve never been, sadly).
They were so excited by its delicious simplicity they recreated the dish on their return home from holiday and then made it for my husband and I when they next visited us.
As it happened, their next visit coincided with the birth of our son (so, quite a few years ago now!) and so I have particularly fond memories of first eating this meal – my taste buds were very happy about munching through this delicious, fresh and healthy meal after surviving mainly on ready meals and pizza up to that point.
I’ve cooked this meal many times in the subsequent years. Each time, I am just bowled over by how something so simple can be so tasty and so pretty. There are only 6 ingredients – no herbs, no spices and yet it just works and always leaves me wanting more.
I say this Balsamic Glazed Tuna is simple, but I do know that many people find cooking fresh tuna a bit daunting. I don’t think it is all that tricky, you just need a good method. So here’s my pretty much fool proof method…
How to cook tuna steaks perfectly every time (the easy peasy way!)
- Try to buy tuna that’s about 1½ cm (half an inch) thick.
- Get the tuna out of the fridge and open the packet. Drizzle the tuna steaks with olive oil and a few twists of salt and pepper and rub the olive oil all over, so the tuna is evenly coated.
- Put a non-stick griddle pan (or regular non-stick frying pan) on a high heat and heat up the dry frying pan for 1 minute. Do not put any oil in the pan.
- Put the tuna in the hot pan and cook for 1 minute on each side. Then remove from the pan immediately.
- And voila! You should have perfectly cooked tuna that is brown on the top and bottom but pink in the middle. And, if you use a griddle pan, it will have pretty char lines too.
- If you prefer tuna that is cooked all the way through (but not over cooked) cook the tuna for 1½ minutes on each side and it should be just cooked through. If in doubt, cut one open to check.
And there you have it! Easy peasy pan fried tuna steaks 🙂
Do let me know how you get on (and if it all goes wrong, let me know what you did and I’ll try and troubleshoot!).
The rest of the dish couldn’t be simpler. The red peppers and halved new potatoes are simply roasted in olive oil in a hot oven for 40 minutes and then drizzled with balsamic vinegar, which reduces slightly in the hot pan to make a gorgeous glaze. This is all then piled on top of the baby spinach leaves, which gently wilt in the heat, and topped with a tuna steak. The whole lot is then drizzled with that gorgeous balsamic glaze.
I love to have this with a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc but a Southern French Rosé or a light to medium bodied Pinot Noir would also work well here.
If you like this recipe…
…you might also like:
Balsamic Glazed Tuna with Roasted Peppers and New Potatoes
Ingredients
- 500 g new potatoes halved
- 4 (bell) peppers (try to get a mix of yellow, red and orange if possible), cut into large pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for the tuna
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 4 tuna steaks approximately 1½cm / ½inch thick
- 200 g baby spinach
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220C / 200C fan / gas mark 7 / 425F.
- Prepare the potatoes and peppers and place in a large roasting tin or oven dish. They should be in 1 layer or they will steam, not roast. Drizzle with olive oil and twist over some salt and pepper. Toss the veg in the oil and then arrange in 1 layer. If necessary use 2 roasting tins/oven dishes rather than crowding 1 tin.
- Put the veg in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes remove the tray from the oven, and stir the potatoes and peppers, spread out again and put back in the oven to roast for a further 20 minutes (this ensures everything cooks evenly and nothing sticks).
- When the potatoes and peppers have 10 minutes left to roast, remove the tuna steaks from the fridge and coat with the oil, salt and pepper.
- Put a non-stick griddle pan or frying pan on a high heat and heat up for 1 minute. Do not put any oil in the pan.
- Put the tuna steaks in the hot pan and cook for 1 minute on each side for medium, 1½ minutes on each side for well done. Remove the tuna steals from the pan immediately and put on a board or a plate.
- Remove the roast veg from the oven and drizzle over 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Toss the veg in the balsamic vinegar.
- Divide the spinach between 4 plates. Top each stack of spinach with ¼ of the roast veg and a tuna steak. Drizzle with the juices from the roasting tin.
- Serve immediately with a glass of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc or a dry French rosé.
Notes
- Not suitable for freezing (except the tuna on its own IS suitable for freezing).
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Pin Balsamic Glazed Tuna with Roasted Peppers and New Potatoes for later
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Linkies
I am linking this up to Cook Blog Share.
Jessica Cantoni says
I love the simplicity of this dish. Sometimes you just need a simple to dish if you’re not feeling it or are very busy. Last night I really could not be bothered, and was happy that I had planned a simple salmon fillet with boiled potatoes and Steam veg. Simplicity at its best. Yum. xx
Eb Gargano says
I totally agree – sometimes the simple dishes taste the best – they allow the natural flavours of the ingredients to shine through! I often have salmon, new potatoes and steamed veg for dinner – such a lovely quick, tasty and healthy option after a busy day 🙂 Eb x
Midgie says
I know a certain Daddy Peacock that would be very excited to get this for his dinner! Seared Tuna is one of his favourite things to eat! Definitely going to have to give it a go and get myself some brownie points!!
Eb Gargano says
Haha – there’s a certain Mr G who likes this very much too…not to mention a certain Miss G and Master G! Would love to know how you get on if you make it and whether it passes muster with Daddy Peacock! 🙂 Eb x
Cliona Keane says
This sound divine! Perfect for a light dinner 🙂 Thanks for posting! #CookBlogShare
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Cliona 🙂 It really is! Love meals like this which mix hot and cold – perfect for this time of year! Eb x
Mandy says
What a lovely recipe. I love how you simplify things – you’ve got a great knack for it! When I was pregnant I couldn’t eat anything green. Even the thought of it made me want to throw up. It was so annoying! So I loved being able to tuck into spinach and other green veg once my babies were born. #CookBlogShare
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks a lot Mandy! That’s such a nice thing to say! It’s what I try really hard to do so I’m glad it’s working!! Goodness – what an awful thing to happen while pregnant! I would be very sad to go off green things!! Did it happen every time? I went off coffee (useful ‘cos I’m addicted to the stuff usually so going off it when you are not supposed to drink too much was very useful!) and peanut butter – still not fully back on peanut butter – OK in stuff but can’t quite cope with it on toast, strange considering I used to love it – and my youngest is nearly 6!!! Eb x
Kate Hardie says
This sounds delicious and really fresh! I like the combination of tuna and vegetables used…I will definitely be making it for the family on holiday this year 🙂
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Kate! Oooh it would be a great holiday recipe – so little effort and yet feels like a little bit of a treat! I would love to know how you get on 🙂 Eb x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
Ooooh Eb I love balsamic glaze! I am all for the sharp flavours from vinegars they are delicious! We recently had balsamic glazed chicken and I imagine it to be so tasty with tuna! Yet another must try. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Kirsty! The glaze works really well with the tuna – I love the idea of balsamic glazed chicken – is that on your blog? Must check it out if it is 🙂 Eb x
Lisa says
I love how simple this looks, I’m terrible and rarely eat fish. I must admit I’ve never eaten a tuna steak! I’m ashamed! Will give this a go though after reading your recipe x
Eb Gargano says
Thank you, Lisa! Never eaten a tuna steak? Wow – you are missing out girl! It’s delicious – and sooo much better than the tinned stuff (although you can’t beat the tinned version for convenience!) Would love to know what you think if you try the recipe! Eb x
Corina says
It looks so simple but really tasty! I haven’t cooked tuna for quite a few years but I’ve never managed to cook it just right. It cooks so quickly and is easy to overcook – I’ll have to have another go at it!
Eb Gargano says
Thank you, Corina. Do have another go – it’s so nice when cooked right! Most important things are hot pan and cook it for less than you think it needs – it carries on cooking a bit after you’ve take it out of the pan. Worst case scenario, you can always cook it a bit more but you can’t cook it less! Let me know how it goes if you do decide to give tuna another go 🙂 Eb x
Honest Mum says
We love tuna here and will try that glaze, gorgeous recipe x
Eb Gargano says
Tuna is so lovely, isn’t it? Perfect for when you are in a hurry as it’s done in under 5 minutes! The glaze is wonderful – and super simple! It really does ‘make’ this dish. Thanks for your lovely comments 🙂 Eb x
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
You can’t beat fresh tuna can you? The trick is not to overcook it. Love the addition of the balsamic.
Eb Gargano says
Definitely – overcooked tuna is not nice – but so easy to do! The balsamic really works with the tuna and peppers – gives the whole dish a lovely Mediterranean feel. Thanks for your lovely comments 🙂 Eb x