Food Cooking Techniques 12 Tartare Variations, From Classic Steak to Unconventional Avocado Take on raw meat at home confidently with these recipes from chefs and the Food & Wine Test Kitchen. By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 6, 2023 Photo: Greg DuPree "Few dishes are as primal as tartare, and few are as tedious," wrote Tammie Teclemariam in our step-by-step guide to making steak tartare. "It’s scrappy; it’s resourceful; it’s a whole lot more than the sum of its parts," says 2018 F&W Best New Chef Kate Williams of Lady of the House in Detroit. Any meat you're serving raw needs to be high-quality, and it's important that you chill it well before cutting it from a larger piece so it's firm for dicing. And always season raw food boldly; it needs more seasoning than warm or hot food. Here are recipes for all kinds of tartare, from beef to seafood to avocado and beet. 01 of 12 Caesar Steak Tartare Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox With tender cubes of raw steak, crunchy Parmesan-coated croutons, crisp endive leaves, and a garlic-forward creamy Caesar dressing, our favorite elements of classic Caesar salad and steak tartare come together in this recipe from F&W recipe developer Liz Mervosh. Get the Recipe 02 of 12 Steak Tartare with Smoked Oyster Aioli Greg DuPree Kate Williams uses tender beef scraps rescued from butchering rib eyes. Dark green leek tops, often discarded, become the base of her punchy gremolata. The smoked oyster aioli adds muscle and brightness, and it’s easy to make (it takes about a minute in a blender). Get the Recipe 03 of 12 Beef Tenderloin Tartare with Anchovy-Cornichon Vinaigrette Aubrie Pick Tenderloin is a lean piece of meat, without a lot of marbling and sinew, so it has a nicer texture when raw. Be sure to choose at least a prime-grade filet. This is prepared with pickled red onions and a savory vinaigrette. Get the Recipe 04 of 12 Trout Tartare with Fennel Remoulade, Tobiko Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Buttery soft fresh trout is combined with fennel, red onion, yellow bell pepper, and cucumber, and then coated in a bold dressing spiked with bright flavors like lime and ginger. Golden yuzu tobiko and crispy puffed rice make for a striking presentation. Get the Recipe 05 of 12 Tuna Tartare with Ginger Oil, Wasabe, and Sesame Seeds Maxwell Cozzi Chef Eric Ripert infuses oil with ginger, then combines it with diced sushi-grade tuna, cilantro, jalapeño, wasabi, sesame seeds, scallion, and lemon juice for his elegant, ultraflavorful tuna tartare. Get the Recipe 06 of 12 Gravlax-Style Salmon Tartare with Dill Oil © Fredrika Stjärne For this variation on classic salmon gravlax, Anya von Bremzen cuts the fish into small cubes before adding salt and sugar, so it cures quickly — overnight instead of over several days. She serves the tartare as an hors d'oeuvre with blini (it's also great with crackers). Get the Recipe 07 of 12 Tuna Tartare with Cacciatore Vinaigrette Greg DuPree Kate Williams creates a decadent appetizer of finely chopped sashimi-grade tuna, homemade anchovy breadcrumbs, and a zingy vinaigrette. Get the Recipe 08 of 12 Beet-and-Horseradish Tartare with Fresh Carrot Sauce Victor Protasio Rocco DiSpirito’s vegetarian tartare of shredded raw beets develops a slightly spicy depth from horseradish and Dijon, while creamy carrot “egg yolk” brings bright flavor to beets’ natural earthy sweetness. Get the Recipe 09 of 12 Scallop and Apple Tartare This quick and easy appetizer from Justin Chapple pairs the sweetness of raw sea scallops with tart Granny Smith apple and crunchy celery. Get the Recipe 10 of 12 Salmon Tartare with Pistachios and Lemon Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford Spoon salmon is the meat that’s scraped from the carcass of a freshly butchered fish. It would normally go to waste, but its rich flavor and silky texture make it perfect for this lemony, pistachio-studded tartare. Get the Recipe 11 of 12 Avocado Tartare © Christina Holmes Kay Chun's clever tartare recipe calls for dicing avocados very fine and tossing them with capers, onion, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Get the Recipe 12 of 12 Spicy Salmon Tartare with Cabbage, Green Beans, and Herbs © Christina Holmes Bryant Ng uses raw sushi-grade salmon for a light, bright, and fiery tartare, with heat from two kinds of chile: dried red and fresh Thai. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit