When supper needs to come together without a fuss, these 4-ingredient oven baked frozen tuna medallions are a mighty handy dish to keep in your back pocket. It is the sort of plainspoken recipe that feels right at home in a busy Midwestern kitchen, where we have always known that a few simple pantry staples can turn good fish into a meal worth remembering. Baking the tuna straight from frozen keeps things easy, and the buttery, lemony finish gives it a fresh taste that feels special without asking much from the cook.
Serve these tuna medallions with fluffy rice, buttered noodles, roasted potatoes, or a scoop of mashed potatoes to catch the savory juices. A side of green beans, steamed broccoli, asparagus, or a crisp garden salad makes a fine partner, and if you want to round things out nicely, a warm dinner roll and a few lemon wedges on the table never go amiss.
4-Ingredient Oven Baked Frozen Tuna Medallions
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 frozen raw tuna medallions, about 5 to 6 ounces each
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an oven-safe glass baking dish, then place the frozen raw tuna medallions in the dish in a single layer.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, lemon juice, and garlic powder until well combined.
3. Spoon the butter mixture evenly over the frozen tuna medallions, coating the tops as best you can. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.
4. Bake for 20 minutes covered, then uncover and bake 8 to 12 minutes more, or until the tuna is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the medallions.
5. Let the tuna rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then spoon a little of the pan juices over each medallion and serve hot with your favorite sides.
Variations & Tips
Herb Butter Version: Stir a tablespoon of chopped parsley or dill into the butter mixture before pouring it over the tuna. That little touch freshens the whole pan and gives the fish a supper-table look fit for company.
Lightly Spiced Version: Add a pinch of paprika or black pepper to the butter mixture if you want a little more character without overpowering the fish. Tuna has a clean flavor, so a gentle hand with seasoning goes a long way.
Doneness Tip: Tuna can dry out if it stays in the oven too long, especially when the medallions are not all the same thickness. Start checking early in the final uncovered baking time and pull them once they flake easily and look opaque through the center.
Pan Juice Tip: Do not throw out those buttery juices in the baking dish. Spoon them over rice, potatoes, or vegetables for extra flavor, because that simple sauce is part of what makes this easy supper taste like more than the sum of its parts.
Make It a Full Meal: If you want everything ready at once, roast a tray of vegetables while the tuna bakes or set rice on the stove before the fish goes into the oven. That way, supper lands on the table hot and easy, with hardly any last-minute scrambling.