Tuna Tartare Recipe

Prep the tuna

Keep the sushi-grade tuna cold. Using a very sharp knife, trim any sinew and pat the fish dry with paper towel. Cut the tuna into even small dice, about 1/4 inch (6 mm). Place diced tuna in a chilled bowl.

Prep avocado and jalapeño

Halve, pit, and dice the avocado to roughly the same size as the tuna. Place diced avocado in a separate bowl and lightly toss with the lime juice (from the Ponzu & Seasoning section) to prevent browning. Finely mince the jalapeño, removing seeds for less heat if desired; reserve about half for mixing with the tuna and thinly slice the rest for garnish. Thinly slice the green onion, separating white and green parts; reserve whites for mixing and greens for garnish.

Combine tuna, jalapeño and aromatics

Add the minced jalapeño (about half) and the white parts of the sliced green onion to the diced tuna. Gently fold in 2 tablespoons of the prepared ponzu mixture (see Ponzu & Seasoning) — do not overmix; you want the tuna to remain distinct and not mushy. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper.

Make the ponzu dressing: in a small bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons ponzu sauce, 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon Sriracha (adjust to taste). Add a pinch of fine sea salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or heat as desired. Reserve about 2 tablespoons to toss with avocado if you prefer extra flavor.

Gently fold the diced avocado into the tuna mixture right before serving to avoid avocado becoming mushy. If you reserved extra ponzu, drizzle 1 teaspoon over the combined tartare and fold once.

Plate the tartare: use a ring mold (2.5–3 inch) on chilled plates and spoon the tuna–avocado mixture into the mold, pressing gently to hold shape. Carefully lift the mold. If you don’t have a mold, mound the tartare neatly with spoons.

Garnish: sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top, add the thinly sliced jalapeño and green scallion tops, and scatter microgreens or cilantro if using. Finish with a light drizzle (about 1 teaspoon) of toasted sesame oil for aroma.

Serve immediately with thin cucumber slices or wonton chips for scooping.