This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This sesame-crusted tuna crudo recipe with white soy ponzu starts with a light cure so you get that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth tuna bite. The white soy ginger ponzu is light golden and honey-colored, providing a floral, mellow sweetness that complements the vibrant tuna. Finished with a tuxedo sesame crust, jalapeño, and salsa macha, the dish balances toasted nuttiness with clean citrus and smoky heat.
Table of Contents
About the Taste
A light cure is the trick to the best crudo. It draws out just enough moisture with the salt and sugar, the tuna transitions from a soft, raw texture to something firm, buttery, and incredibly rich. It deepens the natural color of the bluefin and seasons the fish all the way through, so it doesn’t just taste like plain raw fish with toppings.
The white soy ginger ponzu is a totally different from the normal dark soy sauce sauces. Since white soy is brewed with more wheat, it has a delicate, honey-colored appearance and a floral, almost malty sweetness. When whisked with the mirin and rice vinegar, it creates a bright umami flavored sauce that really highlights the tuna rather than masking it.
Other Original Tuna Crudo
The Original Tuna Crudo – This is my signature crudo featuring buttery bluefin tuna in a shoyu ponzu. Built on a base of tamari, white miso, and fresh orange, it delivers a sophisticated umami punch with a lingering, smoky heat from ginger and salsa macha. So if you looking for something with a little kick, check it out.
Prep the Ingredients
Let’s talk about what can be prepped and what really cannot be. Nobody wants gummy, over-cured fish. You want that gorgeous, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Here is exactly how to prep this without stressing:
- The White Soy Ginger Ponzu: This sauce can be made up to 5 days in advance. Keep them in airtight jars in the fridge.
- The Carrots: These can be sliced into matchsticks the day before and drop them in a container of cold water in the fridge so they stay perfectly crisp. Just dry them thoroughly with a paper towel before dropping them in the hot oil.
- The Tuna: Do not cure this fish ahead of time. 20 minutes max for the salt and sugar cure is a hard rule. If you do it early, the salt will pull out too much moisture and ruin that delicate texture. Wait until about 30 minutes before you plan to serve, do your quick cure, rinse, slice, and plate immediately.
Ingredient Swaps
- Bluefin Tuna: This tuna crudo recipe also works with well hamachi or salmon also.
- White Soy Ponzu: You can make this just regular soy ponzu if you can’t find white soy or if you want to skip the slightly sweet and have a more powerful soy taste.
- Carrots: Instead of slicing these yourself, you can just buy shredded carrots. They won’t be as uniform but they’ll work.
Want to save this recipe to your collection?
The Perfect Pairings
When you are serving a raw appetizer you want things cold. Keep this appetizer in the fridge till right before you are going to serve it. This ponzu sauce is a delicate malty sweetness and a refreshing Cucumbertini is exactly what you want to be sipping on. For your main a warmer, savory dish that keeps with the Japanese-inspired menu is the way to go and my Crispy Chicken Thighs & Sake Butter Sauce fits that perfectly. On the side of that a fresh Arugula Fennel Salad is the way to go. To finish the night, you want a creamy Passion Fruit Panna Cotta is a great choice.
Sesame Tuna Crudo with White Soy Ponzu FAQ
Yes! The white soy ginger ponzu can be made up to two days ahead, it actually gets better after resting and allowing all those delicious flavors to meld! Then strain it and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container.
Crudo is best served fresh, but if you want to prep ahead, you can make the white soy ponzu, crisp up your carrots (although you will need to re-crisp them in a dry pan before serving, and prep your toppings. Wait to cure your salmon, slice and assemble the crudo until right before serving.
White soy sauce, or shiro shoyu, is lighter in color and flavor than regular soy sauce – It has a delicate, slightly sweet sweet taste with a clean finish. It’s perfect for dishes that you want that soy taste but you don’t want it to overpower the other ingredients.
The salt and sugar cure is the key to achieving the right texture. It seasons the salmon while drawing out moisture, which makes the fish firmer and easier to slice. Skipping this step results in a softer texture.
Chef Nadia’s Tips
- Don’t Skip the Light Cure: You do not need the old trick of popping the fish in the freezer to get clean slices because this quick cure does the heavy lifting for you. The salt and sugar not only add extra flavor, it also draws out excess moisture, which naturally firms up the delicate flesh. Just make sure you use a razor-sharp knife and slice with one smooth, pulling motion.
- ALWAYS get sushi-grade tuna. If you can’t find it near you, you can always find it at places like Catalina Offshore Products, Yama Seafood or Riviera Seafood Club.
Equipment
- wire rack and baking sheet
- vegetable peeler
- 2 small bowl
- pan
- spider strainer, or slotted spoon
- silicone brush
- fine mesh strainer
- serving plate
Ingredients
Crudo
- 6-8 oz bluefin tuna, sushi-grade
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
White Soy Ginger Ponzu
- ¼ cup white soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp ginger, freshly grated
- ¼ tsp garlic, freshly grated
- 1 tsp agave syrup
- 1 tsp bonito flakes
Crispy Carrots
- 1 small carrot
- oil, for frying
Sesame Crust
- 1 tsp white soy sauce
- 1 tsp honey
- 2½ tbsp black sesame seeds
- 2½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Toppings to taste
- Japanese mayo
- 1 jalapeño, sliced
- chives, chopped
- salsa macha, or chili oil
Instructions
- Cure the Salmon: Mix your salt and sugar. Place your tuna on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and sprinkle the mixture over both sides. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to cure. When done, rinse and dry well.
- Prepare the Components:• White Soy Ginger Ponzu: In a bowl, whisk together the white soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, agave and bonito. Set it aside.• Crispy Carrots: Peel the carrots, the slice very thin on a mandolin and then cut into matchsticks. Heat oil in a small pan and fry until golden. Remove with a spider ladle and let rest on a paper towel.• Sesame Crust: Stir together the soy sauce and honey, then brush it onto the tuna. On a plate, combine the sesame seeds and coat the tuna evenly on both sides.
- Assemble: Slice the tuna into ½-inch pieces. Strain the white soy ginger ponzu onto your serving plate and arrange the tuna on top. Add a dollop of Japanese mayo and a jalapeño slice on top of each piece. Top with the crispy carrots, chives and a drizzle of chili oil. And that is it!
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
