Ahi Tuna Tostadas
With a creamy avocado base, and fresh toppings, these Ahi Tuna Tostadas are a fiesta in your mouth! Ahi tuna marinates in adobo and fresh citrus juices, and sits atop smashed avocado and chipotle spread. I’ve included ideas for toppings to create your perfect appetizer or light main dish tostada… ¡Buen provecho!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Seafood Tostadas
Last week I published a recipe for smoked salmon tostadas, and several years ago, I did shrimp ceviche tostadas. Thinking along those lines, sushi grade raw ahi tuna seemed like a good candidate for a tostada as well. What could be better than a crispy corn tortilla with citrus-marinated ahi tuna and fresh toppings on a busy weeknight?
Seafood is a perfect protein for weeknights because it requires little (or no) cooking time. We eat a lot of fish and seafood year ’round, but as the weather warms, it replaces chicken or pork on many nights.
I opted to assemble these tostadas on street taco-sized corn tortillas, making them ideal as an appetizer for a cocktail party or first course. You can easily scale up to full-sized tortillas. On photo day, we had 4 street taco-sized tostadas each as a main dish. Hubby enjoyed the leftover tuna with crackers for lunch the next day.
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
Citrus-Chipotle Marinated Tuna
- ahi tuna – You will need sushi grade ahi tuna for these tostadas. My market has flash-frozen-on-the-boat sushi grade tuna that I tend to trust more than the “fresh” tuna at the fish counter. If you know your source, you may find the tuna at the fish counter is great.
- citrus – The combination of orange, meyer lemon, and lime is one I use often to mimic the “ugly” or “ugli” oranges found in Central and South America. We’ve had them all over the Peruvian Andes, and I’m always looking to duplicate their tangy-sweet flavor. Mexican oranges are very similar – Seville or bitter oranges. Their juice is different from the oranges we get in the US. Its juice is tangy, sweet, and slightly bitter. I think you’ll find this combination works well for marinating the fish.
- adobo – We’re using chipotles in the avocado crema, and some of the adobo in the marinade. The adobo itself has a low to medium heat level, and is a tomato, spices, and vinegar sauce that does take on some of the smokiness from the chipotle peppers.
- sea salt
Avocado Chipotle Crema
- avocado – Choose a firm avocado that yields slightly to pressure.
- plain Greek yogurt – I always use nonfat Greek yogurt to reduce fats and calories, but the choice is yours.
- chipotle peppers – We’re using canned chipotle peppers – usually labeled as chipotle peppers in adobo sauce—which are moderately hot, depending on your spice tolerance. They’re made from smoked and dried jalapeños, which typically fall in the 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) range.
- The adobo sauce they’re packed in adds a tangy, slightly sweet, and smoky punch, but doesn’t lessen the heat much. If you’re not super used to spicy food, even a single pepper (or just a spoonful of the sauce) can bring serious heat.
Smoked Salmon Tostadas
- chipotle-citrus marinated tuna – I recommend marinating the tuna for a minimum of 20 minutes and a maximum of an hour. Beyond that, the texture of the fish will change.
- quick pickled onions – I combine 1 cup of rice or white wine vinegar with 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in the microwave until completely dissolved – about 90 seconds to 2 minutes. After cooling completely, I pour it over 1 sliced red onion, and add a thinly-sliced seeded red jalapeño pepper. I like to soak them for an hour. They will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks… if they last that long! You can buy pickled onions if you prefer.
- corn tortillas – As I mentioned earlier, you can do these tostadas with either regular or street taco sized corn tortillas. I am one to air fry (or slim fry) mine. I have a slim fry setting on my microwave, but I also have an air fryer. I spray both sides of the tortillas, sprinkle with sea salt, and air “fry” them until they begin to brown – 5 to 7 minutes total. Turn about halfway through. Set aside. NOTE: You can also use pre-made corn tortillas.
- chipotle avocado crema – I have found that a creamy base helps to keep the toppings on the tortilla. This combination of chopped chipotles, avocado, and plain yogurt is very tasty with just a little bit of heat. You could substitute a minced jalapeño, Hatch green chile, scallions, etc. You could also omit them entirely. Make the avocado crema your own!
- toppings – On photo day, I had some cilantro micro greens remaining from my smoked salmon tostadas a few days earlier. They were perfect! Lime wedges are mandatory IMHO.😉 Thin-sliced radishes or jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and pepitas will all add texture and flavor to your tostadas.
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🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
- Marinate the ahi tuna – Using a very sharp knife, cut the tuna into 1/2″ cubes. Whisk together the citrus juices, adobo, and salt. Pour over the tuna. Marinate for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
- Prepare the corn tortillas – Spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray (or brush with olive oil), sprinkle one side with sea salt, and air “fry” them until they begin to brown – 5 to 7 minutes. Turn about halfway through. Set aside.
- Prepare garnishes – Now is the time to prep your chosen garnishes. You want to do the avocado crema last to avoid oxidation.
- Make the chipotle avocado crema – Thoroughly mash the peeled and pitted avocado with the minced chipotle and Greek yogurt.
- Assemble the tostadas – Layer the prepared tostada shells with avocado crema, marinated tuna, and garnish as desired.
making the chipotle avocado crema, layer the tostadas…
❓FAQ
In Peru, the term “ugly orange” refers to a hybrid citrus fruit that has a bumpy, unattractive exterior, but the most amazing juice. It is said to be a grapefruit and Seville orange hybridization that originated in Jamaica. Green does not indicate the fruit is unripe. We love them. For more see Ugli Fruit…
My husband swears the marinated tuna is good the next day for lunch. The texture will change. I wouldn’t go beyond that. I buy flash frozen sushi grade tuna in six-ounce portions. Twelve ounces of tuna is a lot of tuna for two servings, but probably not enough for three. If you’re making the tuna tostadas for an appetizer, I would plan on one to two per person.
💡 Tips
- Partially frozen ahi tuna is easier to cube.
- The best way to thaw fish is overnight in the refrigerator. It preserves the texture, and has the lowest risk of bacteria.
- The second best way to thaw fish is to thaw in a bowl of cold water (in a sealed bag). Change the water every 20 minutes or so.
These mini tostadas are a perfect appetizer size, but you can certainly have 3-4 as a main dish.😆 On a hot summer day, they are a pleasure to eat, and won’t heat up your kitchen!
Lastly, if you love cocktail pairing, I highly recommend a dry (or dirty) gin martini. Cheers!
Ahi Tuna Tostadas Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
Marinated Ahi Tuna
- 12 ounces ahi tuna - cubed
- 1 orange - juiced
- 1 lemon - juiced
- 2 limes - juiced
- 2 teaspoons adobo sauce - from canned chipotles
Air Fryer Tortillas
- 8 street taco sized corn tortillas
- cooking spray - or olive oil for brushing
- sea salt
Chipotle Avocado Crema
- 1 medium avocado - peeled, pitted, and mashed
- 1 tablespoon nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 chipotles - minced
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes
- quick pickled onions - see Notes below
- radishes - thin-sliced
- lime wedges
- cilantro - chopped
- micro greens
- roasted pepitas
Instructions
Chipotle Citrus Ahi Tuna
- Cut ahi tuna in ½" cubes. Whisk citrus juices, adobo, and salt together, and pour over the tuna. Marinate 20 minutes to an hour.
Prepare the Tortillas
- Set air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Spray both sides with cooking spray (or brush lightly with oil). Sprinkle with salt if desired.
- Air fry until the tortillas start to brown, flipping halfway through (5-7 minutes). Set aside.
Prepare the Garnishes
- Cut lime wedges, slice radishes, chop cilantro, etc. as desired
Make the Chipotle Avocado Crema
- After peeling and pitting the avocado, add to a prep bowl with the Greek yogurt and chopped chipotles. Mash until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the Tostadas
- Spread avocado crema on the prepared tostada shells.
- Top with the marinated tuna.
- Garnish as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Quick Pickled Onions
I combine 1 cup of rice or white wine vinegar with 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in the microwave until completely dissolved – about 90 seconds to 2 minutes. After cooling completely, I pour it over 1 sliced red onion, and add a thinly-sliced seeded red jalapeño pepper. I like to soak them for an hour. This recipe will make 8 mini tostadas or 4 full-sized tostadas. Macronutrients are for 1 tostada with 1/8 of the tuna and avocado. It does not include additional toppings.Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
I really enjoy ahi tuna in general, no matter how it’s cooked, but these ahi tuna tostadas are one of my favorite ways to have it. And yes, the tuna is actually pretty good even the next day.