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Greek-Style Grilled Tuna Steaks with Lemon-Oregano Oil

Name: Greek-Style Grilled Tuna Steaks with Lemon-Oregano Oil
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 36 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: tuna fish — 680 g; extra-virgin olive oil — 73 g; lemon juice — 44 g; lemon zest — 15 g; garlic — 12 g; dried leaf oregano — 7 g; salt — 6 g; freshly ground black pepper — 3 g; red chili flakes — 1 g; grape tomatoes — 473 g; red onion — 110 g; ripe olives — 109 g; feta cheese — 113 g; parsley — 7 g

Greek-Style Grilled Tuna Steaks with Lemon-Oregano Oil reads salinity 5.9, citrus 5.8 and umami 5.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 36 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 7.2 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 2.5 / 10
Sour & Bright — 7.2 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.3 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.6 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Salinity 5.9 · Citrus 5.8 · Umami 5.3 · Marine & Briny 4.7 · Sourness 4.5 · Richness 4.2 · Allium 3.4 · Funk & Ferment 3.0 · Herbaceous 2.8 · Bitterness 2.1 · Sweetness 2.0 · Fruity 1.9 · Floral 1.7 · Heat 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Earthy 1.2 · Nutty 1.1 · Smoke 0.6

What's in it (14)

tuna fish — 680 g
extra-virgin olive oil — 73 g
lemon juice — 44 g
lemon zest — 15 g
garlic — 12 g
dried leaf oregano — 7 g
salt — 6 g
freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
red chili flakes — 1 g
grape tomatoes — 473 g
red onion — 110 g
ripe olives — 109 g
feta cheese — 113 g
parsley — 7 g

Time & effort: about 36 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 95.7 kcal, 10.6 g protein, 2.5 g fat, 7.6 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (9 steps)

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, half the garlic, 1 tablespoon of the oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Add the tuna steaks and turn to coat, then let marinate at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes — no longer, since the lemon juice will start to firm the surface the way it does in ceviche.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, red pepper flakes, half of the remaining oregano, 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil, and a pinch of the remaining salt. Set aside to let the flavors meld while the tuna marinates.
In a small bowl, whisk the remaining olive oil, remaining lemon juice, lemon zest, remaining garlic, the remaining oregano, and a pinch of the remaining salt to make the lemon-oregano oil; set aside.
Heat a grill or heavy grill pan over high heat until it's just starting to smoke, then brush the grates with a little oil.
Lift the tuna from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and season both sides with the remaining salt. Grill until deeply marked and the tuna releases easily from the grates, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, about 125°F at the center — pull it while the center is still rosy, since tuna carries over a beat after it leaves the heat.
Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and let rest 3 minutes.
Slice each steak against the grain into thick pieces and divide among plates.
Spoon the tomato-olive salad alongside the tuna.
Scatter with the feta, drizzle with the lemon-oregano oil, and finish with the parsley.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Lemon-Garlic Greek Salmon — Greek
Greek Chicken Souvlaki Salad Bowls — Greek
Greek-Style Grilled Swordfish Steaks — Greek
Lemon Pepper Shrimp Pasta — Italian-American
Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Olives and Capers — Mediterranean

Keep reading: what salinity, citrus, umami 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.