Sicilian-Style Tuna is the perfect marriage of Mediterranean ingredients. Pan-seared tuna steaks are finished in a garlicky tomato-based sauce with olives, capers, and pine nuts. The best part is it’s ready in about 35 minutes.
There is something about the combination of tuna and Mediterranean ingredients that just works, and this Sicilian-style tuna is absolute proof.
The salty olives, capers, and anchovies are the perfect complement to the pan-seared tuna, and the white wine and fresh parsley at the end adds an unmistakeable brightness to the dish.
In fact, because of the similarity of ingredients, you could think of this as tuna puttanesca.
This dish would be great with a side of rice pilaf, orzo, penne, or couscous, a simple green, such as roasted broccoli, and followed by a Sicilian orange and fennel salad to complete the meal.
And while it’s great for any night of the week, it’s especially good on Christmas Eve for the Feast of the 7 Fishes.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Tuna. While canned tuna certainly has it’s place in dishes like pasta al tonno, this recipe calls for fresh tuna steaks (yes, you can buy frozen and thaw them before using). Other steaky fish like swordfish or salmon could also work well for this recipe.
- Olives, capers, and anchovies. These ingredients are essential to the dish, but also happen to be quite salty. For this reason, I recommend rinsing the olives and capers, and being mindful that not much additional salt may be needed. I’m using green Sicilian olives, but you really can use any olive you’d like.
- White wine. Use a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc. If you cannot have wine, feel free to omit it entirely. You can add a squeeze of lemon for acidity if needed.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
- Slice 6 cloves of garlic, halve 20 ounces of cherry tomatoes, rinse 3 tablespoons of capers, and pit, chop, and rinse 3/4 cup of Seilian olives. Mince 1/4 cup worth of flat-leaf Italian parsley and set aside. Heat a large nonstick pan to medium heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and pat 4 6-ounce tuna steaks dry. Season the tuna with salt and pepper but be mindful that salt ingredients like olives and capers will follow later in the recipe.
- Add the tuna steaks to the pan and sear them for 2-3 minutes per side or until browned on the outside, but still raw on the inside. Remove the tuna and set on a plate covered with tented foil.
- Add 5 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and 4 small anchovy fillets (or 2 tablespoons of anchovy paste). Use the back of a wooden spoon to break up the anchovies and saute until the garlic is golden and fragrant.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, then add 1/2 cup of dry white wine and turn the heat to high. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, capers, and olives and bring the sauce to a lively simmer.
- Once the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes, turn the heat to a low simmer and add the tuna steaks back to the pan along with 3 tablespoons of pine nuts. Spoon the sauce on top of the steaks and cook, turning the steaks occasionally, until your liking (125-130°F for medium-rare, or 145-150°F for well-done). Turn off the heat, add the parsley, and taste-test the sauce. If needed, added salt and pepper to taste. There will be enough sauce for about a half pound of pasta, or other sides, such as rice or crusty bread. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Top tips
- Use a nonstick pan. As much as I love my stainless steel pan, I do feel a nonstick pan is the way to go when working with fish, especially delicate fish, like cod piccata. While tuna steaks aren’t that delicate, I still find a nonstick makes this dish easier to prepare (and to clean up).
- Rinse the olives and capers. Because these ingredients are inherently salty, it’s important to give them a rinse before adding to the sauce.
- Serve promptly. Sicilian-style tuna will be best when eaten right away. If you must save for a later time, the tuna can be reheated gently on the stovetop until warmed through.
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Sicilian-Style Tuna with Olives and Capers
Ingredients
- 4 6-ounce tuna steaks about 1.5 pounds
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil divided
- 6 cloves garlic sliced
- 4 small anchovy fillets or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, etc.
- 20 ounces halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons rinsed capers
- 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup Sicilian olives pitted, chopped, and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick pan to medium heat with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Pat the tuna steaks dry then season with salt and pepper. Add the steaks to the pan and sear for 2-3 minutes per side or until browned on the outside but still raw on the inside. Remove the tuna steaks to a plate and tent with foil
- Add the remaining extra virgin olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and anchovies. Break up the anchovies with a wooden spoon and continue to saute until the garlic is golden.
- Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the white wine and turn the heat to high and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, capers, and olives and bring the sauce to a lively simmer.
- Once the sauce starts to thicken a bit (2-3 minutes) turn the heat to a low simmer and add the tuna steaks back to the pan along with the pine nuts. Spoon the sauce on top of the steaks and cook until your liking (125-130°F for medium-rare or 145-150°F for well done).
- Turn off the heat and mix in the parsley. Taste test the sauce and season with salt and pepper if required. There will be enough sauce for roughly a half pound of pasta or serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Any type of steaky fish can be used. Swordfish and salmon both work well for this recipe.
- Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this as one of my seven fish dishes tonight on Christmas Eve. Amazing! Outstanding recipe. It was gobbled up. Easily a must-include for future Christmas Eve meals. Thank you!
OMG! This was such a fantastic and very easy meal to prepare! I ended up using a whole jar of Mezzeta Castelvetrano Olives which my husband pitted for me. Served with freshly baked Ciabatta and buttered pasta noodles. Made entire recipe which is 4 servings, husband and I ate 2 portions and will be having this as leftovers tomorrow night! Super fresh and light. Absolutely delicious!
So happy you enjoyed, Rachael!
Reas like a Puttanesca sauce, which would be delicious with any fish.
Is there anything that can be used in place of the wine? I’m not allowed alcohol.
Hi Kim, please refer to the section titled “Recipe Ingredients” where Jim says you can omit it entirely or use a squeeze of lemon for acidity if needed.