Salmon Tartare

Why we love this recipe

Sushi lovers of the world unite! Here comes a recipe just for us – a speedy, good and good for you salmon tartare recipe with avocado and a gently tangy dressing.

First of all, it is super easy to put together – no cooking whatsoever, and it comes together in about 15 quick minutes.

Second, it is both a great holiday appetizer, or a light but fancy lunch or supper. I do love a recipe that can cover a multitude of situations, don’t you?

And third…it is SCRUMPTIOUS. And healthy. What more could a salmon lover ask for?

What does tartare mean?

Tartare is usually associated with steak (although lately I’ve been seeing tuna tartare on a lot of menus, yay!), and it basically means that the meat or seafood is raw or very barely cooked, chopped and mixed with a light dressing.

Because of the raw part, you want to make sure you get the very best salmon you can find – ask your local fish store or the seafood section of your supermarket for “sushi grade” salmon. This is salmon that is intended to be served raw, and is most likely wild-caught which is what we are after.

How do I skin a salmon filet?

We are going to use every part of the salmon except for the skin, so here’s how you deal with that!

Get the sharpest knife you have (a boning knife is perfect if you have one), put the salmon skin-side-down on a cutting board, and use a back and forth motion as close as you can get to in between and salmon and the skin.

This article from the folks at Fine Cooking has some great demo pictures.

Once you have removed the skin, you are about 10 minutes away from being done!

Ingredients you need

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Salmon: Ask at your friendly seafood counter in the supermarket for sushi grade salmon, wild-caught if possible. (And this recipe also works great with tuna steaks as well – again, ask for sushi grade.)
• Avocado: Avocados are notorious for being sold when they are as hard as rocks, so get yours a few days ahead of time so it has time to soften – it should give just slightly when you press on it.
• Soy Sauce: We ALWAYS recommend the low sodium variety.
• Sesame Oil: Look for this in the international foods aisle.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make this recipe

STEP 1: Put a half pound of chopped skinned salmon (you want about ¼ inch pieces), one peeled and chopped avocado and a couple of chopped scallions in a bowl and gently mix together. Combine a tablespoon each of soy sauce and sesame oil and pour over the salmon mixture.  Add a tablespoon of sesame seeds and gently stir again.

STEP 2: Transfer to a pretty bowl…and you’re done!

Oh, and if you are thinking this would make a perfectly lovely light supper, I’m here to tell you are one thousand percent right! All you need is a fork, some crackers and a glass of wine. Happy sigh!

Other salmon recipes we love

Looking for more seafood inspiration? Here is our complete collection of seafood recipes!

Could you leave us a comment?

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.