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    Home » Healthy Appetizers & Hors D'Oeuvres » Ahi Tuna Appetizer with Wasabi Glaze

    Ahi Tuna Appetizer with Wasabi Glaze

    May 1, 2024 · by Valentina · 25 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Ahi Tuna Appetizer is as delicious as it is pretty. Drizzled with a sweet and spicy wasabi glaze, these beautiful bites can be made within 20 minutes and you can even do it a day ahead!

    Rectangular white plate with several ahi tuna bites with fresh chives and toothpicks in each one.

    If you've love seared ahi tuna, this gorgeous, delicious and impressive recipe will make you, and everyone you serve it to very happy.

    While it might look fancy-ish, the prep is fairly quick and easy, and yes, you can even make it a day ahead of time.

    When I had my catering business, this this bite-sized Ahi Tuna Appetizer was one of the most popular things on my menus -- especially for cocktail parties. And it's also lovely for a small dinner party.

    You can totally do this!

    Jump to:
    • Just a Few Ingredients
    • How to Make it
    • Variations
    • Recipe Tips
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Making it Ahead
    • More Ahi Tuna Appetizers
    • Ahi Tuna Appetizer Recipe

    Just a Few Ingredients

    Large piece of raw ahi tuna on white parchment paper with 4 small Asian-style, little bowls with soy sauce, wasabi paste, honey and butter, all on a wooden board.
    • wasabi paste - Like ginger, wasabi is a rhizome, not a root. Authentic wasabi is served freshly grated, very expensive and hard to find outside of Japan. Wasabi paste, which is sold in most grocery stores, is typically a combination of horseradish, mustard powder and green food coloring.
    • soy sauce - Ideally low-sodium. Tamari is the best substitute. It's slightly thicker and richer than regular soy sauce, and it's usually gluten-free. You can also find low-sodium Tamari.
    • unsalted butter - A little butter is added to the wasabi glaze, which makes it shine and gives it a silky-smooth, rich texture. If you need to substitute the butter, you can use a combination of a light miso paste and neutral oil. You can even just drizzle straight up soy sauce on top, and frankly, this ahi tuna appetizer is really tasty without anything other than salt, pepper and the caramelization from searing it.
    • honey
    • sushi grade Ahi tuna - “Sushi-grade” is a term given to fish when it’s safe to prepare and eat raw. In this recipe we're only searing the fish, which means we're only cooking the outer edges. Whenever you're planning to serve fish raw, or partially raw, always ask the fish monger if it's sushi grade. Depending on where you live, it shouldn't be too difficult to find. If your local Farmers' Market sells fish, it's often a great place to find it. This is a good article about sushi grade fish and how to choose it.
    • neutral oil - Like avocado, grapeseed or vegetable.
    • fresh chives - Choose dark green perky bunches of chives.

    (See recipe card below for quantities.)

    How to Make it

    - Melt the butter in a very small sauté pan over low heat. Add the wasabi, soy sauce and honey. Gently whisk until it's smooth and then remove it from the heat and set it aside.

    Small saute pan with melted butter, soy sauce and a dollop of wasabi paste.
    Wasabi glaze in a small saute pan with a small whisk.

    - Cut the Ahi fillet into approximately 1-inch strips and season with salt and pepper on all sides.

    Several strips of raw ahi tuna on parchment paper.
    Several strips of raw ahi tuna sprinkled generously with salt and black pepper, on parchment paper.

    - Coat the bottom of a large (preferably non-stick) skillet with a thin layer of oil and place it over high heat. Once the pan is very hot, add the Ahi tuna strips and sear all of the sides. (If you don't hear a sizzling sound when the tuna hits the pan, it's not hot enough.)

    - Only cook it through a bit, about ⅛-inch, probably about 10-15 seconds per side. Use small tongs to turn them. Remove them from the pan as soon as they’re done and place them on a plate or sheet pan. Do this in two batches so you don't crowd the pan.

    Large skillet with 4 strips of searing ahi tuna.
    Large skillet with 4 strips of searing ahi tuna, seared on two sides.
    Large skillet with 4 strips of seared ahi tuna.
    Several strips of golden seared ahi tuna on white parchment paper.

    - Once they're cool enough to handle, slice them into approximately 1-inch squares.

    Several small cubes of seared ahi tuna on parchment paper.

    - Drizzle the wasabi glaze over them, add a toothpick to each one and serve. (If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, warm it slightly.)

    - Garnish with finely chopped chives.

    Several small cubes of seared ahi tuna on
    Several small cubes of seared ahi tuna on a white plate with wasabi glaze being drizzled over one.
    Several small cubes of seared ahi tuna on a white place with wasabi glaze.
    Several small cubes of seared ahi tuna on a white plate with wasabi glaze and chopped chives.

    Variations

    • Mild version. While wasabi is quite spicy and pungent, the glaze is mellowed with the honey, soy sauce and butter. If it's still a bit to hot for you, you can modify the amount of wasabi paste -- use as much or as little as you'd like.
    • Make it into a main course. You can also make this as an entrée. Sear (or cook a bit more if desired), ahi steaks -- about 5-ounces per person -- and drizzle the wasabi glaze over them.
    • Make a salad with the tuna. With our without the glaze, sans toothpicks (of course), add the seared tuna cubes to a salad. I love it with butter lettuce, cilantro, edamame, avocado and red onion. You can even make the glaze into a dressing by thinning it with rice vinegar. (You can also use it in these Nicoise Salad Cups.)

    Recipe Tips

    • The easiest way to cut the Ahi so that is will slice evenly and beautifully, is to partially freeze it first.
    • Be generous with the black pepper. Ahi tuna loves pepper. 😉
    • To get a nice sear on the fish, it's imperative that your pan is preheated and hot before you add the tuna. You should hear a strong sizzling sound when it hits the pan. If you don't, wait until you do.
    • If you're serving a large group and don't know everyone's taste for heat, you might want to serve the glaze in a little bowl for dipping, rather than drizzling it on top.
    • When shopping for the Ahi tuna, please note that you'll see a variety of colors. Those that are a bright watermelon red have typically been treated with carbon monoxide during processing. It's not unsafe to eat tuna that's been treated with it, though it often makes it difficult to notice visual cues of freshness.
    Close up, top view of several seared ahi tuna squares with toothpicks on a white rectangular dish.

    Serving Suggestions

    • For a small dinner party, there are a handful of dishes I especially love to follow the ahi tuna appetizer with. My top two picks are Pickled Ginger Citrus Salad with Wasabi Dressing and Miso Broiled Black Cod with Bok Choy Stir-Fry.
    • It's also delicious with Minty Tofu Noodles, Spicy Asian Slaw with Basil and Baby Bok Choy with Crispy Garlic.
    • And if you're having a cocktail party, it's excellent served alongside Cucumber Dill Canapés, Vegetarian Sushi Bake and Spicy Pickled Cucumbers.

    Making it Ahead

    Good news! You can sear the tuna and make the glaze a day ahead of time.

    • To make the glaze a day ahead: Leave it in the little pan where you made it, cover with foil and leave it at room temperature.
    • To sear the tuna a day ahead: Once seared, let the tuna in strips (see images below) cool completely, and then store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
    • Leave yourself a little time the next day, before serving, to slice the seared ahi tuna strips, drizzle the glaze and add toothpicks. (If the sauce is too thick to drizzle, warm it slightly.)

    More Ahi Tuna Appetizers

    • Poke Nachos
    • Ahi Tuna Tartare with Ginger
    • Spicy Tuna Wonton Cups

    * And if you love this recipe, you will absolutely love my Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna Burger.

    I hope you'll give this appetizer a go.

    Enjoy every last bite of this Seared Ahi Tuna Appetizer recipe!

    Rectangular white plate with several ahi tuna bites with fresh chives and toothpicks in each one.

    Ahi Tuna Appetizer Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    This Ahi Tuna Appetizer is as delicious as it is pretty. Drizzled with a sweet and spicy wasabi glaze, these beautiful bites can be made within 20 minutes and you can even do it a day ahead!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 18 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine Asian
    Servings 8
    Calories 114 kcal

    Equipment

    • large non-stick skillet
    • tongs for non-stick pans
    • bamboo knot toothpicks

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 2½ teaspoons wasabi paste
    • 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
    • ¾ teaspoon honey
    • 1 pound Ahi tuna fillet, sushi grade (about 1-inch thick - see notes)
    • neutral oil for the pan (like vegetable, avocado, grapeseed)
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • fresh chives for garnish, washed and dried, finely chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Make the glaze. Over low heat, melt the butter in a very small sauté pan. Add the wasabi, soy sauce and honey. Gently whisk until it's smooth and then remove it from the heat and set it aside.
    • Prepare the Ahi tuna. Cut the Ahi fillet into approximately 1-inch strips and season them with salt and pepper on all sides.
    • Sear the tuna. Coat the bottom of a large (preferably non-stick) skillet with a thin layer of oil and place it over high heat. Once the pan is very hot, add the Ahi tuna strips and sear all of the sides. (If you don't hear a sizzling sound when the tuna hits the pan, it's not hot enough.) Only cook it through a bit, about ⅛-inch, probably about 10-15 seconds per side. Use small tongs to turn them. Remove them from the pan as soon as they’re done and place them on a plate or sheet pan. I would do this in two batches. Once they're cool enough to handle, slice them into approximately 1-inch cubes.
    • Assembly. Drizzle the wasabi glaze over them, add a toothpick in each one and serve. (If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, warm it slightly.) To garnish, sprinkle with finely chopped chives.

    NOTES

    Nutritional information is only an estimate.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1282IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
    Keywords party food, bite-sized hors d'oeuvres
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judy at Two Broads Travel

      January 20, 2015 at 2:08 pm

      This recipe is genius on so many levels--flavor, simplicity and beauty. Candy for the eyes and mouth.

      Reply
      • valentina

        January 20, 2015 at 5:30 pm

        Best comment ever! Thank you so much, Judy. 😀

        Reply
    2. David

      January 21, 2015 at 8:51 pm

      Gorgeous shots, Valentina! This is such a perfect starter! Can't wait to try it!

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 13, 2015 at 9:22 am

        Thanks so much, David! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Destiny

      December 13, 2015 at 4:53 am

      Can you make these over night and heat the next day?

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 13, 2015 at 9:21 am

        You can sear them the night before and refrigerate. Then glaze the next day. I would not heat them. Serving them cold would be best in this case. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Tara

      September 25, 2019 at 8:19 am

      Can I make the glaze ahead of time? If so, how many days?

      Reply
      • valentina

        September 25, 2019 at 11:51 am

        Hi Tara, yes you can make the glaze ahead of time. You can make it up to 4 days ahead, keeping it at room temperature. You can also refrigerate it for at least a week, though it will solidify a bit because of the butter. In this case, you'll need to warm it up before using it. Thanks and enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    5. David @ Spiced

      July 06, 2020 at 6:09 am

      5 stars
      Raw Ahi tuna trying is gorgeous! I'm jealous of you out there in California with access to amazing ingredients. Ahi isn't easy to find around here, and therefore I don't really trust it. However, this is a really cool appetizer idea! I can see why this was a fan favorite. 🙂 And that glaze....mmmm...butter.

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 06, 2020 at 3:02 pm

        Thanks so much, David. Wish it was easier for you to come by the tuna out that way. In the meantime, the glaze is delicious on almost any white fish, too. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    6. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop

      July 06, 2020 at 10:53 am

      This is indeed a stunning appetizer! Was delicious too and you just can't beat all those flavors!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 06, 2020 at 3:01 pm

        Thanks so much, Kathy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    7. 2pots2cook

      July 07, 2020 at 1:33 am

      5 stars
      Wow ! Agree completely with you ! What's here not to like ?!? Amazing keeper !

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 07, 2020 at 5:55 pm

        Thank you! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    8. Marissa

      July 07, 2020 at 9:03 am

      5 stars
      This is genius, Valentina! My mouth is literally watering... I'd gladly make a meal of just these!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 07, 2020 at 5:55 pm

        I love that, Marissa. Thank you! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    9. Kim Lange

      July 07, 2020 at 9:27 am

      5 stars
      Your food always looks so tempting and beautiful! These do not disappoint! Pinning! xo

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 07, 2020 at 5:56 pm

        Thank you so much, Kim! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    10. John / Kitchen Riffs

      July 08, 2020 at 7:30 am

      That pile of raw ahi really IS stunning! So is the cooked stuff. 🙂 Neat recipe -- thanks.

      Reply
    11. Dawn - Girl Heart Food

      July 09, 2020 at 4:07 am

      5 stars
      Such fun (and flavourful) little bites!! Perfect for summer entertaining. I can only image the delicious punch of flavour from the wasabi! Plus, who doesn't love little bite-sized eats...though, I'm pretty sure I'd devour a whole bunch 😉

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 10, 2020 at 8:27 pm

        Thanks, Dawn! I agree, little bite-sized eats are the best! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    12. Kelly | Foodtasia

      July 10, 2020 at 6:37 pm

      5 stars
      Such a lovely dish, Valentina, with wonderful flavors! So elegant for entertaining!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 10, 2020 at 8:36 pm

        Thanks, Kelly! Yes, it's one of my favorites for parties. Hoping we can have them again in the near future. 😉 Stay well! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    13. Mimi Rippee

      May 01, 2024 at 4:19 pm

      These are fabulous! they’re so cool looking. And they’re probably perfect at room temperature, so great for a party! Thanks!

      Reply
    14. sherry

      May 01, 2024 at 6:54 pm

      this sounds absolutely delectable. I love seared tuna! Looks beautiful too.
      cheers
      sherry
      https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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    Rectangular white plate with several ahi tuna bites with fresh chives and toothpicks in each one.