Quick, elegant, healthy, and delicious! This beautiful Japanese-style tuna tartare recipe only takes a handful of ingredients, and can go from kitchen to table in less than 10 minutes!
The term ‘tartare’ originally meant a dish of raw meat (as in beef or steak). However, over time, it became generalized to include other meats, such as raw fish.
Although the Japanese term ‘sashimi’ has become more commonly recognized nowadays, it is technically a tartare, as it is just that – a dish of raw fish.
Fun fact – sashimi and sushi are not the same! They are both raw fish, but sashimi is always served by itself, whereas sushi is served on rice.
What is Japanese Style Tuna Tartare?
Tuna tartare is raw, minced, sushi-grade tuna, that is seasoned and served as a cold appetizer. You will typically find tuna tartare served by itself, or on a bed of rice or avocados.
For this Japanese-style tartare, our version is seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, and shiso leaves.
We wanted to make a version that could be picked up and eaten as bite-size pieces but also wanted to cut some of the carbs that come with rice crackers and mini toast.
After many trials (from everything to cheese to daikon!), we came up with the perfect accompaniment – lotus root!
Health benefit – Lotus root is an underwater vegetable that is commonly used in Asian cooking. Parts of the lotus are actually used to make medicine and are known to contain properties that help reduce blood sugar, break down fat, protect heart and blood vessels, decrease swelling, and kill cancer cells and bacteria.
What does yellowfin tuna tartare taste like?
The tuna portion of the dish has a soft texture, with a light fish taste that is mainly overpowered by the soy sauce, sesame oil, and shiso leave seasoning.
The soy sauce gives the dish its salty and umami flavoring. The sesame oil adds another layer, adding a rich, nutty element to the dish. The Japanese shiso leaf deepens the taste profile, as it is an herb that has a very unique, clean, bright, and minty taste. Finally, the green onions add a little spiciness to each bite.
Note – shiso leaves look quite literally like leaves. They are usually sold in small plastic shrink-wrapped styrofoam trays, in small quantities (ie: 10 leaves or less). Not to be confused with the Korean perilla leaf, which is usually bigger in size, and darker in color. Shiso leaves are generally the size of the palm of your hand and have a bright, green color. If you can’t find any shiso leaves, you can also try substituting with mint, basil, or cilantro.
The lotus root itself has a very subtle flavor that complements well with the tuna tartare. It’s reminiscent of a potato, with a slightly crunchy texture and a slightly sweet flavor.
Can yellowfin tuna be eaten raw?
Yes! As a staple Japanese dish, sashimi/tartare is always eaten raw.
You want to make sure that the fish is sushi-grade yellowfin tuna (simply meaning it’s safe to eat raw). You can find sashimi/sushi-grade fish in most Japanese or Asian supermarkets in the fresh seafood section.
Freshness is key when preparing raw fish, so keep it in the fridge right until it’s ready to be cut. Don’t forget to put it back in the fridge after cutting it if you’re not planning on eating it right away.
Pro tip – use your nose! Fresh raw fish should smell light, natural, and unoffensive. If it smells strong or funny, don’t eat it.
Yellowfin is a leaner tuna which is perfect for a tuna tartare, as opposed to their fattier counterparts such as bigeye or bluefin tuna. Fattier tuna have a more powerful flavor and overpower the dish, so they are better served in traditional sushi/sashimi-type dishes.
If you don’t live near a location with a fresh selection of yellowfin, try ordering from Catalina Offshore Seafood for fresh sashimi-grade fish delivered right to your door!
What ingredients do I need to make tuna tartare?
- Lotus Roots – found in most Asian supermarkets. Look for those that are firm and light brown in color.
- Neutral Cooking Oil – high temp neutral cooking oil such as vegetable oil, safflower oil, grapeseed oil.
- Yellowfin Tuna – sashimi or sushi-grade. Available in most Japanese or Asian supermarkets in the fresh seafood section.
- Green Onion – chopped.
- Shiso Leaves – available in most Japanese or Asian supermarkets in the produce section (not to be confused with perilla leaves). Look for those that are not wilted, with a bright, green color.
- Soy Sauce – low sodium is preferred. For gluten-free, you can use tamari or coconut aminos.
- Salt – table salt or sea salt.
- Sesame Oil – use toasted sesame oil (dark and rich in color). Check to make sure it is not a sesame oil blend.
- Toasted Sesame Seed – toasted sesame seeds are found in most supermarkets or Asian supermarkets.
How to make ahi tuna tartare?
First, to prepare the lotus root, peel and slice into thin pieces. Fry the pieces in cooking oil for about 30-45 seconds per side, or until browned (you can opt to use rice crackers, mini toast, or even cucumber in place of the lotus root).
To prepare the tuna tartare, get the raw tuna and finely mince with a sharp knife (you want to try avoiding sawing the fish back and forth too much, as it will cause the fish to become very mushy).
Note – If you are using a block of yellowfin tuna, make sure to give it a quick rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels before mincing.
In a mixing bowl, combine minced tuna, chopped green onions, chopped shiso leaves, soy sauce, salt, and sesame oil. Mix together until evenly coated.
Take a tablespoon of the tuna tartare mix and place it on top of the pan-fried lotus root. Add a pinch of toasted sesame seed for garnish and enjoy!
If you want more of a kick, try adding sriracha or jalapeño for some heat!
Pro Tip – if not serving right away, reserve the soy sauce until later. Adding the soy sauce in too early causes the tuna to lose its bright red color, and changes it to a dull brown color instead.
Can you eat tuna tartare the next day?
It’s best not to save the tartare for the next day. It’s recommended to eat any kind of prepared raw fish as soon as possible.
You want to be careful with any kind of raw meat, as the growth of bacteria increases with time. Refrigeration does help to extend some of this time, however ideally it’s best to be consumed within 24 hours if refrigerated, no more than 2 hours after assembly at room temperature.
What is the nutrition information for this tuna tartare recipe?
- 74 Calories
- 1g Carbohydrates
- 1g Fiber
- 5g Protein
- 6g Fat
- 8mg Cholesterol
- 153mg Sodium
- 49mg Potassium
- 5mg Calcium
- 1mg Iron
- 25ui Vitamin A
- 1mg Vitamin C
Looking for more sushi recipes?
- Spicy Tuna on Crispy Shiso Leaves
- Yellowtail Sashimi Carpaccio Tiradito
- Salmon Poke
- Homemade Hawaiian Style Poke
- Sesame Ginger Salmon Carpaccio
Now, let’s get making some Japanese Style Tuna Tartare!
- Prepping Time 5M
- Cooking Time 2M
- Total Time 7M
- Net Carb/Bites ~.5g
- Servings 10
Ingredients
- 2 Inch Lotus Roots (can sub with rice cracker if preferred)
- 1/4 Cup Neutral Cooking Oil
- 1/2 lb Sushi/Sashimi Grade Yellowfin Tuna
- 1 Stalk Green Onion
- 4 Shiso Leaves
- 2 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1/8 tsp Toasted Sesame Seed
Directions
1) Gather all the ingredients.
2) Peel and thinly slice lotus roots as needed (you will need around 8-10 slices). Note – if using rice crackers, skip to step 4).
3) In a Teflon frying pan, add neutral cooking oil (should cover 1/2 inch from the bottom of the pan) and bring oil up to temp over medium-high heat. Once up to temp, add sliced lotus roots, cook for 30-45 seconds per side or until they are browned and then transfer to a cooling rack.
4) Finely mince Yellowfin Tuna as shown below.
5) Chop green onions and shiso leaves as shown below.
6) In a small mixing bowl, combine and mix minced Yellowfin Tuna, chopped green onions, chopped shiso leaves, Soy Sauce, salt, Sesame Oil. Note – if not serving right away, you may reserve soy sauce and add it in the end to preserve tuna color.
7) Take ~1 tbsp of the tuna tartare mix, place on top of a lotus root chips and top with optional Toasted Sesame Seed. Enjoy as is with no dipping sauce!
Hope you enjoy your Japanese Style Tuna Tartare!
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Japanese Style Tuna Tartare
Ingredients
- 2 Inch Lotus Roots can sub with rice cracker if preferred
- 1/4 Cup Neutral Cooking Oil
- 1/2 lb Sushi/Sashimi Grade Yellowfin Tuna
- 1 Stalk Green Onion
- 4 Shiso Leaves
- 2 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1/8 tsp Toasted Sesame Seed
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Peel and thinly slice lotus roots as needed (you will need around 8-10 slices). Note - if using rice crackers, skip to step 4).
- In a Teflon frying pan, add neutral cooking oil (should cover 1/2 inch from the bottom of the pan) and bring oil up to temp over medium-high heat. Once up to temp, add sliced lotus roots, cook for 30-45 seconds per side or until they are browned and then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Finely mince Yellowfin Tuna as shown below.
- Chop green onions and shiso leaves as shown below.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine and mix minced Yellowfin Tuna, chopped green onions, chopped shiso leaves, Soy Sauce, salt, Sesame Oil. Note - if not serving right away, you may reserve soy sauce and add it in the end to preserve tuna color.
- Take ~1 tbsp of the tuna tartare mix, place on top of a lotus root chips and top with optional Toasted Sesame Seed. Enjoy as is with no dipping sauce!
Video
Nutrition
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