Tuna and Wahoo are different fish, but they're close enough in the kitchen to stand in for one another.
Scombridae
Tuna is the world's most consumed fish by volume, available as fresh steaks, sashimi-grade loins, and canned. Bluefin is the most prized and expensive, used for sashimi and sushi. Yellowfin and albacore are the most commonly sold as fresh steaks. All species have firm, meaty, dark red flesh that becomes lighter when cooked. Grilling, searing rare, and eating raw are the preferred preparations.
Full guide →Scombridae
Wahoo is a large, fast-swimming pelagic fish — one of the fastest in the ocean — prized across the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Hawaii. Unlike most Scombridae, its flesh is white, mild, and firm rather than dark and oily, making it accessible to those who avoid mackerel or tuna. In the Caribbean it is called peto in Spanish-speaking islands. In Hawaii it is known as ono, meaning 'delicious' in Hawaiian. It is excellent grilled as steaks, seared, or used in ceviches, and is one of the most sought-after sportfish in tropical waters.
Full guide →Both are large Scombridae suited to grilling as steaks — wahoo has white, milder flesh while tuna is dark, richer, and often eaten rare.
| Country | Tuna | Wahoo |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | Tuna | Wahoo |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | Tuna | Wahoo |
| 🇫🇷France | Thon | Thazard-bâtard |
| 🇪🇸Spain | Atún | Peto |
| 🇦🇷Argentina | Atún | Peto |
| 🇲🇽Mexico | Atún | Peto |
| 🇵🇹Portugal | Atum | Cavala-da-índia |
| 🇧🇷Brazil | Atum | Wahoo |
| 🇮🇹Italy | Tonno | Wahoo |
| 🇩🇪Germany | Thunfisch | Wahoo |
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