These flavorful tuna cakes are keto, paleo, and gluten-free. They contain no breadcrumbs - and in fact, you don't even need to add almond flour! Tuna patties are easy, affordable, and delicious!
Sometimes the simplest meals are the best. I love cooking (after all, I'm a food blogger). But sometimes you tire of complex recipes and heavy meals and you want something light and easy.
That's why I make these delicious tuna cakes for dinner about once a week. They are an excellent option for those nights when you just don't feel like cooking an elaborate meal. I love making them because they are easy, affordable, and tasty. They are also substantial and filling.
We are a family of four. Two of us love fish, one of us tolerates them, and the Picky Eater won't touch them, with the exception of keto fried fish. But she loves these patties!
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these tasty patties. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Canned tuna: I use water-packed tuna in this recipe.
Mayonnaise: I prefer mayonnaise made with avocado oil. Sir Kensington's is a good brand.
Dijon mustard: This traditional French mustard is creamier, thicker, and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work. Garlic powder works too.
Eggs: I use large eggs in almost all of my recipes, this one included.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
Chopped parsley: If you don't have fresh parsley, you can use dried parsley instead.
Olive oil for frying: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you'd rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. Another option is to use butter.
As you can see, the ingredients needed for this recipe are readily available. I always have canned tuna, eggs, mayo, and mustard. The only ingredient I sometimes don't have is fresh parsley or cilantro, in which case I either omit them or use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley.
Instructions
How to make tuna cakes? It couldn't be easier! The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below. The basic steps:
Your first step is to mix the ingredients. Simply mix everything together (except for the oil) in one bowl.
Now cook the patties. Fry the tuna patties in olive oil, about 3 minutes per side over medium heat. That's it!
Variations and substitutions
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
- If you like your food spicy, try adding a teaspoon of hot pepper sauce to the mixture or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- It's very tasty to cook these patties in butter.
- Chopped scallions are a nice addition - try using just ¼ cup parsley and adding ¼ cup of finely chopped scallions.
Serving suggestions
I like to serve these tuna patties with a side of a big salad. It's the perfect meatless dinner! Sometimes I serve them with creamy cucumber salad or with some broccoli salad.
Storing leftovers
Leftovers keep well for up to 3 days. Keep them in the fridge in a sealed container, and reheat them in the microwave on 50% power. They are also surprisingly good when eaten cold, straight out of the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Breadcrumbs really aren't necessary. The patties hold together just fine without them. In fact, you don't even need to add almond flour to the mixture. Just make sure the tuna is truly well-drained.
Perhaps your tuna wasn't well-drained, so the mixture was too wet. Or maybe you had relatively large chunks of tuna in the mixture. It's also important to cook these patties in a nonstick skillet and make sure it's truly nonstick - these pans tend to become quite sticky after a year or so.
I like to add something creamy such as mayo or sour cream, a flavorful ingredient such as Dijon mustard, and tasty herbs such as garlic and cilantro.
Related recipes
If you prefer salmon to tuna, I highly recommend these tasty salmon cakes. They are just as easy to make as this recipe, and they are very good.
And if you're looking for more tasty recipes made with canned tuna, you should definitely try this wonderful keto tuna casserole.
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Recipe card
Easy Tuna Cakes Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 2 (5 oz) cans tuna in water, well-drained and flaked with a fork
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- 4 tablespoons olive oil for frying*
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to the "keep warm" setting (150-170 degrees F).
- In a medium bowl, use a fork to mix together the tuna, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, eggs, kosher salt, black pepper and parsley.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Measuring ¼ cup of the mixture for each cake, fry the patties until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
- Fry 4 patties at a time, keeping the cooked tuna cakes in a warm oven while you fry the second batch.
- Serve immediately.
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NOTES
- If you like your food spicy, try adding a teaspoon of hot pepper sauce to the mixture or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- It's very tasty to cook these patties in butter.
- Chopped scallions are a nice addition - try using just ¼ cup parsley and adding ¼ cup of finely chopped scallions.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 