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Blackened Tuna Steaks with Avocado Salsa

Name: Blackened Tuna Steaks with Avocado Salsa
Prep time: 4 min
Total time: 7 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: tuna fish — 680 g; smoked paprika — 15 g; cayenne pepper — 5 g; garlic — 5 g; onion powder — 5 g; thyme — 1 g; dried leaf oregano — 1 g; salt — 5 g; black pepper — 3 g; vegetable oil — 27 g; avocados — 300 g; red onion — 55 g; jalapeo peppers — 100 g; grape tomatoes — 237 g; lime juice — 30 g; cilantro — 7 g

Blackened Tuna Steaks with Avocado Salsa reads umami 5.4, richness 5.0 and citrus 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 7 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 6.3 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 2.1 / 10
Sour & Bright — 6.4 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 3.2 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.4 · Richness 5.0 · Citrus 5.0 · Marine & Briny 4.9 · Sourness 4.7 · Salinity 4.5 · Allium 3.4 · Heat 3.4 · Smoke 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.8 · Warm Spice 2.0 · Sweetness 1.7 · Fruity 1.4 · Earthy 1.2 · Floral 0.8 · Bitterness 0.8 · Nutty 0.6

What's in it (16)

tuna fish — 680 g
smoked paprika — 15 g
cayenne pepper — 5 g
garlic — 5 g
onion powder — 5 g
thyme — 1 g
dried leaf oregano — 1 g
salt — 5 g
black pepper — 3 g
vegetable oil — 27 g
avocados — 300 g
red onion — 55 g
jalapeo peppers — 100 g
grape tomatoes — 237 g
lime juice — 30 g
cilantro — 7 g

Time & effort: about 7 min (4 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 129.6 kcal, 10.9 g protein, 6.6 g fat, 6.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper to make the blackening rub.
Pat the tuna steaks dry, brush all over with 1 tablespoon of the oil, then press both sides firmly into the spice rub to form a thick, even crust; set aside on a plate.
In a medium bowl, gently toss the avocados, red onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to make the salsa; set aside to let the flavors meld while the tuna cooks.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until a drop of water skitters and evaporates almost instantly, about 3 minutes, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat.
Lay the tuna steaks in the skillet and sear until a deep blackened crust forms on the first side, about 2 minutes.
Flip and sear the second side to the same deep crust, 1-2 minutes for rare (125°F internal) or 2-3 minutes for medium (135°F internal).
Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and rest 3 minutes.
Slice the tuna against the grain into thick strips.
Plate the tuna and top generously with the avocado salsa.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Mayo — Tex-Mex
Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Cajun Slaw — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
Spicy Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos — Mexican
Harissa Roasted Salmon with Yogurt Sauce — North African
Piri-Piri Prawns — Mozambican

Keep reading: what umami, richness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.