This Easy Tuna Cakes recipe is ready from start to finish in 15 minutes! They're hot and crispy on the outside, tender in the middle and served with a dollop of homemade spicy mayonnaise and fresh lemon wedges.
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These delicious tuna cakes are an easy dinner to serve up on a mild spring day or hot summer evening. My favorite way to enjoy these tuna cakes is thrown on a bed of greens or alone for a light snack!
If you love these then you'll also love my Baked Salmon Patties.
🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Simple tuna patties. All the necessary ingredients are commonly found in your pantry or at your local grocery store.
- Quick, light dinner or appetizer. Tuna cakes are ready in 15 minutes or less. Serve with my Warm Crab and Spinach Dip at parties!
- No-bake tuna cakes. This tuna cake recipe is made right on the stovetop!
🥘Ingredients
- Can of tuna. I prefer canned white tuna in water as opposed to oil-packed tuna.
- Egg. The egg acts as a binding agent to keep the fish cakes together.
- Fresh lemon. A squeeze of citrus is needed to balance out the other ingredients in the tuna cakes.
- Mayonnaise. Mayo is used in the cakes to add moisture and as a binding agent. The mayo is also used as the base of the dipping sauce.
- Fresh chives. Chives add a mild onion-like flavor to the cakes.
- Panko breadcrumbs. Bread crumbs are used as another binding agent.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
📖Substitutions & Variations
- Substitute canned chicken. You can use canned chicken in place of the canned tuna in this recipe. This will of course change the flavor and be less fishy, but the texture is very similar and will work in a pinch.
- Change up the spices. I use very simple spices that compliment the tuna, but if you have a premixed seasoning like Old Bay seasoning or want to experiment with your own spices, feel free to.
- Add a little heat. If you like spicy food, add some red pepper flakes to the tuna cakes.
- Add more fresh herbs. Fresh parsley or fresh dill would pair lovely with the tuna cakes.
- Use fresh garlic. I used garlic powder to make these tuna cakes as pantry-friendly as possible, but if you have fresh garlic cloves you'd like to use, that will work perfectly. I'd recommend substituting 2 cloves of garlic for the garlic powder.
- Double or triple the recipe. If you are making a large appetizer to feed a crowd, these tuna cakes are very easy to make in large batches.
🔪Instructions
Step 1: Prep the tuna. Open the cans of tuna and drain the liquid. Transfer the drained tuna to a large bowl. Mix the ingredients. Into the same bowl with the tuna, add the egg, mayonnaise, chives, breadcrumbs, and spices. Mix with your hands or a spoon to combine until ingredients are evenly distributed.
Step 2: Form the cakes. Using your hands, form the tuna mixture into 4 to 8 tuna patties of equal portions - 4 patties are great for serving as a main dish. 8 patties are great for smaller servings used as side dishes or appetizers.
Step 3: Prepare the sauce for tuna patties. Whisk together mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, paprika, lemon juice, and salt and pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust ingredient measurements to your liking. Serve sauce on the side or in a dollop on top of your tuna patties.
Step 4: Brown in a skillet until crispy. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, coat the skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until hot. Place your tuna cakes in the hot skillet and brown on each side for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden and crispy. If you are making 4 larger tuna patties, this can take a bit longer than making smaller patties. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, tuna patties can be frozen for up to 3 months. If you are planning to freeze, cook the tuna patties according to instructions. Once golden and crispy, transfer the tuna to a cooling rack to cool. Once room temperature, place the tuna patties on a cookie sheet and freeze in a single layer for 4 hours before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag or container. This will help prevent the tuna patties from sticking together.
Chances are, you flipped your tuna cakes too early. Wait until the tuna cake has formed a nice golden brown crust on the pan side before flipping. If you flip it too early, the tuna cake will still be soft and prone to falling apart.
Another cause can be too much mayonnaise or other liquids. If your tuna cake mixture is very wet and sticking to your hands, it's too wet and will be difficult to form into patties.
Yes. If you want to eat your tuna cakes as a tasty tuna burger, make larger patties to fit the size of your buns and add your favorite toppings.
Yes! Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for about 3-5 minutes. Cook the tuna cakes in the preheated air fryer for approximately 8-10 minutes. Depending on the thickness and size of your tuna cakes, you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly.
👩🏻🍳Sarah's Top Tips
- Get the skillet nice and hot before laying the tuna cakes in. If the skillet is not hot enough, the tuna cakes are more likely to absorb some of the oil in the pan than get a nice crispy crust on the outside.
- Cook in batches, if necessary. Depending on the size of your skillet and the size of your tuna cakes, you may need to pan-fry in a few batches. This will take a bit longer but is better than overcrowding the skillet.
- Chill before cooking. After forming your tuna cakes, refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Chilling will help them hold their shape better during cooking.
🥗Serving
If you are serving tuna patties as a meal, pairing them with a couple of side dishes, like a starch and/or vegetable, is a great idea. Below are a few of my favorite ideas to help inspire you.
Easy tuna cakes will also almost always go with any of my favorite Side Dishes to Serve with Burgers or Side dishes to Serve with Fish Tacos.
🥣Storage & Reheating
Store any leftover tuna cakes in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze the tuna cakes, individually wrapped in parchment paper, in freezer bags or containers for up to 3-4 months. Thaw the tuna patties in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stovetop or microwave.
More Easy Appetizers You'll Love
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Easy Tuna Cakes Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 cans of tuna in water
- 1 egg
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drain the liquid from the cans of tuna and add them to a large bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix with a spoon or your hands to combine.
- Using your hands, form the mixture into 4-8 patties, depending on whether you are serving them for dinner or as an appetizer.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the tuna cakes to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned.
- Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Serve the tuna cakes with the sauce and lemon wedges and garnish with more chives, if desired.
Sarah's Tips
- Get the skillet nice and hot before laying the tuna cakes in. If the skillet is not hot enough, the tuna cakes are more likely to absorb some of the oil in the pan than get a nice crispy crust on the outside.
- Cook in batches, if necessary. Depending on the size of your skillet and the size of your tuna cakes, you may need to pan-fry in a few batches. This will take a bit longer but is better than overcrowding the skillet.
- Chill before cooking. After forming your tuna cakes, refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Chilling will help them hold their shape better during cooking.
- Store any leftover tuna cakes in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze the tuna cakes, individually wrapped in parchment paper, in freezer bags or containers for up to 3-4 months. Thaw the tuna patties in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stovetop or microwave.
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- Cutting board
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