ContemporaryAppetizers & Sides
Tuna Tartare with Avocado and Herb Oil
The avocado is soft enough that the tuna needs a little texture beside it. Small cubes give you that, with shallot and chives for a sharper bite and just a spoonful of lemon cream on top. Ask your fishmonger for tuna intended for raw preparation, and keep it refrigerated while you get the toppings ready. Once you’ve cut and seasoned the fish, it needs to go straight to the table.
Even with careful sourcing and cold storage, raw fish carries a risk of illness. Pregnant people, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems should avoid it.
- Total
- 25 minutes
- Serves
- 4
Recipe
Tuna Tartare with Avocado and Herb Oil
- Prep
- 25 minutes
- Cook
- No cooking
- Total
- 25 minutes
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Tartare
Lemon cream and herb oil
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the toppings
Stir the sour cream or yogurt with the lemon zest and a pinch of salt until smooth. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest. Finely chop the parsley, then crush it with the olive oil in a mortar or stir vigorously until the oil turns green. Strain if you prefer clear green drops.
- 2
Cut the tuna
Keep the tuna cold until this point. With a clean, sharp knife, cut it into small, even cubes. Do not use a food processor; it will turn the fish mushy.
- 3
Season the tartare
Gently fold the tuna with the shallot, chives, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Taste and adjust the salt. Leave the avocados whole until you are ready to plate.
- 4
Plate and serve
Divide the tuna among four chilled small bowls or plates and mound it loosely with a spoon. Dice or slice the avocados just before serving and divide them around the fish. Add a small spoonful of lemon cream, a few drops of herb oil, and microgreens if using. Serve immediately.
Estimated nutrition
Per serving (1 of 4)
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 23 g
Calculated from the listed amounts. Optional or unmeasured additions are excluded; brands, substitutions, and cooking losses can change the result.
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Tuna Tartare with Avocado and Herb Oil
Nutrition · Per serving (1 of 4)
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 23 g
310 Cal
Estimated · optional extras excluded
Tuna Tartare with Avocado and Herb Oil
Prepare the toppings
Stir the sour cream or yogurt with the lemon zest and a pinch of salt until smooth. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest. Finely chop the parsley, then crush it with the olive oil in a mortar or stir vigorously until the oil turns green. Strain if you prefer clear green drops.
For this step
All ingredients · 12
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Recipe notes
Food safety and photo details
- Food safety: raw seafood may contain harmful bacteria or parasites. Ask the fish seller about fish intended for raw preparation and its handling; that does not eliminate the risk. FDA advises pregnant people, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems to avoid raw fish. FDA seafood guidance.
- The white topping on the original reference plate could not be identified with certainty. This lemon cream is our interpretation; the current image illustrates our version.
- Do not hold the dressed tartare for later. Keep the fish refrigerated until preparation and serve as soon as it is assembled.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tuna should I buy for tartare?
Tell a reputable fish seller you plan to serve it raw and ask about its handling and storage. Labels such as sashimi-grade are not a guarantee that raw fish is free of foodborne illness risk.
Can tuna tartare be made ahead?
Prepare the cream and herb oil ahead, but wait to dice and season the tuna until just before serving. Cut the avocado at the last moment so it stays fresh-looking.
