This Hamachi Crudo appetizer recipe features thin slices of mild, buttery raw yellowtail layered with sweet mango, and drizzled with a tangy sesame ponzu sauce. Spicy pickled jalapeños make this simple-yet-impressive dish sing with flavor!
My Hamachi Crudo appetizer recipe is easy to make at home, a delightful riff on this Japanese-Italian fusion dish. It’s not only pretty on the plate, but also light and delicious with bright, vibrant flavor – much like other favorites of mine >>> Classic Ceviche and Shrimp Ceviche!
WhY Blake & i ❤️ Hamachi Crudo
My husband Blake and I first enjoyed hamachi crudo at Barcelona Wine Bar in North Loop (Minneapolis) earlier this summer. We sat at the bar during their happy hour and this was a recommended dish from the bartender, which he paired up with a lightly bubbly Spanish white wine. The crudo, the wine, everything was absolute perfection. Here’s why we want to eat it again and again:
- The rich-yet-light hamachi. Yellowtail, a type of Japanese amberjack (fish), has an outstanding texture and flavor that we describe as mild, lightly sweet, and buttery. Although the dish is very light overall, this particular variety of fish lends a bit of decadence.
- Bright, tart citrus (and some mango too). A citrusy sauce or dressing adds a pop of brightness and acidity to hamachi crudo, but I’ve also added mango for a little bit of added sweetness.
- Spicy pickled jalapeños. Thinly sliced jalapeño or serrano peppers are often added to hamachi crudo, but I decided to pickle them first. You know how I love all the pickled things! This adds another layer of acidity to brighten the overall flavor, but it also tames some of the jalapeno heat by balancing it with sugar and vinegar.
What is Hamachi Crudo?
Hamachi is a type of Japanese amberjack that is also known as yellowtail. It is a high-quality raw fish choice used in Japanese sushi and sashimi. It is mild, rich, and buttery, with a firm yet tender texture.
Crudo is a word in Italian and Spanish cuisines that describes thinly sliced raw meat and seafood dishes that are typically dressed with olive oil, fresh citrus, and other flavorings.
Now let’s put these two together!
Hamachi Crudo fuses the Japanese raw fish into this light, bright Italian dish.
What You’ll Need
Quality ingredients are key to this hamachi crudo recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Pickled Jalapeño:
- Rice vinegar – Use “unseasoned” rice vinegar. This is clean and bright tasting, without added flavors.
- Sugar & salt – These simple flavorings are classic ingredients in pickling recipes.
- Jalapeño – These peppers are often mild enough that you can handle them with bare hands, but every once in a while, you get a zinger. If you’re sensitive, consider wearing food prep gloves.
For the Dressing:
- Ponzu – Ponzu is slightly milder, yet more acidic than soy sauce. You can swap in soy sauce if you’d like.
- Lime juice – The acidity of fresh lime juice balances the richness of the yellowtail, and is wonderful with the mango. Additional rice vinegar can be used instead.
- Toasted sesame oil – This adds a light nuttiness to the hamachi crudo. Plain (not toasted) sesame oil, will work too, but it definitely does not have the same flavor.
For the Hamachi Crudo:
- Sashimi-grade hamachi (yellowtail) – Be sure to seek out quality fresh fish, not only for flavor, but also for food safety.
- Mango – Make sure it’s ripe and sweet.
- Green onion – For a slight onion flavor, along with freshness and crunch.
- Sesame seeds – You can use white, black, or both. They add texture, flavor, and visual appeal.
A Note About Buying Sashimi-Grade and Sushi-Grade Fish
The best way to buy raw fish that’s suitable for making sashimi and Sushi is to ask a respected fishmonger. The terms sushi-grade and sashimi-grade are often used interchangeably, but they do differ. Both labels are safe for raw consumption, though sashimi-grade products are often held to a slightly higher quality standard.
How to Make Hamachi Crudo
Although it looks and tastes fancy, hamachi crudo is incredibly simple. Here’s what you’ll need to do.
- Pickle the jalapeños. Warm the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the sliced jalapeños and set aside.
- Make the dressing. Stir together the ponzu, lime juice, and sesame oil.
- Assemble. Arrange the yellowtail and mango on a serving platter, then drizzle the dressing over the hamachi.
- Finish. Sprinkle green onions and sesame seeds over the top, then add the pickled jalapeño slices. Serve immediately.
A Few More Tips for This Recipe
With a dish so simple, technique and ingredient quality are even more important.
- Sashimi-grade only. To stay authentic to the high standards of this dish, and for food safety, use sashimi-grade yellowtail only. If you can’t find sashimi-grade, sushi-grade yellowtail would also work.
- If you purchase frozen. We live in Minnesota, without the ability to grab fresh sashimi and sushi-grade fish while it’s still fresh. So the next best thing is to buy it “super frozen” (much colder than home freezers can get). I go to our local Kowalski’s, which has an excellent seafood department and a freezer that stocks this type of fish.
- Thaw it the right way. Thaw fish slowly in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. If the fish is vacuum-sealed, pierce the plastic before thawing to let in oxygen, which helps inhibit harmful bacteria growth. Or just fully remove the fish from its packaging before thawing it in the refrigerator – which is even better.
- Wait to cut. Don’t cut the yellowtail until you are ready to make the hamachi crudo and serve it.
- Freeze the hamachi briefly. To slice the yellowtail very thinly, it helps to place the hamachi in the freezer for 5-10 minutes right before slicing.
- Keep it cold. Because this is a raw fish recipe, it’s super important to serve hamachi crudo as soon as you finish preparing it.
What to Serve With Hamachi Crudo
A light, dry, sparkling white wine, like Blake and I enjoyed at Barcelona Wine Bar, is an exceptional pairing with hamachi crudo.
Serve this recipe as a starter for a Japanese-inspired main dish like Beef Negimaki or Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin. Or, make it part of an elevated appetizer spread for a cocktail party with recipes like Bagna Cauda and Shrimp Shumai.
Storing Leftovers
I highly recommend that you enjoy every last bite of your beautiful hamachi crudo right away. Leftovers, when it comes to raw fish, are not a great idea!
More Seafood Recipes
Hamachi Crudo
Ingredients
Pickled Jalapeño
- ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1 large jalapeño, thinly sliced
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons ponzu
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Hamachi Crudo
- 8 ounces sashimi-grade yellowtail, thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 ripe mango, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onion
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
Pickled Jalapeño
- Mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, or until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Add jalapeño and set it aside to pickle while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Dressing
- In a small bowl, stir together ponzu, lime juice, and sesame oil.
Hamachi Crudo
- Arrange sliced yellowtail and mango on a serving platter.
- Drizzle prepared dressing over the hamachi, then sprinkle green onion and some sesame seeds over the top. Top with slices of pickled jalapeño and enjoy immediately.
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