Sea Urchin Guacamole Tacos with Sea Urchin Salsa
An uni taco recipe from Tacos: Recipes and Provocations by Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman.
- WORDS BY: Alex Stupak
- PUBLISHED: February 19, 2021
- PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Evan Sung

“This taco was born out of a shared opinion among my cooks and friends that a tortilla is as worthy of precious ingredients as any piece of Raynaud china. When I thought about making a sea urchin taco, I knew that working it into guacamole would magnify the briny sweetness the spiky creature is known for—the fat in an avocado can help stretch and carry flavors just like a knob of butter. Its lobes (sometimes called “tongues”) show up three times in this taco: mashed with avocado, piled on top of the guacamole in a bright orange heap, and combined with chipotle and lime juice in a simple salsa. The sea urchin and avocado have a similar luscious texture, and biting into this taco is a bit like face-planting into a just-fluffed pillow or planting a raspberry on a fat baby’s belly. It’s over-the-top opulent, the kind of celebratory dish that everyone deserves an occasion to eat. When the time comes, you’ll need a ton of urchin—156 tongues. Many fishmongers and Japanese grocers (who call them uni) sell them pre-shucked by the tray, so you won’t have to mess with those spiky shells.” – Alex Stupak
Click here
to purchase your own copy of Tacos: Recipes and Provocations by Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman, courtesy of Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Serves 12
Subscribe to our Substack newsletter to receive access to the latest stories and podcast episodes from NEW WORLDER. It’s free to subscribe, though additional content is available for paid subscribers.