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Fish, Classics and bistro fare

Grilled tuna with ratatouille

Grilled tuna with ratatouille is a fish dish for 4 people, ready in 1 hour, rated easy, for about €4.30 per person. The key is a gently simmered ratatouille and a tuna steak seared quickly, so it stays pink in the middle.

A tuna steak just seared in the pan, pink at the center, alongside a ratatouille that simmered quietly, now that's a sunny dinner.

Grilled tuna with ratatouille
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.30
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall

Two cooking methods meet on this plate. On one side, summer vegetables cut into cubes melt slowly in tomato, eggplant, zucchini and peppers simmering together until tender and fragrant with herbes de Provence. On the other, a tuna steak seared raw in just a few minutes, keeping a pink center and a tender texture, nothing like dry overcooked fish.

It is a dinner that tastes like summer without asking for much effort, perfect on a weeknight when market vegetables are at their best. The ratatouille can simmer on its own while you do something else, leaving only the tuna to sear at the last minute for a meal that seems to have taken much longer than one hour.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Tuna steaks 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Zucchini 2
  • Eggplant 1
  • Red bell pepper 1
  • Yellow bell pepper 1
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Herbes de Provenceoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the zucchini, eggplant and peppers into cubes, and mince the onion and garlic.

    Cut all the vegetables to the same size so they cook evenly together.

  2. Cook the onion and eggplant in three tablespoons of oil, then add the peppers followed by the zucchini. 15 min

    Cook the vegetables in two batches if your pan is small, they should sear, not boil.

  3. Add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper, cover and let it simmer gently. 30 min

    No need to stir constantly, the ratatouille improves over low heat.

  4. Oil the tuna steaks, season lightly with salt and pepper, then sear them in a very hot skillet. 4 min

    Don't salt them too early, salt dries out the flesh.

  5. Flip the steaks, cook for another two minutes, and serve with the ratatouille. 2 min

    Tuna stays tender when the center is pink, don't cook it all the way through.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the diced eggplant briefly after cutting if you have time, it keeps the pieces from soaking up too much oil while cooking.
  • Use a wide skillet for the ratatouille, the vegetables brown better spread out than piled up in a narrow pot.
  • For a well seared tuna, pat the steaks dry with paper towel before oiling them, the surface catches heat better.

The variations

  • Swap the tuna for sea bream or mackerel fillets, adjusting for a shorter cooking time.
  • For a vegetarian version, simply serve the ratatouille with a poached egg or roasted chickpeas instead of the fish.
  • To save time, use pre-diced vegetables from the produce section and cut the simmering time to 20 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Plain basmati rice
  • Toasted bread slices
  • A glass of chilled rosé

Storage

The ratatouille keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and freezes well. Cooked tuna keeps for 1 day in the fridge but loses its tenderness, so it is better to cook it just before serving and only reheat the ratatouille.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the ratatouille ahead of time?

Yes, it is even better reheated the next day, as the flavors have time to blend. Make it the day before, keep it covered in the fridge, then reheat gently before serving.

How do you know when the tuna is cooked enough?

Count about 4 minutes on one side and 2 on the other for a 2 cm thick steak. The center should stay pink and slightly translucent, which keeps the flesh tender.

Can you use frozen tuna instead of fresh?

Yes, as long as you thaw it in the fridge the day before and pat it dry before cooking. Excess moisture would prevent a good sear in the pan.

Does ratatouille freeze well?

Yes, it freezes very well for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw it in the fridge, then reheat over low heat, stirring from time to time.

How long does it take to make grilled tuna with ratatouille?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in grilled tuna with ratatouille?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does grilled tuna with ratatouille cost?

About €4.30 per serving, or €17.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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