Grilled Tuna Belly Recipe

Grilled Tuna Belly, also known as "inihaw na tuna belly," is a Filipino favorite featuring grilled marinated slices of tuna belly with a blend of savory, sweet, and slightly tangy flavors. While it is traditionally grilled over charcoal, the oven works just as well. A delicious tomato-mango salsa makes the perfect side dish.

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• Ingredients you'll need
• Notes and substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Recipe FAQs
• Try other Filipino barbecue dishes
• Vegetable sides to pair with barbecue or inihaw
• Other seafood recipes you may like
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Ingredients you'll need

For the marinade/sauce

For the tomato-mango salsa

Notes and substitutions

• Tuna belly: You can use an entire strip of tuna belly or cut them into small serving portions. Tuna steaks are an option but can be tough and dry when overcooked since they have less fat. Salmon or mackerel are oily fish alternatives that you can use.

• Calamansi (or Lemon): Calamansi is a citrus fruit used in sauces, marinades, desserts, or as garnish squeezed over Pancit Canton or Pancit Bihon. The flavor is like a cross between a lime and mandarin orange. Lemon is always a good alternative.

How to make this recipe

Step 1: Make the marinade by combining ⅓ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon ginger, 4 garlic cloves, ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon Sriracha, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and ground pepper to taste. Using a blender allows the flavors to meld together. Taste and adjust as needed.

Step 2: Marinate for 1 to 8 hours in the fridge. Marinating too long in an acidic mixture may change the texture of the fish.

Step 3: Combine 1 cup tomatoes, 1 cup mangoes, 1 jalapeño, ½ red onion, ¼ cup cilantro, ½ lime juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then give it a taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step 4: Preheat the oven to 450° F (230° C). Arrange the tuna fillets evenly spaced on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup).

Step 5: Drizzle with some oil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness. 

Step 6: Boil the leftover marinade in a saucepan until slightly thickened, then add butter. The sauce will be used for basting and serving.

Step 7: Remove the tuna from the oven and baste it with the sauce. Broil on high for a few minutes until nicely charred.

Step 8: Spoon the remaining sauce on them.

Sprinkle some fried garlic on top. Serve with tomato-mango salad and steamed white rice for a satisfying meal.

Recipe FAQs

Try other Filipino barbecue dishes

• Pork BBQ Skewers: Marinated pork pieces in soy sauce, banana ketchup, and calamansi, then skewered and grilled until charred and tender.
• Chicken Inasal: Grilled chicken marinated in lemongrass, ginger, calamansi, vinegar, and various spices, then brushed with annatto oil.
• Grilled Bangus: Milkfish marinated in vinegar and garlic, then grilled whole.
• Inihaw na Liempo: Grilled pork belly slices marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, calamansi, and sugar.
• Grilled Tilapia: Often stuffed with tomatoes and onions, the fish is sometimes wrapped in banana leaves before grilling.
• Inihaw na Pusit: Squid marinated in soy sauce and calamansi, then grilled until just tender.

Vegetable sides to pair with barbecue or inihaw

• Ensaladang Talong: A smoky eggplant salad, often mixed with tomatoes, onions, and shrimp paste.
• Ensaladang Mangga: A tangy mango salad with tomatoes, onions, and shrimp paste.
• Ensaladang Pipino: A refreshing cucumber salad with onions, often seasoned with vinegar.
• Ensaladang Itlog na Maalat: A flavorful salad with salted duck eggs, usually combined with tomatoes and onions.
• Ensaladang Singkamas: A crisp and refreshing salad with julienned jicama and dressed in vinegar or lemon juice.
• Atchara: A pickled papaya relish that is crunchy, sweet, and tangy.

Other seafood recipes you may like

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