Gordon Ramsay’s tuna steak recipe is sushi-grade tuna coated in whipped egg whites and lime zest, rolled in a mix of black and white sesame seeds, then seared for 30 seconds each side over medium heat. The egg whites hold the crust on. The lime zest perfumes the fish from underneath. The sesame seeds toast as they sear. Served with pickled cucumber salad and a yuzu dressing.

The recipe is from his MasterClass II, where Ramsay says “treat tuna like you would an amazing wagyu steak, they deserve that respect.” He explains that “tuna is a delicate meat with very little fat” and that “encrusting it with sesame seeds protects the meat during the sear and adds a nutty flavour.”

Thirty seconds. That’s it. Every competitor says 2 minutes per side. Ramsay says 30 seconds over medium heat, not high. In the F Word video he confirms: “searing the tuna like this cooks it twice as fast.” High heat burns the sesame seeds before the fish is done. Medium heat toasts them golden while the centre stays ruby pink.

Gordon Ramsay’s Sesame Crusted Tuna Steak

Recipe by Sophie LaneCourse: DinnerCuisine: Japanese, BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minute

Calories

380

kcal

Total time

minutes

Sesame crusted tuna with pickled cucumber salad from Gordon Ramsay’s MasterClass II. Egg whites whipped stiff as the crust binder, lime zest under the sesame seeds, seared 30 seconds each side. He also makes tuna steaks three other ways across his books: with preserved lemon couscous, mango salsa, and wasabi skewers. Approximately 380 kcal per serving.

Ingredients

For the Tuna:
4 sushi-grade tuna blocks, about 120 to 140g (4 to 5 oz) each
150g (5 oz) white sesame seeds
150g (5 oz) black sesame seeds
3 egg whites
2 limes (for zesting)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
For the Pickled Cucumber Salad:
2 cucumbers, spiralised or julienned (skin on)
180ml (6 fl oz) rice wine vinegar
180ml (6 fl oz) caster sugar
180ml (6 fl oz) water
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp chopped coriander
2 radishes, thinly sliced
For the Yuzu Dressing:
2 tbsp yuzu juice (or 6 tsp lime juice mixed with 2 tsp lemon juice)
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 tbsp white sesame oil
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp chopped coriander

Directions

Pickle the cucumbers: Heat the water, sugar, vinegar and coriander seeds in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Cool completely. Pour over the spiralised cucumbers with the chopped coriander. Leave for at least 5 minutes. Add sliced radishes to the remaining pickling liquid.
Make the dressing: Whisk the yuzu juice with the lime juice and zest. Slowly add the sesame oil and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the coriander.
Prepare the crust: Mix the white and black sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Season the tuna blocks on all sides with salt and pepper.
Bind with egg white: Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Use a pastry brush to paint a thin, even layer of whipped egg white over the tuna.
Add lime zest: Zest both limes directly over the tops and bottoms of the tuna.
Coat in sesame seeds: Roll the tuna in the mixed sesame seeds, pressing gently with your hands to pack the seeds on evenly.
Sear: Heat the grapeseed oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat for 3 minutes. Do not let it smoke. Sear the tuna for 30 seconds each side. Tilt the pan to create a reservoir of hot oil and cook the ends.
Slice and serve: Slice the tuna: rock the knife back and forth and let gravity do the work. Serve over the pickled cucumber salad with the dressing spooned around and over the tuna.

FAQs

How does the sesame crust actually stay on?

Most recipes say “press the seeds on” or “dip in soy sauce first.” Both leave you with sesame seeds falling off in the pan. Ramsay’s method is different: whip egg whites to stiff peaks and brush a thin layer onto the fish with a pastry brush. That protein film sets when it hits the heat and locks every seed in place.

Then before the sesame goes on, he zests two limes directly over the tuna. The zest sticks to the egg white and sits between the fish and the crust. So when you slice into it, you get sesame on the outside, lime fragrance in the middle layer, and pure rare tuna at the centre. Three textures in one bite, and the lime is what ties them together.

Why does that crust need medium heat instead of high?

Because you are toasting sesame seeds, not searing a beef steak. High heat burns the seeds black before the egg white has time to set. Ramsay is specific: “do not let the oil get hot to the point where it starts smoking or it will burn the sesame seeds before cooking the fish.” Three minutes of preheating over medium gives you the right temperature.

That’s also why it’s only 30 seconds per side. The sesame crust is thin, the tuna is dense, and medium heat toasts everything at the right pace. He confirms this in the tuna katsu video too: “literally 30 seconds each side” and “I want it nice and pink in the middle.” If your tuna is grey all the way through, your pan was too hot or you left it too long.

Is there a quicker way to do the sesame crust?

In the F Word, Ramsay shows his restaurant shortcut: dip the tuna in soy sauce first so it’s seasoned and slightly sticky, brush wasabi all over for heat, then sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. No egg whites, no whipping. Faster but less even.

The soy and wasabi method works when you’re cooking for a brigade and need speed. The egg white method from MasterClass gives a thicker, more uniform crust that holds up better at home where your pan might not be as hot as a restaurant burner. Both are his. Pick the one that fits your kitchen.

What else can you serve this with besides cucumber salad?

In the F Word he plates it with soba noodles glazed with yuzu, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce, finished with cilantro, fresh mint and Japanese shiso leaf. That’s the fuller restaurant version.

For something lighter, his tuna niçoise salad uses a Dijon vinaigrette with anchovies and capers. The same dressing would work drizzled over seared tuna slices instead of tinned. His fried rice shares the ginger and sesame flavour base, so the two dishes feel like they belong on the same table.

Does Ramsay always cook tuna the same way?

No. He has four different tuna steak recipes across his books. Each one uses different heat, different timing and a different side for a reason.

This sesame crusted version sears for 30 seconds per side on medium heat because the crust needs gentle toasting. In Quick and Delicious, his tuna with preserved lemon couscous goes into a smoking hot pan for 2 minutes per side because there’s no crust to protect. In Healthy Lean and Fit, his tuna with mango salsa gets 50 seconds per side on high heat because the steaks are thinner at 170g each.

His tuna skewers with wasabi sauce take 2 to 3 minutes because the cubed pieces need more time to colour on all four sides. Same fish, four approaches. His tuna tartare goes the opposite direction: raw diced tuna with soy, lime and avocado, no heat at all. His tuna cakes are the other outlier: tinned tuna, not fresh, fried for 1 to 2 minutes because the fish is already cooked.