Easy Assembly Ahi Tuna Appetizers (Restaurant-Style)

If you’re looking for an easy starter to add to your dinner party menus, you’re going to love this hand-held appetizer. You’ll use ready-to-eat sliced tuna so the only thing you need to cook is the wonton base, and that can be done days ahead.

The flavors and texture combo makes this recipe a winner among guests, and I recommend adding it to a surf-and-turf menu with filet mignon, a coastal themed dinner party with Thai noodles & shrimp salad, or a meal of Asian-fusion dishes like Thai peanut chicken salad.

Ingredient Notes

Sliced, Ready-to-Eat Ahi Tuna. Look for packages of smoked ahi tuna in the refrigerated meat & seafood section of the grocery store – that’s where I found the ones I used here. I also recommend the seared medallions that you can find in the freezer section of some grocers (I’ve gotten them at Aldi before) or in the meat and seafood department at higher-end grocers. You could use smoked salmon (lox) in this dish; the tuna is a bit more mild though.

Wonton Wraps. I usually find these in the refrigerated produce section.

Wasabi sauce. Don’t confuse this with regular wasabi (it’s too intense). Find this sauce in the condiments aisle as it’s used for sandwiches and drizzles.

Fruit Salsa. I use an easy shortcut for the salsa topping: a package of pico de gallo from the fresh produce section mixed with fresh (or frozen) mango.

• Frozen mango chunks works great here because they don’t thaw to a mushy texture the way frozen berries do. You will need to pat them dry with a paper towel once they’re thawed, and dice them into smaller pieces.

What You Need to Know

This recipe doesn’t require exact measurements. You can simply make enough wontons so that each guest gets two, and purchase enough ahi tuna so there are two slices per wonton (4 per guest).

Fry the wontons in a pan with a shallow layer of oil – vegetable or avocado oil work well. They cook quickly. Remove them to a layer of paper towels to drain, and sprinkle with a little salt while they’re still glistening so it adheres. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days before your party.

The salsa topping is a simple hack that saves major time and energy. Purchase fresh pico de gallo in those little clamshell containers in the produce section; it has the base ingredients including tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.

• Then add fresh mango or frozen mango chunks (thawed and diced) to the base and mix to combine. You’ll want to dice the mango into sizes small enough for a salsa mixture.
• The salsa mixture can be about half pico de gallo and half mango, or adjusted to your preference.

The finishing touch is a light drizzle of wasabi sauce on top. It adds color and a little zing to the appetizer. You can also garnish with a couple of strips of chives on each one.

Make-Ahead Tips

1. Make the wontons 2 days ahead and store.
2. Make the salsa mixture up to a day ahead and refrigerate.
3. Construct the appetizers in an assembly line manner, up to 30 minutes before guests arrive, saving the wasabi drizzle for just before serving. Serve 2 per plate and garnish with chives if desired.

The crispy wontons, the savory tuna, and the fresh fruit salsa all combine so well together, and are complimented by a touch of wasabi heat. It’s a perfectly balanced appetizer that’s giving ‘restaurant worthy’.