These Ahi Tuna tacos are like combining the best of two worlds: tacos and sushi. Quick seared ahi tuna topped with a garlic-ginger slaw, wasabi sauce, and fresh mango. Trust me when I say you need these in your life ASAP!
I didn’t grow up eating ahi tuna tacos and didn’t have them until later in my adult life. These tacos prove my point that you can pretty much put anything in a tortilla and call it a taco! Truth is you can’t just go to any part of Mexico and expect to see ahi tuna tacos. Sure, they’ll have them in the resort you stay at or a fancy seafood restaurant. However, these beauties are the perfect taco creation to enjoy any Taco Tuesday or any day your heart desires!
It all starts with a beautiful ahi tuna steak. Make sure the tuna steak is patted dry before you season to ensure the seasoning and sesame seeds stick. The tuna steak then gets seared for just a couple of minutes on each side. This gives it great flavor and cooks it oh so slightly. If you don’t like your tuna too raw just let it sear another minute or two until cooked to preference. Once it is seared transfer steak to cutting board and cut into thin slices. Time for the delicious slaw that you’ll top the tuna off with.
The recipe below is for a creamy garlic-ginger slaw but I also provide a mayo-less, non-creamy version in the recipe notes. They’re both fantastic options but I wanted to make sure you have both options in case creamy slaw isn’t you jam. The slaw is so easy because all you do is combine everything in a bowl and mix it. If you can’t find garlic ginger paste or can’t find the two paste separately you can’t certainly use fresh garlic and ginger.
Top the tacos off with some fresh mango and spicy wasabi sauce. The wasabi sauce can be either store bought prepared wasabi sauce thinned out with water or wasabi paste mixed with a little mayo and thinned out with water. Just be cautious of the heat level because you don’t want to over power these bad boys with too much wasabi! The fresh mango gives you that little sweetness needed to make these tacos over the top good.
Ahi Tuna Tacos
Ingredients
Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna
- 1 lb ahi tuna steak
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds use all white if you don't have black
- salt & pepper
- oil of choice
Creamy Garlic-Ginger Slaw
- 2 cups slaw mix shredded green and red cabbage and carrots
- 1 tbsp garlic ginger paste or fresh minced garlic and ginger
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup mayo
- salt & pepper to taste
Tacos
- 10 taco size (8 inch) flour tortillas
- ahi tuna
- garlic-ginger slaw *see recipe notes below
- fresh chopped mango
- wasabi sauce **see recipe notes below
- sesame seeds
Instructions
Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna
- Pat dry tuna steak and season with salt and pepper.
- Place a pan over medium heat and add drizzle of oil.
- Mix black and white sesame seeds and sprinkle half of mix on one side of steak. Press the seeds onto the steak so they stick. Do the same with the other side.
- Once pan and oil are hot place the steak on pan and sear for 2-3 minutes. You want to just barely see the bottom of the steak cooked. If you prefer your tuna more cooked, leave on for additional 1-2 minutes. Flip steak over and sear another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove steak from pan and thinly slice into strips.
Creamy Garlic-Ginger Slaw
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Tacos
- Heat tortilla by preferred method. You can use a skillet or pan that has been over medium-high heat and when skillet is very hot, add tortilla to heat through for 30 seconds-1 minute depending on the heat level of your stove. Flip halfway through.
- Assemble tacos by adding tuna strips to tortillas and topping with slaw, mango, and wasabi sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!
Loved the flavors. Did a little modification as I am not a spice person. Mixed mangos with red onions, cilantro, lime juice and salt as a garnish. Also in the “slaw mix” just did a little avocado oil, salt, lime juice. The tuna came out perfect! Thanks.
Diane, so happy you liked it! The modifications sound delicious 🙂
I made this tonight it was big hit. I paired it with cilantro lime rice.
Thanks, Gwen! Glad you liked it!