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Stunning plated serving of Seared Tuna Nachos with Roasted Garlic Cream, a chef-tested recipe by Chef Jorj Morgan.

Seared Tuna Nachos with Roasted Garlic Cream

Coastal Mains

Seared Tuna Nachos with Roasted Garlic Cream

Print Recipe
The Strategy:

This recipe completely shatters the expectation of a casual appetizer by elevating the massive, communal format of nachos with deeply seared, aggressively marinated rare tuna and an incredibly rich roasted garlic cream. By meticulously layering crisp tortilla chips with bright, vinegar-dressed greens, icy-cold razor-thin slices of soy-ginger tuna, and a heavy drizzle of velvety garlic sour cream, it creates a wildly sophisticated yet undeniably hands-on eating experience. Serving this massive platter anchors the room, demanding that guests crowd around the board, pulling apart heavily loaded, perfectly composed bites of high-end coastal luxury.

Yields: serves a crowd | Total Time: 30 minutes (or more) to marinate, plus 30 minutes to cook till it’s ready

Ingredients

For tuna marinade:

  • 1 (8-ounce) tuna steak
  • ½ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced, about 1 tablespoon
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced, about ¼ cup

For tuna steak & searing:

  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated, about 1 tablespoon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For roasted garlic cream:

  • cloves from 2 whole heads roasted garlic, about ¼ cup, mashed
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • juice from 1 large lemon, about 3 tablespoons
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper

For nachos:

  • tortilla chips
  • 2 cups tender green leaves, washed, dried and thinly julienned (I used frisée, baby kale, and butter lettuce leaves)
Overhead mise en place shot of ingredients aesthetically arranged: a thick raw pink tuna steak, dark soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, whole heads of roasted garlic, sour cream, heavy cream, bright yellow lemons, fresh ginger, green onions, a bowl of crispy golden tortilla chips, and vibrant green frisée lettuce around a heavy cutting board.

Instructions

Cook the tuna

  1. Add the tuna steaks to a pie plate or shallow pan.
  2. Whisk together the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, onion, and ginger.
  3. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Pour the rest over the steaks.
  4. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours in the fridge.
  5. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  6. Remove the tuna from the marinade and shake off the excess liquid.
  7. Sear the tuna in the skillet, turning once, about 2 to 3 minutes per side for very rare.
  8. Transfer the tuna to a dish and place in the freezer to chill for 5 to 10 minutes. This will make it easier to cut thin slices.

Make garlic cream

  1. Add the roasted garlic cloves, sour cream, heavy cream, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine into a smooth cream. The cream should be thin enough to drizzle.
  2. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Pour cream into a squeeze bottle and set aside.

Assemble nachos

  1. Arrange the tortilla chips on a platter.
  2. Toss the greens with the reserved marinade and add several shreds over the chips.
  3. Remove the tuna from the freezer.
  4. Use a sharp knife to cut the tuna into very thin slices and place 1 to 2 slices onto each chip.
  5. Drizzle with garlic cream.
Close-up action shot of a cook's hand using a clear plastic squeeze bottle to aggressively zigzag a thick, glossy white roasted garlic cream over a massively loaded board of crispy tortilla chips topped with perfectly rare, seared pink tuna slices and vibrant greens.

The Heart of the Table

Dropping a massive platter of intricately composed tuna nachos into the center of a gathering instantly breaks down the formalities of a traditional dinner party. The shared, hands-on nature of the dish forces guests to interact closely, laughing and reaching over one another, while the intensely high-end ingredients—rare tuna and roasted garlic cream—ensure the experience still feels incredibly luxurious.

A gorgeous single-view lifestyle photo of freshly prepared Seared Tuna Nachos with Roasted Garlic Cream.

Neighborly Grace

  • THE PRESENTATION: Do not build this vertically like a mountain; lay the chips out in a wide, expansive single layer on a massive heavy wooden or slate serving board. Ensure every single chip is intentionally loaded with dressed greens and a thin, vibrant slice of rare pink tuna before violently zigzagging the heavy roasted garlic cream across the entire board.
  • THE POUR: The intense umami of the soy-ginger marinade, the sharp bite of the vinegar greens, and the heavy richness of the garlic cream demand a wildly crisp, effervescent pour. An icy, bone-dry Champagne or a fiercely sharp, highly carbonated Txakolina cuts straight through the sour cream while complementing the delicate, rare tuna perfectly.
  • THE VIBE: High-energy, sophisticated cocktail hours. This is the dish you execute as the sun begins to set over the patio, served alongside heavy crystal coupes of iced champagne, demanding a loud, interactive, and deeply memorable start to the evening.
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