Wagyu Appetizers: Five Stunning Ways to Start a Meal
Tartare, tataki, carpaccio, nigiri, and crudo — raw and lightly seared wagyu preparations that showcase the beef at its most elemental and elegant.
The extraordinary marbling in wagyu beef makes it uniquely suited for raw and barely-cooked preparations. Where conventional beef can taste flat or chewy when raw, wagyu's intramuscular fat delivers rich, buttery flavor and a tender, almost silky texture — even completely uncooked. These five appetizers span French, Japanese, and Italian traditions, each offering a different lens on the same exceptional ingredient.
A few ounces of wagyu, prepared well and presented beautifully, makes one of the most impressive starters imaginable. These recipes are straightforward but feel luxurious — the kind of thing that makes guests fall silent for a moment after the first bite.
⚠️ Food Safety for Raw and Rare Wagyu
Before diving into recipes, let's address safety. Consuming raw or undercooked beef carries inherent risk. To minimize it:
- Source matters most. Buy from reputable suppliers who specialize in wagyu and maintain proper cold-chain handling. Tell your butcher you plan to serve the beef raw — they may have specific cuts set aside.
- Use whole muscle cuts only. Never use ground beef for raw preparations. Bacteria live on the surface of whole cuts; grinding mixes surface bacteria throughout.
- Keep it cold. Beef should stay below 40°F until immediately before preparation. Work quickly, and serve immediately.
- Sanitize everything. Clean your cutting board, knife, and hands thoroughly. Use a dedicated board for raw beef.
- Searing the exterior (as in tataki and nigiri) eliminates surface bacteria while keeping the interior raw.
- High-risk groups — pregnant women, young children, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals — should avoid raw beef preparations.
- Freshness: Use the beef within 1–2 days of purchase, or the same day it's thawed. Never refreeze.
Wagyu Tartare
Classic beef tartare, elevated dramatically by wagyu's buttery fat. The key is hand-cutting — never use a food processor, which crushes the delicate texture into mush. Each piece should maintain its identity while melting on the tongue.
Wagyu Tartare — Serves 4 as a starter
- 8 oz wagyu tenderloin or sirloin (BMS 6+), very cold
- 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg yolk (pasteurized if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Small handful of fresh chives, finely snipped
- Flaky sea salt for finishing
- Toasted crostini or potato chips for serving
Method
Dice the wagyu into ¼-inch cubes with a very sharp knife. The beef should be cold — this keeps the fat firm and the cuts clean. In a chilled bowl, gently fold together the diced beef, shallot, capers, mustard, Worcestershire, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide into four portions and press gently into ring molds on chilled plates (or shape by hand into neat rounds). Create a small well on top and nestle an egg yolk into each. Garnish with chives and flaky salt. Serve immediately with crostini.
🍷 Pair with: Champagne (Brut) or a crisp Chablis. The acidity and bubbles cut through the richness of the raw beef and egg yolk. For cocktails, a classic gin martini with a lemon twist.
🎨 Presentation tip: Serve on a chilled white plate — the deep red of the wagyu against white porcelain is stunning. A ring mold (3-inch diameter) creates a clean cylinder. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil around the plate and scatter microgreens.
Wagyu Tataki
Tataki is a Japanese technique where beef is seared blazingly hot on the outside and left completely raw inside, then sliced thin and served with ponzu and fresh ginger. The 10-second sear creates a paper-thin crust that provides texture contrast against the cool, silky interior. It's one of the simplest and most dramatic wagyu preparations.
Wagyu Tataki — Serves 4 as a starter
- 8–10 oz wagyu sirloin or tenderloin, in one piece (BMS 5+)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (grapeseed or avocado)
- Flaky sea salt
For serving:
- ¼ cup ponzu sauce (store-bought or homemade — see Japanese Preparations guide)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- Shiso leaves or microgreens (optional)
- Momiji oroshi (grated daikon with chili) — optional
Method
Bring the beef to room temperature for 20 minutes. Pat completely dry and season generously with salt on all sides. Heat a cast iron skillet over the highest heat possible until it's smoking. Add oil and immediately sear the beef — 10–15 seconds per side, including the ends. You want an aggressive crust with zero internal cooking. Immediately plunge the seared beef into an ice bath for 30 seconds to halt any residual cooking. Pat dry, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. When ready to serve, slice ⅛-inch thick with a sharp knife. Fan slices across a plate, drizzle generously with ponzu, top with ginger, scallions, and sesame seeds.
🍷 Pair with: Junmai Ginjo sake (slightly chilled) or a dry Alsatian Riesling. The citrus notes in ponzu love the bright acidity of Riesling. For cocktails, a yuzu gimlet.
🎨 Presentation tip: Fan the slices in a single overlapping row on an elongated plate. Pool ponzu sauce to one side rather than drowning the meat. Place a small mound of grated ginger at one end and scatter sesame seeds from height for natural distribution.
Wagyu Carpaccio
Invented at Harry's Bar in Venice in 1950, carpaccio is the Italian approach to raw beef: sliced impossibly thin, dressed simply with olive oil and lemon, and served at cool room temperature. Wagyu takes this classic to another level — the marbling creates a web of white fat against deep red meat that looks like edible abstract art.
Wagyu Carpaccio — Serves 4 as a starter
- 8 oz wagyu eye of round, tenderloin, or sirloin (BMS 5+)
- 3 tablespoons best-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved with a peeler
- Flaky sea salt (Maldon)
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Optional: truffle oil (a few drops) or shaved black truffle
Method
Wrap the beef tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for 1.5–2 hours — firm enough to slice paper-thin but not frozen solid. Using your sharpest knife (or a mandoline with a meat attachment), slice as thin as humanly possible — translucent is the goal. Arrange slices in a single layer on chilled plates, overlapping slightly. The slices should cover the entire plate. Let the beef temper for 5 minutes (you want it cool, not ice-cold). Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with flaky salt and pepper. Scatter arugula in a small mound in the center and top with parmesan shavings. Finish with a few drops of truffle oil if using.
🍷 Pair with: A medium-bodied Italian red — Barbera d'Alba or Chianti Classico. The bright acidity matches the lemon dressing and cuts through the fat. For white wine lovers, a Vermentino or Soave. Cocktail: an Aperol Spritz to keep the Italian theme.
🎨 Presentation tip: Cover the entire plate surface with beef — no gaps. The effect should be a carpet of marbled pink. Place arugula in a tight central mound so it adds height. Use a vegetable peeler for parmesan shavings, letting them curl naturally.
Wagyu Nigiri
Wagyu nigiri (wagyu sushi) features a thin slice of beef lightly seared with a kitchen torch and draped over seasoned sushi rice. It's a standard offering at high-end sushi bars in Japan and one of the most photogenic bites in all of food. The warm, rendered fat from the sear melts into the cool rice below — it's an extraordinary textural experience.
Wagyu Nigiri — Makes 8–10 pieces
- 6 oz wagyu sirloin or ribeye cap (BMS 7+), sliced ⅛-inch thick into 2×3-inch pieces
- 2 cups prepared sushi rice (short-grain Japanese rice, seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt)
- Soy sauce for serving
- Fresh wasabi (or quality wasabi paste)
- Pickled ginger (gari)
- Optional garnish: thinly sliced scallion, toasted sesame, or a tiny quenelle of uni (sea urchin)
Method
Prepare sushi rice according to package directions (or use 1 cup rice, 1 cup water, seasoned with 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt). Let cool to room temperature. With wet hands, form 1.5-tablespoon portions of rice into compact oblong mounds. Place a slice of wagyu over each rice mound, pressing gently to conform. Using a kitchen torch, sear the top of each piece of beef for 3–5 seconds — just until the fat begins to render and the surface gets a whisper of color. Alternatively, you can flash-sear the slices in a blazing-hot dry pan for 5 seconds per side before draping over the rice. Brush lightly with soy sauce or serve soy sauce on the side. Add a tiny dot of wasabi between the beef and rice.
🍷 Pair with: Junmai Daiginjo sake or Champagne (Blanc de Blancs). Both have the delicacy and acidity to match the subtlety of nigiri. Beer lovers: a Japanese lager like Asahi Super Dry.
🎨 Presentation tip: Arrange pieces on a dark slate board or matte black plate — the contrast makes the marbling pop. Place each piece at a slight angle. A small mound of pickled ginger and a wasabi leaf at one end completes the presentation.
Wagyu Crudo
Crudo — Italian for “raw” — is similar to carpaccio but typically cut into small, thicker pieces (think sashimi-sized) and dressed more boldly. Where carpaccio is about delicate, translucent slices, crudo celebrates the beef's texture with bite-sized pieces that have real chew and substance. It's a perfect canvas for bright, punchy flavors.
Wagyu Crudo — Serves 4 as a starter
- 8 oz wagyu tenderloin or sirloin (BMS 5+), very cold
- 3 tablespoons best-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Flaky sea salt
- Coarsely cracked black pepper or Calabrian chili flakes
- Fresh herbs: basil or oregano leaves
- Optional: caper berries, olives, or a drizzle of aged balsamic
Method
Slice the cold wagyu against the grain into ¼-inch thick slices, then cut each slice into roughly 1-inch squares or rectangles. You want pieces that are substantial enough to pick up with a fork — this isn't paper-thin like carpaccio. Arrange the pieces on a chilled plate in a scattered, artful pattern (not overlapping). Drizzle generously with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with flaky salt, pepper or chili, and lemon zest. Tear fresh basil over the top. Serve immediately — crudo waits for no one.
🍷 Pair with: A crisp, mineral Verdicchio or Falanghina from southern Italy. The saline quality of Italian coastal whites mirrors the sea-salt seasoning. Cocktail pairing: a Negroni — the bitter Campari and herbal gin are a bold match for the bold preparation.
🎨 Presentation tip: Scatter pieces casually on a wide, shallow bowl — crudo should look effortless, not fussy. Drizzle olive oil from height so it falls naturally. A few whole herb leaves (not chopped) and a scattering of coarse salt crystals that catch the light.
Tips That Apply to All Five Preparations
Temperature Control
Chill your plates in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving. Cold plates keep raw beef at safe temperatures longer and improve texture. Work quickly — raw wagyu warms fast, and warm raw beef is neither safe nor pleasant.
Knife Work
A razor-sharp knife is non-negotiable. Dull knives crush the delicate fat structure and mangle the presentation. Hone your knife immediately before slicing. A Japanese yanagiba (sashimi knife) is ideal but any sharp, long-bladed knife works.
Portion Sizing
For appetizers, 2–3 ounces of wagyu per person is plenty. The richness of highly marbled beef means small portions deliver big impact. Resist the urge to over-serve — these dishes should leave guests wanting more, not feeling heavy before the main course.
Choosing Your BMS
BMS 5–7 is the sweet spot for most appetizer preparations. Ultra-high BMS (9+) can be overwhelmingly rich when served raw in larger pieces — save the peak A5 for tataki and nigiri where a quick sear renders some of the fat. For tartare and crudo, BMS 5–7 gives you beautiful marbling with enough lean structure to hold the dice or slices.
Quick Pairing Reference
| Dish | Wine | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Tartare | Champagne Brut, Chablis | Gin Martini |
| Tataki | Alsatian Riesling, Junmai Ginjo Sake | Yuzu Gimlet |
| Carpaccio | Barbera d'Alba, Chianti Classico | Aperol Spritz |
| Nigiri | Junmai Daiginjo, Blanc de Blancs | Asahi Super Dry |
| Crudo | Verdicchio, Falanghina | Negroni |
Source the Perfect Cut
Raw and rare preparations demand the highest quality beef. Find verified wagyu from trusted producers on our marketplace — with BMS scores listed on every cut.