Spicy Tuna Cucumber Bites
Cool cucumber rounds topped with diced sushi-grade tuna in a spicy sesame mayonnaise, finished with scallion and toasted sesame.
Why you'll love Spicy Tuna Cucumber Bites
These are the flavors of a spicy tuna roll, built for a hot summer afternoon. Diced raw ahi goes into a creamy, gently fiery sauce of avocado-oil mayonnaise, Korean chile flakes, toasted sesame oil, tamari, and lime, and gets spooned onto thick, cold cucumber rounds. Each bite is crisp, cool, creamy, and rich at once, and the stove stays off.
The tuna is the whole dish, so how you cut and handle it matters. A very sharp knife and well-chilled fish give clean little cubes that hold their shape, and the sauce goes on just before serving, since the lime and salt in it start to firm the tuna the longer it sits. Gochugaru brings a bright, fruity heat that builds slowly, so you can still taste the fish.
Six bites make a real snack between lunch and dinner, and a platter of them is an easy appetizer for a summer party, as long as they stay cold.
Quick overview: This Spicy Tuna Cucumber Bites comes together in 25 min and makes 4 servings, each 6 bites.
Ingredients
- 12 oz sushi-grade ahi tuna, very cold
- 2 English cucumbers, chilled
- 3 tbsp avocado-oil mayonnaise Label: avocado oil, eggs, vinegar, and salt, with no sugar or seed oils
- 1 1/2 tsp gochugaru (Korean chile flakes), or to taste Label: red pepper, and salt if any
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp certified gluten-free tamari Label: water, soybeans, and salt
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, divided
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- a pinch of fine sea salt, if needed
Instructions
- Cut the cucumbers: Slice the cold cucumbers into 3/4-inch rounds, about 24 in all, and pat the cut faces dry with a paper towel so the topping stays put. Scoop a shallow well into the top of each round with a small spoon or melon baller, leaving the bottom intact.
- Dice the tuna: Pat the tuna dry. With your sharpest knife, cut it into 1/4-inch slices, then strips, then small cubes, wiping the blade now and then. Keep the diced tuna in a bowl set inside a larger bowl of ice as you work. Cold, firm fish cuts cleanly, and the ice keeps it fresh and safely cold while it waits.
- Mix the spicy sauce: Whisk the mayonnaise, gochugaru, sesame oil, tamari, and lime juice together until smooth and orange-red. Taste and add more gochugaru if you want more heat.
- Dress the tuna: Just before serving, fold the sauce and most of the scallions into the tuna with a spoon until every piece is coated. Add a pinch of salt only if it needs it, since the tamari is salty.
- Top and serve: Spoon a heaping teaspoon of spicy tuna into the well of each cucumber round. Scatter the remaining scallions and the sesame seeds over the top and serve right away, cold.
Storage and leftovers
These are made to be eaten as soon as they are topped. Keep the platter out for no more than 1 hour on a hot day, or 2 hours in a cool room, and discard any bites left after that.
Keep the diced, undressed tuna covered over ice in the refrigerator and eat it the day you buy it. The spicy sauce keeps for 5 days in the refrigerator, and sliced cucumbers for 1 day, wrapped in a paper towel in a sealed container.
Variations
- Seared tuna: Sear the whole piece of tuna in a very hot skillet with a little avocado oil for 60 to 90 seconds a side, chill it for 10 minutes, then dice it and dress it the same way.
- Salmon: Use sushi-grade salmon in place of the tuna for a richer, softer topping.
- With avocado: Tuck a thin slice of avocado into each cucumber well before the tuna goes on.
- Fresh chile: Fold a finely minced serrano into the tuna in place of the gochugaru for a sharper, greener heat.
Notes and tips
- Buy tuna sold for eating raw: Buy tuna your fish counter sells for eating raw, keep it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, and use it the day you buy it.
- Know who should skip raw fish: Anyone who is pregnant, young children, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system should use the seared tuna variation.
- Chill everything: Cold tuna dices cleanly, and cold cucumbers stay crisp. Work quickly and keep the fish on ice.
- Check the labels: Avocado-oil mayonnaise should read avocado oil, eggs, vinegar, and salt; tamari, water, soybeans, and salt; gochugaru, red pepper, and salt if any.
Nutrition and mindful eating
- Tuna brings protein, selenium, vitamin B12, and long-chain omega-3 fats, which is what lets a small snack hold you.
- Avocado-oil mayonnaise and sesame oil are the real fats, and fat with protein keeps you steady until dinner.
- Cucumbers are mostly water, so the bites are crisp, cool, and hydrating on a hot day.
- Gochugaru brings warmth and color from sun-dried chiles, and scallion and lime keep the flavors fresh.
- As you eat, notice the cool crunch of the cucumber and the slow warmth of the chile, and check in between snack and dinner: six bites should hold you 2 to 3 hours, so you arrive at dinner hungry but steady.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this Spicy Tuna Cucumber Bites? Start here, with the questions people ask most.
Is raw tuna safe to eat?
Buy tuna your fish counter sells for eating raw, keep it cold, and eat it the day you buy it. Anyone pregnant, young children, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system should use the seared variation.
What is gochugaru?
Korean chile flakes, coarse and bright red, with a fruity, gentle heat. Look for a label of red pepper, and salt if any, in Korean markets and many grocery stores.
Can I use canned tuna?
Yes, for a milder, creamier snack. Drain a can of tuna packed in olive oil or water, flake it, and fold it into the spicy sauce.
Can I make them ahead for a party?
Dice the tuna, mix the sauce, and slice the cucumbers up to 4 hours ahead, keeping each covered in the refrigerator and the tuna over ice. Dress the tuna and top the rounds right before serving.
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