Easy & Delicious:  Homemade Spicy Tuna Tartare Nachos.

I have a mild obsession with spicy tuna.  If you share a similar enthusiasm, you also need to check out this spicy tuna tartare + avocado stacks recipe.  In the meantime, these spicy tuna tartare nachos will more than satisfy your cravings.  They come together in less than 30 minutes, and are perfect for two people to share for dinner (or let’s be honest, I could eat this entire thing myself), OR four people to snack on as an appetizer.

Ingredients for Baked Wonton Chips:

• 12 wonton wrappers
• 1 tbsp. olive oil or sesame oil
• 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
• flaky sea salt
• white sesame seeds

The wonton chips are baked, so there’s less guilt involved when eating these nachos. 🙂  Mix a little sesame or olive oil and freshly squeezed lime juice together in a shallow dish (yes, they don’t get along very well, so they won’t exactly “mix” together.  But if you use a pastry brush to soak up a little bit of both liquids, it’s heavenly on top of these chips!)

After baking, they turn a gorgeous golden color, crisp up to perfection, and keep in an airtight container until you’re ready to use them.  Simple, quick, and can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients for the Sriracha Mayo:

• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. sriracha sauce
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• small pinch of salt

Mix the sriracha with your favorite mayo (like Duke’s or Hellman’s).  Squeeze a touch of fresh lime juice into this mixture to add a touch of brightness and acidity.  Taste the sauce, then season with salt to adjust to your liking.  This can be made up to two days ahead of time, too.  Another simple, quick, made in advance recipe. 🙂

I’ve found that if you let the sriracha mayo come close to room temperature, it’s easier to drizzle across the nachos.  If you want to have more control over how the drizzle looks, spoon the sriracha mayo into a small zip-top bag, and snip a small piece off of one corner.  Squeeze the sriracha mayo through the corner to drizzle it in a more uniform pattern!

Feel free to double or triple this sauce if you like!

Ingredients for the Spicy Tuna Tartare:

• 5 or 6 ounces of sushi-grade ahi tuna
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped shallot (about 1 small shallot)
• 1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 a small lime)
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce
• 1/4 tsp. ginger powder
• salt to taste (if desired)

Always use sushi grade tuna for these nachos, because we aren’t actually cooking the tuna.  The lime juice “cooks” the tuna, but we aren’t using a ton of lime juice here.  Most grocery chains have pre-portioned tuna that comes in a 5 ounce or 6 ounce piece.  Either size works for this recipe!  The tuna mixture can be made about an hour ahead of time to let the flavors blend together, so that’s our third and final huge win.

Toppings for Spicy Ahi Tuna Nachos:

• 1 avocado, thinly sliced or cubed
• black sesame seeds
• 2-3 chopped scallions [same thing as green onion / use the whole onion – even the white part!]
• fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced (totally optional)

Fresh avocado is so good with these nachos, specifically because the creamy texture with the crispy wonton chips and delicate tuna goes so well together. The white and light green parts of the scallions are SO good on these nachos, too!  And the jalapeño is always our go to, but obviously you can leave it off you don’t want it to be THAT spicy!

How Make these Spicy Ahi Tuna Nachos:

1. Cut the wonton wrappers in half diagonally, to create two triangles out of each wrapper.  Combine the sesame (or olive) oil and lime juice together, then use a pastry brush (or your fingers) to spread across each triangle. Sprinkle a little salt and white sesame seeds on top of the wonton triangles, then bake them at 350 F for about 10-12 minutes until crispy and golden brown.  
2. While the wonton chips are baking, stir the mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice, and a small pinch of salt together in a small bowl.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix the cubed sushi-grade tuna with shallots, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, sriracha, ginger powder.  Stir to thoroughly combine these ingredients, then taste a piece of tuna and season with a pinch of salt if desired.
4. Spread the crispy wonton chips across a platter, then scatter the tuna across the tops of the chips.  Scatter the chopped avocado over the tuna, then drizzle the nachos with sriracha mayo.  Sprinkle on black sesame seeds, chopped scallions, and fresh jalapeños (if desired!)

Serve these spicy tuna tartare nachos for date night in, girls night in, or for a solo dinner at home.  They’re also really good with a variety of white wines, so happy hour is another ideal match for them.  I’ve listed some of my favorite wine pairings for you to check out, too!  

Wine Pairings for Spicy Tuna Tartare Nachos

:: Sauvignon Blanc.  (USA / South Africa / New Zealand)  >> I know these Sauvignon Blanc options are all across the board.  All are usually pretty acidic, so they cut the richness of both the tuna and the avocado.  Sauvignon Blancs from the US or South Africa tend to have a richness and acidic balance that is super food friendly!  But truthfully, we are diehard Marlborough (New Zealand) fans because of that tartness and grapefruit notes in the wine.  It’s an awesome citrus complement to the spicy tuna nachos, so it’s also an option!

:: Grüner Veltliner.  (Austria)  >> Another killer white wine with high acidity.  (The acidity is key when pairing with food!)  Acidic wine acts as a palate cleanser, so when the tuna and avocado coat your mouth with richness and heat, Grüner Veltliner is there to clear it out so you can keep eating, and ensures that each bite is as enjoyable as the last!

:: Sparkling Rosé.  (France) >> Talk about food friendly wines.  Think brunch, light bites, spicy foods, chicken, pork … you name it, sparkling rosé will probably love it.  Again with the high acidity, the tuna and avocado will love this option.  Plus there’s bubbles in sparkling rosé, and that’s always a crowd pleaser!

:: Albariño.  (Spain) >> This is the wine we drank with these nachos the first time I tested them.  High acidity makes it a great food companion, and the citrus and salty notes play perfectly with the creamy avocado and spicy tuna.  It’s also super affordable, and you can easily pick up a bottle for about $10 (sometimes less!)

xx Sara