SeafoodMediumFree

Seared Tuna Tostadas

Name: Seared Tuna Tostadas
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tbsp sesame seeds; 0.5 red onion; 8 corn tostadas; 2 avocado; 3 sprigs fresh cilantro; 2 chipotle chile in adobo; 4 tbsp mayonnaise; 1 to taste salt and black pepper; 400 g fresh tuna loin; 2 lime

20 min (15 prep + 5 cook) Medium 4 servings Fusión

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 27, 2026 · Updated: May 12, 2026

Seared tuna on tostadas with avocado and chipotle mayonnaise.

About this recipe

Fresh tuna seared over very high heat on crispy corn tostadas, topped with creamy avocado and a smoky chipotle mayonnaise. A fusion dish combining Japanese searing techniques with bold Mexican ingredients, born from the cultural exchange in Mexico's Pacific ports.

History & Origin

Seared tuna tostadas are a masterful example of the culinary fusion that took place in Mexico's Pacific ports - Ensenada, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta - where the influence of early twentieth-century Japanese immigrants intertwined with local cooking. The Japanese introduced the technique of rapid searing over intense heat, leaving the centre raw as in tataki, while the Mexicans contributed avocado, chipotle and the tostada. The result is a dish now served in Mexico's finest seafood restaurants, but which began in port fondas where cooks experimented freely. It is honest fusion cooking: each ingredient retains its identity whilst the combination creates something entirely new.

Estimated cost

$22.00

Total cost

$5.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

450

Calories

30g

Protein

30g

Carbohydrates

28g

Fat

10g

Fiber

600mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Pat the tuna dry with kitchen paper. Season on all sides with salt, black pepper and sesame seeds.
💡 The tuna should be very cold so the sear is rapid and the centre remains pink.
2
Make the chipotle mayonnaise: mix 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1–2 finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce and the juice of half a lime. Set aside.
3
Heat a cast-iron pan over very high heat until smoking. Add a drizzle of oil and sear the tuna for 45–60 seconds on each side. The centre should remain pink.
💡 Do not move the tuna during searing - this gives you a perfect crust.
4
Remove the tuna and slice into 1 cm pieces against the grain.
5
Spread chipotle mayonnaise over the tostadas. Lay slices of avocado on top, then arrange the tuna slices. Garnish with cilantro, julienned red onion and a squeeze of lime.