Tuna Ceviche Tostadas with Salsa Taquero (Fresh Mexican Seafood Recipe)
A fresh crudo tostada inspired by South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley
There are a few foods that instantly bring me back home.
Ceviche is one of them.
I grew up on the border in the Rio Grande Valley and spent a lot of time cooking and eating on South Padre Island. If you’ve spent any time down there, you know ceviche is everywhere. It is fresh, citrusy, and perfect when the heat is brutal and the ocean is right there.
You see it at backyard parties, seafood shacks, beach restaurants, and family tables.
And almost every time, it ends up on a tostada.
This recipe is my version of that. It keeps the spirit of a classic ceviche tostada but adds a few techniques I picked up working in restaurants. The biggest one is pressing the fish in a tortilla press. This technique has been going viral lately and it actually works incredibly well for tostadas.
Instead of cubed fish, you get a thin pressed sheet that covers the entire tostada. That means every bite has fish, avocado, crunch, and salsa.
It is simple, fresh, and ridiculously good.
Why Press the Fish?
Normally ceviche is diced.
But pressing the fish creates a thin layer that spreads evenly across the tostada.
This does a few things.
- Gives you full coverage of fish across the tostada
- Makes the texture softer and more delicate
- Allows the marinade to coat everything evenly
- Makes plating look much cleaner
If you do not want to press the fish, you can absolutely cube it like traditional ceviche. The flavor will still be great.
Ingredients
Fish
- 4 ounces tuna
- 4 ounces hamachi (yellowtail)
Slice the fish about 1 inch thick, then press it flat in a tortilla press.
Quick Ceviche Marinade
- ½ cup scallion bottoms, sliced
- ¼ cup jalapeño, sliced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- Juice of 2 limes (about ½ cup lime juice)
- Black pepper to taste
Homemade Tostadas
- 6 corn tortillas
- Neutral oil for frying
Tostada Sour Salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon citric acid
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salsa Taquero
- 1 cup scallion tops
- 1 cup cilantro (stems included)
- 4 cloves garlic
- Juice of 2 limes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Assembly
- 1 avocado
- Fresh cilantro leaves
How to Make Pressed Ceviche Tostadas
1. Press the Fish
Slice the tuna and hamachi into roughly 1 inch thick pieces.
Place the fish inside a tortilla press and gently press until thin and flat.
You are basically creating a fish sheet that will sit perfectly on top of the tostada.
Set aside while you prepare the marinade.
2. Make the Quick Marinade
In a bowl combine:
- Scallion bottoms
- Jalapeños
- Soy sauce
- Fresh lime juice
- Black pepper
Pour this mixture over the pressed fish and let it sit 2 to 4 minutes.
You do not want to cure the fish like a long ceviche. This is more of a quick marinade or crudo style dressing.
3. Fry the Tostadas
Heat neutral oil to 350°F.
Fry corn tortillas until golden brown and crisp.
Transfer them to a rack on a sheet tray so they stay crunchy.
Immediately season with the tostada sour salt mixture.
This seasoning gives the tostadas a bright, citrusy, salty punch that works perfectly with the seafood.
4. Make the Salsa Taquero
In a blender combine:
- Scallion tops
- Cilantro with stems
- Garlic
- Lime juice
- Olive oil
- Salt
Blend until smooth and vibrant green.
Add a little more olive oil if needed to keep everything moving.
Store the salsa in a squeeze bottle and keep it chilled until ready to use.
5. Prepare the Avocado Base
Thinly slice an avocado.
Fan the slices out gently with your hand.
Use a ring mold the same size as your tostada to cut a perfect avocado round.
This becomes the base layer of the tostada.
6. Assemble the Tostadas
Layer the tostada like this:
1. Crispy tostada shell
2. Avocado round
3. Pressed marinated tuna and hamachi
4. Dollops of salsa taquero
5. Extra scallions and jalapeños from the marinade
6. Fresh cilantro leaves
Serve immediately while the tostada is still crisp.
Chef Tips for the Best Ceviche Tostadas
Use sashimi grade fish.
Freshness is everything here.
Do not over marinate.
Two to four minutes is perfect. You want the fish bright and fresh, not fully cured.
Fry your own tostadas.
Store bought tostadas work, but freshly fried tortillas taste way better.
Use ripe avocado.
It acts as a creamy barrier that keeps the tostada from getting soggy.
FAQ
Is this ceviche or crudo?
Technically it sits somewhere between the two. The fish is lightly marinated like ceviche but only for a few minutes, so the texture stays closer to crudo.
Can I make this with only one type of fish?
Yes. Tuna or hamachi both work great alone. You could also use:
- yellowtail
- snapper
- kampachi
- or even scallops
Can I skip the tortilla press?
Absolutely. Just dice the fish into small cubes and mix it with the marinade like traditional ceviche.
Can I use store bought tostadas?
Yes, but frying your own tortillas makes a huge difference in flavor and texture.
How long does ceviche last?
This is best eaten immediately. Once the citrus hits the fish, the texture starts changing quickly.
Tuna Ceviche Tostadas with Salsa Taquero (Fresh Mexican Seafood Recipe)
Ingredients
Quick Ceviche Marinade
- ½ cup scallion bottoms sliced
- ¼ cup jalapeño sliced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- Juice of 2 limes about ½ cup lime juice
- Black pepper to taste
Homemade Tostadas
- 6 corn tortillas
- Neutral oil for frying
- Tostada Sour Salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon citric acid
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salsa Taquero
- 1 cup scallion tops
- 1 cup cilantro stems included
- 4 cloves garlic
- Juice of 2 limes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Assembly
- 1 avocado
- Fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Press the Fish. Slice the tuna and hamachi into roughly 1-inch thick pieces. Place each piece in a tortilla press and gently press until thin and flat, creating a fish sheet that will sit evenly on the tostada. Set aside while preparing the marinade.
- Make the Quick Marinade. In a bowl, combine scallion bottoms, sliced jalapeños, soy sauce, fresh lime juice, and black pepper. Pour the mixture over the pressed fish and let it marinate for 2–4 minutes. This is a quick crudo-style marinade, not a long ceviche cure.
- Fry the Tostadas. Heat neutral oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry corn tortillas until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a rack set over a sheet tray to keep them crunchy, then immediately season with the tostada sour salt mixture for a bright, citrusy finish.
- Make the Salsa Taquero. Add scallion tops, cilantro with stems, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and salt to a blender. Blend until smooth and vibrant green, adding a little more olive oil if needed to keep the mixture moving. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare the Avocado Base. Thinly slice an avocado and gently fan the slices. Use a ring mold the same size as the tostada to cut a clean avocado round that will form the base layer.
- Assemble the Tostadas. Layer each tostada with a crispy tostada shell, avocado round, pressed marinated tuna and hamachi, dollops of salsa taquero, extra scallions and jalapeños from the marinade, and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately while the tostada is crisp.
