Tuna Taco with Mango Salsa and Calabrian Aioli
with @cucinaconruben
30 minutes, zero stress and every bite tastes like something you'd order at a beachside taco truck. Or maybe on a balcony in the heart of Rome? After we fired up this insanely good Panino con Bistecca, my friend @CuncinaConRuben and I were still a bit hungry so we quickly threw together an insanely fresh tuna taco. Buttery sushi-grade tuna gets a simple sesame crust before being tucked into warm corn tortillas with spicy Calabrian aioli, sweet mango salsa and slices of ripe avocado. It’s crazy delicious, high-protein and comes together quickly. It’s also a fun option for entertaining because almost everything can be prepared in advance and people can build their own tacos.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Restaurant-quality tacos at home: Sushi-grade ahi tuna only needs a quick sear, making this one of the easiest ways to recreate a dish you’d expect from a great seafood restaurant.
Balanced Flavours, Textures and Colours: The buttery fresh tuna steaks take on a delicious and crunchy sesame crust that pairs perfectly with the acidic mango salsa, spicy Calabrian aioli and creamy avocado.
Ready in under 30 minutes: And not a whole to of prep either. Sushi-grade tuna doesn’t require any marinating time and takes only 2 minutes total to cook, which leaves you plenty of time to throw together the salsa and toppings.
Fresh, light and packed with flavour: Deeply satisfying but won’t leave you feeling weighed down.
Easy to customize. Swap the mango for pineapple, adjust the heat in the aioli, or serve everything over rice instead of tortillas for an equally delicious but more substantial meal.
Ingredients You Need For the Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna
Sushi-grade ahi tuna: Since the tuna is only lightly seared, it’s important to buy sushi-grade or sashimi-grade fish from a trusted fish market or seafood counter. Look for firm steaks with a vibrant ruby-red color and no strong fishy smell.
White and black sesame seeds: Using both creates a beautiful presentation while adding a delicate nutty flavour and light crunch that complements the buttery tuna without overpowering it.
Extra-virgin olive oil: A small amount helps develop a quick, even sear while preventing the sesame seeds from sticking to the pan. You can substitute avocado oil here.
Corn tortillas: Fresh corn tortillas provide the best flavor and texture. Warming them in a dry skillet makes is essential to make them pliable and develop more flavour.
Flaky sea salt: A finishing sprinkle of good-quality salt over the seared tuna enhances the natural flavours in the fish without overpowering it.
Avocado: Creamy avocado balances the richness of the tuna while helping mellow the heat from the aioli. After all, what kind of taco would it be without avocado?
Lime wedges: Fresh lime juice brightens every bite and ties all of the flavors together.
For the Mango Salsa
Mango: For the best texture and flavour, try to use a mango that is just barely ripe. It will be easier to dice and will also maintain its texture a bit better. The sweetness and acidity pair very well with the blackened fish. If you can’t find mango, you can try making the salsa with pineapple, peach, papaya or persimmon.
Red Bell Pepper: I like the sweetness, crunch and colour of a red bell pepper in this salsa but you can experiment with other colours.
Onion: Use any variety of onion you like or have. For colour, go with red onion. For sweetness, use white. In any case, you can mellow out some of the bitter flavour by placing the diced onion in a sieve and running it under some cold water.
Fresh Chile Pepper: Spice level is a personal preference so use as much or as little fresh chile as you like. We used one fresh Calabrian chile with the seeds for more heat. If you want to tone down the heat, you can remove the seeds of the pepper. You can substitute jalapeño, serrano or something spicier, like habanero.
Fresh Lime: You want the zest and juice here. For the best flavour and aroma, use the fresh stuff!
CILANTROBasil: The Italians don’t do cilantro so we used fresh basil instead and you know what? It was great! It actually paired beautifully with the fish and Calabrian aioli. I still think cilantro would have been good though.Salt: Season the salsa to taste with a bit of kosher salt to taste. Keep in mind, you can always add more but it’s very hard to adjust if you put too much.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: It’s not absolutely necessary, but adding some EVOO to the salsa will give it some depth of flavour and a velvety mouthfeel.
For the Calabrian Aioli
A very simple yet delicious combination of mayonnaise, Calabrian chile paste, lime juice and garlic makes for a seriously delicious sauce that goes perfectly with these tacos. Think of it like an Italian twist on a chipotle crema but with much less garlic. Apparently, in Italy, if you use more than one clove of garlic in a recipe they’ll lock you up and throw away the key.
Trust, Cook it Rare
The goal isn’t to cook the tuna all the way through. The goal is to create contrast. A very hot pan quickly develops a flavourful sesame crust while leaving the centre cool, buttery and rare so you can taste the nuances and enjoy the texture of the fish.
Start with sushi-grade tuna if you plan to serve it rare. Quality matters here more than almost any other ingredient. If it’s not extremely fresh, don’t use it.
Pat the tuna completely dry before pressing on the sesame seeds so they adhere evenly and brown properly.
Use a very hot skillet so the exterior sears quickly before the interior has time to cook.
Resist moving the tuna during searing. Leaving it undisturbed creates a much better crust.
Slice immediately after cooking using a very sharp knife to preserve the clean edges and stop the cooking process.
Substitution Ideas
Tuna: If you can’t find tuna, you can substitute your favourite fish, like mahi-mahi, cod, halibut or snapper. Just be sure to fully cook these other types of fish. You can keep all the other toppings the same.
Calabrian Chiles: If you can’t find jarred Calabrian chiles in oil, you can substitute your favourite chile paste, chipotles packed in adobo or even Sriracha if that’s all you have. It will taste different but still be delicious.
Fresh Basil: Let’s be clear, cilantro was my first choice for the salsa but the threat of Ruben throwing me over the balcony was enough for me to agree to using fresh basil instead.
Mango: You can use fresh peaches or nectarines, both of which are currently in season, or diced pineapple.
Corn tortillas: Flour tortillas can be used if preferred, though I think the slightly nutty flavour and texture of corn tortillas pairs better with fish.
Recipe FAQs
Can I cook the tuna longer?
I don’t recommend it. You’re paying top dollar for fresh tuna because it’s one of the few fish that tastes incredible and is safe to consume rare. If you want fully cooked tuna, use the stuff in a can or jar instead.
Can I make the salsa ahead?
Absolutely. The salsa can be prepared several hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use. Just be sure to remove it an hour before serving so it comes to room temperature.
How spicy is the aioli?
Moderately spicy. The mayonnaise softens the heat considerably, but you can easily add more or less Calabrian chile paste depending on your preference.
Can I use frozen tuna?
Yes, provided it is labeled sushi-grade and properly thawed in the refrigerator before cooking.
The Recipe…
Tuna Taco with Mango Salsa and Calabrian Aioli
⏱ Time & Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Mango Salsa
1 mango, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
¼ red onion, diced
1 fresh Calabrian chile pepper, finely chopped, omit seeds for less spicy
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Zest and juice of 1 lime
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
For the Calabrian Aioli
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1.5 tablespoons Calabrian chile paste (or chopped Calabrian chilies in oil)
1 garlic clove, finely grated
Juice of 1 lime
For the Tuna Tacos
2 6-ounce sushi-grade ahi tuna steak
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pinch flaky sea salt, for finishing
4 corn tortillas
1 avocado, thinly sliced, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
For the Mango Salsa
In a bowl, combine the mango, red pepper, red onion, chile pepper, basil, lime zest, lime juice, salt and olive oil. Stir to combine, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt or lime juice as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Calabrian Aioli
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Calabrian chile paste, garlic and lime juice. Stir to combine, taste for seasoning and adjust with lime juice as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Tuna Tacos
In a bowl, combine the white and black sesame seeds and stir to incorporate. Firmly press the tuna into the sesame seeds to evenly coat both sides then set aside.
Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Working one at a time, add the tortillas to the pan and cook 45 seconds per side or until golden and puffy. Transfer the tortillas to a plate and set aside.
To the same pan, add the olive oil and heat it until shimmering. Add the tuna steaks to the pan and cook, undisturbed, until slightly grey in colour, around 60 seconds. Flip the tuna and cook the other sides until lightly grey but still rare in the centre, around 60 seconds. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board, thinly slice and season with a small pinch of flakey salt.
To assemble the tacos, spread a layer of Calabrian aioli onto each tortilla. Top with slices avocado followed by slices of tuna and some of the mango salsa. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing and enjoy immediately.