Tuna steaks Genova style is a dish that captures northern Italy’s rich, coastal flavors. In this post, I’ll guide you through preparing this elegant recipe that features fresh tuna, flour, olive oil, dried porcini mushrooms, garlic, and anchovy fillets. Combining these ingredients creates a savory, earthy dish that celebrates the bold flavors of the Mediterranean.

The deep umami of dried porcini mushrooms and the briny, salty punch of anchovies perfectly complement the meaty, robust texture of tuna. Lightly dusted with flour and pan-seared in olive oil, the tuna develops a beautifully golden crust while remaining tender and juicy inside.

The garlic adds warmth and depth to the sauce, while the anchovies lend a subtle richness that ties all the flavors together. This dish combines simple ingredients to create something extraordinary.

Whether serving it for a family dinner or a special occasion, this recipe offers a delightful taste of the Ligurian coast. I'll also provide tips for perfectly cooking tuna steaks, ensuring the fish stays moist and flavorful. This Genova-style tuna dish is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy Mediterranean cuisine.

Genova Style Cooking

Genova (or Genoa in English) is a historic port city in the Liguria region of northern Italy, known for its rich maritime heritage and Mediterranean cuisine. Genova-style cooking, or cucina genovese, emphasizes fresh, local ingredients with a focus on seafood, herbs, olive oil, and simple, flavorful preparations.

Located on the Ligurian coast, seafood like tuna, anchovies, and shellfish are staples of the region. At the same time, ingredients like basil, garlic, and pine nuts also play a prominent role in its culinary identity.

One of the most famous examples of Genova-style cooking is pesto alla genovese, made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil. Other classic dishes include focaccia, a flatbread often topped with herbs and olive oil, and minestrone alla genovese, a vegetable soup enriched with pesto. Olive oil is a cornerstone of Ligurian cooking, used generously to flavor and cook dishes.

Genova-style cooking is known for its simplicity, allowing the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine through. It combines the flavors of the sea with the aromatic herbs and vegetables from the hillsides, making for a vibrant and comforting cuisine.

Fishmonger Andy with fresh tuna

📖 Recipe

Print Recipe

Tuna Steaks Genova Style Recipe

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

1½ pounds fresh tuna cut into 2 large steaks
salt to season the tuna
flour to dredge the tuna in
⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
½ cup dried porcini mushrooms
6 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
2 small anchovy fillets try anchovy paste if you don't want to open up a whole can for 2 fillets
1½ cups dry white wine
1 lemon juice from
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin, to finish the sauce
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped.

Instructions

Start by soaking the dried porcini mushrooms in a cup of water.
Next season the tuna steaks with salt on both sides and dredge in flour being sure to coat both sides but more importantly, shaking off any excess flour.
Heat a frying pan large enough to hold both steaks over medium-high heat until hot. Add 4 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil and let that get hot but not smoking.
Add the tuna to the pan and pan fry for about 1 minute. Flip the tuna steaks over and cook on the other side for another minute to minute and a half.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the tuna to a plate to keep warm while you make the sauce. I covered the fish with aluminum foil.

Start the Sauce

Remove the soaking mushrooms from the water but don't throw the water out. We will use it in the sauce. Chop up the porcini mushrooms to fine pieces.
Add the frying pan back to the burner over medium high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let it get hot. Add the crushed garlic, chopped anchovy fillets and chopped up porcini mushrooms.
When those ingredients start to sizzle, add the white wine, lemon juice and the water the porcini mushrooms soaked in. I used a funnel lined with a paper towel to remove any sediment from the water. I would have liked to use a coffee filter in a funnel but couldn't find any.
Add the thyme sprigs and season with a little salt. Bring the sauce to a low boil and cook until it is reduced by half.

Finish the Tuna Steaks

When the sauce is reduced by half, add the tuna steaks back into the pan and be sure to pour any juices from the resting tuna into the sauce.
Let the tuna cook in the sauce for about a minute, flip and cook the steaks on the other side for another minute. If you like your tuna more well done, let it cook longer.

Extra Flavor

Now to add even more flavor to the sauce, add 2 tablespoons of butter or extra virgin olive oil to the pan and stir to combine the flavors.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the parsley, give a quick stir and you are ready to serve.
I put a couple of spoonfuls of rice in the center of the plate, topped with a tuna steak and spooned the sauce around the sides of the fish and some on top. The Brussels sprouts were tastefully arranged on the side of the plate.

Notes

I made the sauce separately from the tuna only because I wanted to get it done before everyone was ready for me to make dinner. In the end I just added the sauce to the pan the tuna cooked in and finished the recipe. Next time I would prepare the entire dish in one pan as Lidia does.

People ask me all the time how long is longer. I wish I could tell you but it depends on the stove you are using, the pan, the thickness of the fish and much more. The best I can tell you is over time you will get a feel for it. You can always cut into a piece if you have to know, but I don't like doing that because you are letting a lot of the juices escape. This is even more a problem with meat and chicken.