Hamachi Crudo with Citrus Soy Dressing

This hamachi crudo is bright and flavorful thanks to a citrus soy dressing, sliced red onion, sweet grape tomatoes and spicy, diced jalapenos.

With fresh, sushi-grade hamachi (also known as yellowtail), you can make one of the tastiest (and quickest) starters out there. And it will most likely be a favorite at any gathering it's served.

This hamachi crudo has got it all when it comes to flavor — it's tangy, savory, spicy and slightly sweet (thanks to the grape tomatoes).

It's made with tender slices of yellowtail, which are drizzled with a dressing made from extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and soy sauce. It's then garnished with thin slices of red onion, grape tomatoes and diced jalapenos. It's absolutely delightful!

In order to make the best hamachi crudo, you must use the highest quality ingredients like fresh, sushi-grade hamachi and quality extra-virgin olive oil. It's important to seek out a fishmonger who has a reputation for selling the freshest, sushi-grade fish. We buy our hamachi from one of the best fish shops in Seattle: Seattle Fish Guys. 

Of course, you can customize the garnishes to your liking. You can omit the jalapeno or grape tomatoes, add microgreens or garlic, or include fresh herbs. Just be sure to keep it simple and make hamachi the star of the show.

This fish crudo is very easy to make and takes less than 20 minutes to prepare. We hope you enjoy it!

What is Crudo?

Crudo translates to "raw" in Italian and is raw, thinly-sliced fish that's drizzled with a simple dressing typically made with olive oil and lemon juice. Sometimes it is lightly garnished with herbs, onions or other ingredients. It's typically simple in presentation in order to highlight the fresh, raw fish.

What Is Hamachi? 

Hamachi is a younger yellowtail or "Buri" fish that is popular in Japan and is commonly used in sushi. It's found in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Japan, Korea, Hawaii and California. It's a more dense and oily white fish that is buttery and even sweet in flavor.

Ingredients

Hamachi: Be sure to get fresh, sushi-grade hamachi from a reputable fishmonger. Remove the skin (if not already removed by fishmonger) and slice off the dark red flesh since it has a fishy or metallic-like flavor. Because many portions of hamachi include this red flesh, you may want to order ⅔ pound of hamachi, so you have at least a ½ pound remaining for the recipe. If you can't get sushi-grade hamachi, you can replace with sushi-grade salmon or tuna.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Quality, extra-virgin oil is a must for this crudo since you'll taste it.

Freshly-squeezed lemon juice: Two tablespoons of freshly-squeezed lemon juice is about ½ of a lemon.

Soy sauce or Tamari: Soy sauce adds a yummy umami flavor to the dressing. We prefer tamari sauce, but you could use coconut aminos or soy sauce if you prefer.

Red onion: We love the flavor and crunch that red onion adds to the crudo. Be sure to slice thinly. You could also sub with shallots if desired.

Grape tomatoes: Grape tomatoes add a fresh, sweet pop to the crudo. Again, you'll want ripe grape tomatoes that are sliced somewhat thin.

Jalapeno: We love the kick that diced jalapeno adds to this crudo. You can swap with another type of fresh chili as desired. We remove most of the seeds to tame the heat.

Salt and pepper to taste: Just a little to taste! Soy sauce is already salty, so just a little as needed.

How to Make

STEP 1: Thinly slice the red onion and grape tomatoes. Remove seeds from jalapeno and dice into small chunks.

STEP 2: Thinly slice the hamachi and remove dark red flesh and skin (if not already removed by fishmonger). Don't worry about slicing it too thin, as it's more important that it holds together. To make slicing easier, we recommend placing in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife.

STEP 3: To prepare the dressing, simply combine the olive oil, soy sauce and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk together well.

STEP 4: Arrange the hamachi on a serving place and drizzle with the dressing. Scatter the sliced red onion, grape tomatoes and diced jalapenos over the top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.

Expert Tips for Making

• Use the highest-quality ingredients including the freshest, sushi-grade hamachi you can find and a quality extra-virgin olive oil.
• Buy ⅔ pound of hamachi since you'll slice off the dark red flesh from the hamachi (due to fishy or metallic-like flavor), and you'll use  roughly a ½ pound for the dish.
• Ask your fishmonger to remove the hamachi skin. If not, you'll need to remove it yourself.
• To help slice the hamachi into thinner slices, place in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes and use a sharp knife. Don't worry about slicing it too thin, as it's more important that it holds together
• Cut thin slices of red onion and grape tomatoes and dice the jalapeno into small chunks. You don't want the garnishes to overtake the hamachi.
• Go light on the garnishes. You want the himachi to be the star of the show and the garnishes to simply compliment it. You can change up the garnishes as you like.

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