Ahi Tuna and Cremini Mushroom Skewers ~ if you want a quick healthy meal, look no further than these beautiful skewers ~ they cook in a flash!
I’m obsessed with skewers, it’s as simple as that. I think they’re the ultimate in effortless summer cooking. I particularly love fish and seafood skewers, they cook so insanely quickly and they’re super duper healthy. Set them down on a bed of greens or grains, marinate them, don’t marinate them, you can’t do it wrong. Fire up the grill, or cook them on the stove top or in the oven. In any event they’ll be ready in minutes. So. Good.
I made Rainbow Salmon Skewers, last week when we needed a quick meal just before we left for my daughter’s wedding in Wisconsin, and this week, after we returned and needed another quick and easy meal, I made this ahi and cremini mushroom version. I sometimes eat in ‘waves’, and when I find something I love, I make it again and again until I get tired of it. And making a new dish a few times means I’m less likely to forget all about it when I’m at the grocery store wondering what to do for dinner. I’ll be making variations of these all summer, that’s for sure.
These skewers are simple and elegant, with alternating chunks of rosy ahi tuna and halved cremini mushrooms. For flavor I marinated them in a simple bath of rice wine vinegar, Tamari, sesame oil, fresh ginger and black sesame seeds. You don’t need to go crazy, just leave it for an hour or so, and be sure to flip the skewers once so all sides get to soak in the flavors. If you like you can separate the fish and mushrooms on different skewers so you can cook them at different rates. If you like your tuna very rare, that’s the way to go. I found everything cooked together just fine.
I cook them for about 5 minutes at 400F and then quickly under the broiler without turning. They aren’t as colorful as the salmon skewers, but they have their own charm. Don’t overcook the fish, tuna only needs mere moments to cook. The ahi, or yellowfin, tuna is a beautiful deep rich pink color, and it’s a different species altogether from the canned stuff. I love how the fish is so easy to cut into perfect cubes, it’s like cutting through butter! Good quality ahi can also be eaten raw.
I like to finish with a squeeze of lime.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ahi tuna, cut in 1 1/2 inch chunks
- about 8 medium cremini mushrooms, ends trimmed and cut in half
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 3 Tbs Tamari soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp black sesame seeds
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- a handful of fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Thread 4 large skewers with the tuna and the mushrooms and lay them in a baking pan long enough to hold them.
- Mix up the marinade ingredients and pour over the skewers. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or so, turning the skewers halfway through so all sides get to the marinade.
- If you are grilling outside, grill the skewers for just a few minutes per side over a hot grill. It helps to use a grill pan over the grates so the fish doesn't stick. If you are using a stove top grill, do the same. Make sure to brush the pan with oil before you lay down the skewers.
- If using an oven, remove the skewers from the marinade and set on a lightly greased baking pan. Bake at 400F for 5 minutes, then finish under the broiler, on the closest rack, for a few more minutes.
- Ahi should be a little pink inside. If you like it very rare, put the fish and mushrooms on separate skewers and just sear each side of the fish over high heat.
- Serve with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Sometimes I will serve the skewers right on top of a simple salad, and for a heartier meal I will serve over a grain like couscous or quinoa.
And that’s that. The skewers were made and eaten up in a flash. My daughter’s wedding was like that too. One minute we were boarding the plane to Madison, and the next thing I knew we were back on a plane. At first I thought maybe it went by so fast because whole affair was so informal and intimate…but I think even if it had been a huge production I would be feeling the same thing today. I miss them so much…thank goodness for Skype!
20 Comments
KalynsKitchen
May 20, 2016 at 5:56 amGood Morning! Just letting you know I featured this recipe in my weekly Low-Carb Recipe Love on Fridays today. I hope a lot of my readers will click over and get the recipe; sounds delicious!
Sue
May 20, 2016 at 6:45 amThank you so much Kalyn!
Sheena @ Tea and Biscuits
June 3, 2015 at 6:55 pmThey look so perfect! I should have had my dinner before I looked at your photos (I’m having a sandwich, not very exciting!) as they are making me drool :) And congrats on your daughter’s wedding!
Susan
May 31, 2015 at 9:00 amI remember feeling blue for at least a couple of weeks after our daughter’s wedding. So much planning and excitement and it’s over in a flash it seems. Hope you had good weather in Madison! Our temps here in SE Wisconsin have been all over the place this month with plenty of rain. I’m sure it’s hard living so far from her. I love your ahi skewers! I haven’t grilled tuna yet this year and now you’ve inspired me.
Sue
May 31, 2015 at 10:31 amThanks Susan, we did have good weather, and even a couple of days of rain were welcome to us Southern Californians :) I am feeling a little blue, too, and it’s hard to be so far away from them!
cheri
May 30, 2015 at 9:02 amHi Sue, congrats on your daughters wedding! Also I sometimes eat in “waves” too. These tuna skewers look delicious, love this combination. Have a great week-end.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
May 29, 2015 at 11:17 pmCongratulations on your daughter’s wedding! :) I was just thinking through my weekend meal plans and something grilled is a must – these skewers would be just perfect. That lime finish at the end sounds wonderful!
Sippitysup
May 29, 2015 at 12:42 pmSimple marinade = simple skewers. Simply beautiful. GREG
denise@magnoliaverandad
May 29, 2015 at 4:13 amThese look perfect.
Sandra @ Heavenly Deviled Eggs
May 28, 2015 at 4:52 pmThis is a great idea, especially with summer right around the corner. Sometimes I want something simple and delicious at the end of a long day. Thanks! I love seafood but don’t eat as much of it as I used to when I was living in California. I live in Arizona now.
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
May 28, 2015 at 4:20 pmHope you had a wonderful time away and I’m sure the wedding was beautiful! :) Love these skewers. I think skewers are perfect for summer grilling. I’d like to try these on my salt stone on the grill.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
May 28, 2015 at 3:14 pmOh I am in awe of your beautiful food. The tuna looks perfectly cooked and I adore mushrooms -and the marinade – sounds perfect. Lovely dinner – can I come over tonight? Yum! Have a great weekend. Pinning!
Monique
May 28, 2015 at 2:23 pmDon’t you just love our daughters weddings?
These look so appetizing! I love skewers also.
SallyBR
May 28, 2015 at 11:44 amFirst of all, congratulations on your daughter’s wedding, I was a bit surprised because you seem soooo young, I never imagined you had a daughter old enough to be married! Oh, well – time flies when we are having fun, and apparently we all are ;-)
I also love skewers, but can you imagine that I’ve never done it with seafood? well, I’ve made with shrimp but that’s about it. I guess I thought they would fall apart or something
this shall be changed soon ;-)
Sue
May 28, 2015 at 1:05 pmThanks Sally :) I’ve always lived on one coast or the other so I take fresh fish for granted, but I think a lot of people need to be coaxed into eating more of it. I’m a big believer in getting more fish into our diets, so hopefully skewers like this will help inspire that!
SallyBR
May 28, 2015 at 1:47 pmOh, we eat a lot of seafood, it’s just the skewers that were a problem for me. In fact, grilled salmon is in our table once a week, no matter what. Ahi tuna is a little trickier because we have to be able to find the real good quality tuna when it comes to our store, but the fishmonger is our friend and gives us a heads up in advance.
I need to stop being afraid of sticking the fish pieces in skewers, since they definitely worked perfectly for you, and makes for such nice presentation!
Chris Scheuer
May 28, 2015 at 11:08 amWe’re like you Sue and eat in waves when I get onto something. I’m super ready for a skewer wave. These look amazing!
Barbara
May 28, 2015 at 9:12 amLovely marinade, Sue! Because I don’t have a grill anymore (and only cook for one most of the time) I love that I can do these in the oven. Nice and healthy, great flavors and I love black sesame seeds, always such a pretty touch AND tasty.
Sue
May 28, 2015 at 9:20 amThanks Barbara – I don’t use an outdoor grill either, but I find that my broiler and grill pan substitute just fine!
Toni | BoulderLocavore
May 28, 2015 at 8:54 amSo many thoughts on this….First congrats on the wedding! What an exciting event for your family. Second I’ve clicked into grill mode too. However I never think to grill fish (probably being an inlander). Your last two recipes have really tempted me to think more broadly; thank you. Also I too get into a food rotation where when I find something I like I repeat until I can’t stand it anymore!