Tuna with Onion Sauce

Name: Tuna with Onion Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Tuna (4 slices) 1.9 lbs; White onions 1.6 lbs; Tomato purée 2 ½ tbsp; White wine 1 ¼ cup; Water ¾ cup; Sugar 1 tsp; Parsley to chop 1 tuft; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

it es fr de br

Gluten Free
Lactose Free

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Tuna with onion sauce is a classic from Sicily that really shows off the island's love for seafood. Seriously good. Down in southern Italy, especially along the gorgeous Sicilian coast, tuna is a big deal—like, a really really big deal—because of their rich fishing tradition. So here's the thing: this dish stands out by prepping the fish differently. Not the usual raw or grilled. Nope. Fresh tuna steaks are quickly seared to keep the juices in, then paired with loads of onions. And the onions? Cooked down until they're almost sweet, mixing with vinegar and sometimes a bit of sugar, giving that famous Sicilian sweet and sour vibe. Really, it's not fancy or complicated—just about the tuna steak recipe and those simple, genuine flavors.

People in Sicily will tell you—no question—that using the best quality, super-fresh tuna makes this dish special. It's one of those meals where you can taste the sea in every bite. And across Sicily, you'll see some twists on this tuna and onion dish. It's true, depending on what's available and the season, the dish changes. In the summer, some skip the first sear and just toss everything in a pan for a quicker, lighter version. Pretty much. You still get those tender tuna pieces swimming in an onion sauce.

Thing is, the onions in this dish cook until they're golden and sticky, soaking up all the fish juices. The result? A plate that's not only healthy but packed with seared tuna with onions flavor. Perfect for weeknights. It's one of those easy tuna recipes that comes together fast. Also, it's got enough character for a weekend dinner, for sure. Whether you serve it with a simple salad or crusty bread to soak up that moist, tangy sauce—it is a real taste of Sicily's coastline. Simple, genuine and full of flavor you won't forget.

Plus, the dish is a true testament to the rich culinary traditions of southern Italy, where every ingredient tells a story of the land and sea. I gotta say, it's a must-try!

How to prepare Tuna with Onion Sauce

To prepare the tuna with onion sauce, first take care of the onions: peel the onions, cut them in half 1 and slice them thinly 2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a saucepan and add the onions 3.

Add the sugar 4 and salt 5 and cook over medium-low heat for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally 6.

In the meantime, sear the tuna steaks: heat a drizzle of oil in a separate pan, place the tuna steaks 7 and slightly brown both sides for about a minute 8, then remove them from the pan 9 and set aside.

After the onions have cooked, take a larger pan and add a drizzle of oil: pour in both the cooked onions 10 and the seared tuna 11, increase the heat, and deglaze with white wine 12.

When the alcohol has completely evaporated, add the tomato puree 13 and stir gently to combine, then also add the chopped parsley 14. Adjust with salt and pepper 15 and lower the heat.

At this point, add the water 16 and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the tuna from sticking 17. Your tuna with onion sauce is ready to be served hot, but it will also be great at room temperature 18!

Storage

It is recommended to consume the tuna with onion sauce immediately. Alternatively, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to one day.

Tip

In some variations of the recipe, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar is added to achieve a more pronounced sweet and sour taste: in this case, you can reduce the amount of wine to 200 g and prepare a sweet and sour sauce with 100 g of vinegar, sugar, and tomato concentrate, just like the one used for Caponata (Eggplant salad)! If desired, you can deglaze with a rosé wine and add fresh basil for fragrance.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Tuna with Onion Sauce

PRESENTATION

How to prepare Tuna with Onion Sauce

Storage

Tip

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