Seared Ahi Tuna Served over Sun-Kissed Bucatini with Juicy Grape Tomatoes
Tuna-Infused Sunshine Pasta brings a burst of Italian flavors right into your Miami kitchen, courtesy of homemade Sunshine Bucatini. This recipe revamps tender bucatini with tangy, high-quality ahi tuna, juicy grape tomatoes, and a medley of fresh mint, basil, and parsley leaves. A hint of citrus zest, garlic, and white wine add a zesty touch to the sauce, making it a fantastic option for a quick, summery dinner. While fresh pasta is highly recommended for this dish, you can use dried pasta if fresh is not accessible. For raw fish lovers, enjoy the contrast of hot pasta with cold, marinated tuna; otherwise, you can toss the marinated tuna in the pasta sauce for a warmer version.
If you can't source balsamic glaze, you can make it at home by reducing balsamic vinegar to a syrup-like consistency. You'll only need a few drops for this recipe but can save the leftovers to glaze meats, vegetables, or desserts.
Enhance your cooking repertoire with more adult tuna recipes and an abundance of pasta selections.
Ingredients (19)
- Tuna Marinade
- 10 oz fresh sushi-grade ahi tuna loin
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 scallions (white part only), sliced
- 5 mint leaves, chopped
- 8 basil leaves, chopped
- 4 parsley branches, chopped
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- a few drops of balsamic glaze
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Pasta and Sauce
- 24 oz fresh bucatini pasta (6 oz each)
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small pack organic grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup white wine (e.g., Chardonnay)
- 4 parsley branches, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:
- Slice the ahi tuna loin into 1/4-inch thick pieces, then dice them into 1/4-inch cubes.
- Mix the diced tuna, olive oil, scallions, basil, mint, parsley, orange zest, lemon zest, and balsamic glaze in a bowl, ensuring it's well combined. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate the marinated tuna.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water (seasoned until it tastes like the ocean) cook the fresh pasta for approximately 5 minutes (or according to package directions), stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta strands from sticking together.
- In a skillet heated over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the minced garlic and stir constantly for a couple of seconds, until it turns golden (taking care not to burn it). Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any garlic bits that might stick. Add the halved grape tomatoes, and let them cook until the alcohol evaporates.
- Drain the cooked pasta and toss it into the skillet, along with the parsley, combining well so that the pasta is evenly coated in the sauce.
- For each serving, place 6 oz of pasta into a bowl, top with 2.5 oz of the cold marinated tuna (while the pasta is still hot). Serve immediately, adorned with micro greens and additional citrus zest, if desired.
(Optional DIY Balsamic Glaze Recipe: Bring 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil and simmer until it's reduced by half, achieving a thick, syrup-like texture.)
Embrace a taste of Italy right in your Miami kitchen with this Sunshine Bucatini recipe combining fresh pasta, sushi-grade ahi tuna, and perfectly ripe, sun-kissed grape tomatoes. Buon appetito!
- If you can't find balsamic glaze in your local store, you can make it at home by reducing balsamic vinegar till it reaches a syrup-like consistency, similar to the fd056e93e7e4185dc24e32eee938dcc2 recipe.
- This Tuna-Infused Sunshine Pasta recipe, with its mouth-watering nutrition (featuring bucatini, ahi tuna, grape tomatoes, mint, basil, parsley, citrus zest, olive oil, garlic, white wine, and balsamic glaze), falls under the uncategorized category of adult recipes.
- For leftovers, consider using bucatini recipes as a base, adding sliced tuna from your Tuna Marinade and a tablespoon of bright balsamic glaze to liven up your meal.
- To complement your newfound Tuna-Infused Sunshine Pasta masterpiece, consider investigating other related recipes that bolster your nutrition repertoire, such as bright and flavorful appetizers and colorful summer salads.
