I’ve written about tostadas before, and I’ve also mentioned tuna in my Fish Tacos article because, honestly, tuna and Mexican flavours are a very happy friendship.
This time I wanted something fresh, crunchy, bright and just a little bit dramatic.
A tostada is already one of the most enjoyable ways to eat: a crispy tortilla, a creamy base, a bold topping, salsa, herbs, crunch, mess, happiness. It’s not trying to be polite. It’s trying to be delicious.
And this tuna tostada started as one idea… then became something even better.
From tuna tartare to tuna carpaccio
At first, I thought I was making a tuna tartare tostada.
So I cut the tuna into medium cubes, keeping it simple and clean. Then I drizzled it with olive oil, a little trick I like because it helps protect the fish from being immediately “cooked” and discoloured by the citrus marinade.
After that came soy sauce, salt, pepper and, just before serving, a generous squeeze of lime juice.
That already sounded good.
But then I imagined trying to eat it.
A mountain of tuna cubes wobbling on top of a crispy tostada. One bite, and half of it lands somewhere else. Delicious, yes. Elegant? Not exactly.
So I did what any reasonable tortilla-obsessed person might do.
I pressed the tuna.
I lined my tortilla press with baking parchment, placed the marinated tuna cubes inside, and gently pressed them into a thin, beautiful layer, something closer to tuna carpaccio than tartare.
And suddenly the whole dish made much more sense.
The tuna sat neatly on the tostada, covered the surface beautifully, and gave that delicate, almost silky bite against the crunch of the tortilla.
Tartare idea. Carpaccio result.
The tostada base
For the tostadas, I used yesterday’s tortillas.
This is exactly why I love making proper tortillas at home. Fresh tortillas are wonderful, of course, but the next day they become a completely different opportunity.
You can fry or bake them until crisp, and suddenly you have tostadas: crunchy little platforms for beans, seafood, vegetables, salsas, leftovers, experiments and joy.
In this case, the tostada needed to hold something delicate and fresh, so I kept the base simple.
A crisp tortilla.
A tablespoon of avocado crema.
The pressed tuna.
Onion and coriander.
A splash of mango-habanero salsa.
That’s it. No heavy toppings, no unnecessary decoration, no confusion.
Just crunch, creaminess, fresh tuna, lime, herbs and heat.
What goes on the tuna tostada?
Here’s the basic structure:
Crispy tostada – made from yesterday’s corn tortillas.
Avocado crema – creamy, cooling and gently fatty.
Fresh tuna – lightly seasoned with olive oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper and lime.
Onion-coriander mix – classic, fresh, sharp and essential.
Mango-habanero salsa – fruity, spicy, tropical and just slightly dangerous.
The mango-habanero sauce is what gives this tostada its seaside mood.
There is something about tuna, lime, chilli and mango that immediately feels like warm air, salty breeze and a glass of something chilled nearby.
It is fresh but not boring. Light but still satisfying. Healthy-ish but definitely not sad.
A quick note on the tuna
Use the freshest tuna you can get, ideally suitable for raw preparations. Keep it cold, prepare it close to serving time, and add the lime shortly before eating; around 15–20 minutes before serving is enough.
You want brightness, not over-marinated fish.
The olive oil helps soften the acidity and gives the tuna a rounder texture. The soy sauce adds savoury depth without turning the whole thing into something too heavy.
This is not a complicated recipe, but it is one where balance matters.
How to assemble the tuna tostadas
- Start with crisp tostadas made from corn tortillas.
- Spread a spoonful of avocado crema over each tostada.
- Season diced tuna with olive oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper.
- Add lime juice shortly before serving.
- Press the tuna gently between baking parchment using a tortilla press.
- Lay the tuna over the avocado crema.
- Finish with onion, coriander and mango-habanero salsa.
- Eat immediately, ideally with something cold and sparkling.
And yes, you should expect a little mess.
That is part of the point.
What to drink with tuna tostadas
These tostadas pair beautifully with natural sparkling wines, especially something fresh, dry, lively and not too polished.
They also work with fuller white wines, especially if they have texture and a bit of generosity. Think white wines that can handle avocado, chilli and mango without disappearing.
A light-bodied red can also be lovely, but keep it chilled. Always chilled.
The tuna is delicate, the tostada is crunchy, the salsa is fruity and spicy, so the wine should refresh, lift and keep the whole thing moving.
Tuna Tostadas at my Batumi pop-up
I loved this tostada so much that I’m cooking it today and tomorrow (19-20th June, 2026) during my pop-up with Bu da Khari natural wine bar in Batumi.
Fiesta is coming to the seaside, and this tuna tostada feels exactly right for the moment: fresh tuna, crispy corn tostada, avocado crema, mango-habanero salsa and natural wine.
A little Mexican.
A little seaside.
A lot of fun.
Come join us, drink something chilled, eat something crunchy and let’s make Batumi taste like tacos, tostadas and summer.
Cheers!
By Dito
Restaurateur. Wine Expert & Educator (dipWSET). Flexitarian Chef. Senior Marketer. Entrepreneur.
Learn more about Dito
