Tuna Tartare Recipe

Prepare tuna

Pat the saku tuna dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, cut the tuna into 1/4-inch dice. Place diced tuna into a chilled bowl and return to refrigerator if not using immediately.

Make dressing

In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin (if using), lime juice, grated ginger, and minced scallion until combined.

Dress tuna

Pour 2/3 of the dressing over the diced tuna and gently fold to coat. Season lightly with half of the salt and pepper. Refrigerate tuna for 5–10 minutes to let flavors marry (do not marinate longer than 20 minutes to preserve texture). Reserve remaining dressing for garnish.

Finish tuna: After chilling, taste a small piece and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the tuna and gently fold.

Prepare avocado

Halve, pit and dice the avocado into roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Toss immediately with the 1 tsp fresh lime juice to prevent browning and season lightly with a pinch of salt.

Prepare cucumber

Peel (optional) and halve the English cucumber lengthwise. Scoop out seeds if very watery, then finely dice the cucumber into small cubes similar in size to the avocado and tuna. Pat dry on paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Combine veg: Gently fold diced avocado and cucumber together in a bowl and set aside chilled until plating.

Season rice

If using freshly cooked sushi rice, fluff and stir in rice vinegar, sugar and salt while warm. Cool to room temperature. If using prepped rice, toss gently to loosen and season lightly with the vinegar mixture.

Prepare seaweed

Drain excess liquid from the prepared seaweed salad. If pieces are large, chop roughly into bite-size pieces so the texture is even with the other components.

Make spicy mayo

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise and Sriracha. Taste and adjust heat by adding more Sriracha a 1/4 tsp at a time. Reserve a spoonful for drizzling and transfer remaining to a squeeze bottle or piping bag if desired.

Crisp nori

Using scissors, cut toasted nori sheets into thin strips. Optionally flash crisp in a dry skillet over medium for 10–20 seconds to intensify aroma—watch carefully to avoid burning.

Assemble (per serving)

For each serving: place 1/4 cup of seasoned sushi rice in the center of a shallow bowl or plate and lightly press to form a small base. Arrange 1/3 of the dressed tuna (about 4 oz) on top of or beside the rice. Spoon 2 tbsp of avocado-cucumber mixture adjacent to the tuna. Add 2 tbsp seaweed salad to the plate.

Garnish and finish: Drizzle spicy mayo over the tuna in a thin zigzag. Spoon reserved dressing lightly around tuna for extra flavor. Scatter toasted sesame seeds, a few microgreens or cilantro, a strip or two of nori, a small amount of pickled ginger and a few thin jalapeño slices if using. Serve immediately.