This crab and ahi tuna tower is one of those recipes that looks restaurant-level impressive without being difficult to pull off at home. Layers of sushi-grade ahi tuna, lump crab, avocado, and mango keep it cold, fresh, and perfect for summer when cooking dinner sounds like too much work. Once everything is diced and prepped, the tower comes together quickly and is best served with crunchy wonton chips on the side.
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The first seafood tower we had was at Paradise Key, a restaurant in a small town on the Texas coast, and we talked about it the entire drive home. Their version was stacked with mango, avocado, crab, and pico de gallo, with tortilla chips on the side for scooping up every last bite. Our version keeps the same coastal flavors but adds sushi-grade ahi tuna for an extra layer of fresh seafood. If you like our poke nachos and ahi tuna poke bowl, there’s a good chance this one will end up on repeat too.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This recipe is a raw fish dish, so use only the highest quality ingredients.
The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.
- Ahi Tuna: The tuna in this tower is served raw, so stick with sushi-grade ahi tuna or saku maguro from a fishmonger or grocery store you trust. If your tuna is frozen, thaw it slowly in the refrigerator overnight to help maintain the texture. Short on time? Place the sealed package in a bowl of cold water for about 30 to 45 minutes instead. Keep the tuna cold until you’re ready to dice it. Before cutting, pat the tuna dry with paper towels since extra moisture makes the layers harder to stack cleanly. Try to keep the tuna pieces fairly uniform so the tower holds together better once the ring mold comes off. Avoid thawing the tuna in hot water or the microwave. The texture changes quickly, and that matters in a recipe where the tuna is the star.
- Crab: We prefer crab claw meat here because it has a stronger, brinier flavor that stands up well to the tuna and mango. Lump or jumbo lump crab both work too, though jumbo lump will give you a slightly sweeter flavor. Skip the imitation crab for this recipe. The texture and flavor just are not the same.
- Mango, Avocado, Peppers, and Cucumber: Try to dice the mango, avocado, peppers, and cucumber roughly the same size so the layers stack evenly inside the mold. Smaller pieces also make the tower easier to slice into and scoop with the wonton chips. Use avocados that are ripe but still slightly firm. Overripe avocado tends to collapse once layered
How to Make a Crab and Ahi Tuna Tower
Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.
Pro-tip: We purchased a food ring mold from a local restaurant supply store, but you can also use an aluminum can (just cut off both ends) or even a 3-inch section of PVC pipe.
1. Prepare the ingredients: Cut the mango and avocado into small cubes and dice the peppers and cucumbers. In a small bowl, place the mangos, avocados, peppers, cucumbers, lime juice, salt, and cilantro, and gently mix to combine. Dice the tuna into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. Assemble the Layers: Place the food ring mold in the center of a plate, fill with 3-4 tablespoons of the mango avocado mixture into the ring mold, and gently press down. The layer should be approximately 1-inch thick.
3. Add the crab: Place half the crab in the ring mold on top of the mango-avocado layer and gently press it down with the back of a spoon.
4. Top with tuna: Finally, place half the diced tuna into the ring mold on top of the crab layer and gently press down. Carefully remove the ring mold. Repeat for the second crab-and-tuna tower.
5. Serve: Top the crab and ahi tuna tower with black and white sesame seeds, sliced green onion, or microgreens for a little crunch and color. A drizzle of spicy mayo works well here, too, especially if you want a spicy ahi tuna tower. Serve immediately with crispy wonton chips or homemade tortilla chips while everything is still cold and fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Seafood Recipes to Try
Looking for more inspired seafood recipes? Try these other favorites:
- Hawaiian-Style Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl – Made with sushi-grade ahi tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and scallions, served over rice and topped with sesame seeds.
- Poke Nachos – These nachos blend fresh, sushi-grade tuna with crispy wonton chips and your favorite toppings. Perfect for dinner or an appetizer.
- Sesame Seed-Crusted Tuna Steak with Mango Salsa – Seared Tuna with a sesame seed crust, topped with fresh mango salsa. Healthy, delicious dinner ready in less than 30 minutes.
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Crab and Ahi Tuna Tower
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Equipment
- Food Ring Mold, see notes
- Medium Bowl
Ingredients
- 8 ounces saku maguro/sushi-grade ahi tuna
- 8 ounces crab claw meat
- 1 medium avocado, cut into ¼ inch cubes
- 2-3 mini peppers, diced
- 1 mango, cut into ¼-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup cucumber, diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- black and white sesame seeds, for garnish
- microgreens, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the cut mango, cut avocado, diced peppers, cilantro, diced cucumber, salt, and lime juice, then set aside.
- Dice tuna into ½-inches pieces.
- In a food ring mold placed in the center of a plate, begin building the tower layers by placing approximately 3-4 tablespoons of the mango avocado mixture into the ring mold and gently pressing down. The layer should be approximately 1 inch thick.
- Place half the crab into the ring mold, on top of the mango avocado layer, and gently press down.
- Place half the ahi tuna into the ring mold on top of the crab layer and gently press down.
- Carefully remove the ring mold, then top the tower with black and white sesame seeds and microgreens.
- Repeat for the second crab and tuna tower. Serve with fried wontons or tortilla chips.
What a gorgeous dish! It’s almost too pretty to eat. But it’s too delicious to not eat! This recipe made our at-home date night extra special. Thanks!