These Easy Tuna Cakes are one of those back pocket recipes to make when there’s “nothing to cook for dinner”! Paleo & Whole30 friendly, too!
When I was in high school, tuna cakes were the one snack that my friend’s mom always made for us after school.
She’d serve it up with crema, which can best be described as a thin, sour cream like sauce that’s part of Mexican cuisine.
During my Whole30, I came across a tuna cake recipe and have been making little changes each time I made them until I landed on this recipe. It’s about time I shared it with y’all!
This recipe uses SafeCatch Tuna, which is a brand that’s known for their sustainably caught fish. They pride themselves in fishing with a traditional line and pole method.
I wanted to know what “sustainably caught” really meant, so I did some digging. Here’s your tuna lesson for today:
Fish are attracted to floating things. They’re not very smart. Some fish companies put buoys out in the ocean because they know that fish will come stare at said floating object. Where little fish are, big fish are nearby, and that’s how they’re caught. Some think it’s unfair to take advantage of the fish’s stupidity in this way. SafeCatch is one of these companies.
You can use any kind of tuna you have on hand, but I believe in voting with my dollar and supporting companies that do good.
Now, the recipe!
How To Make Easy Tuna Cakes
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Albacore tuna
- Almond flour (breadcrumbs work too, but not Whole30/Paleo)
- Eggs
- A lemon
- Fresh parsley
- Dried dill
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Avocado or olive oil for skillet
Kitchen tools:
- Large mixing bowl
- Lemon zester
- 1/4 cup measuring cup
- Large cast iron skillet (or similar)
Set a cast iron skillet to medium heat.
Drizzle with avocado or olive oil to heat up. You never want to put food into cold oil as it will absorb the oil and you’ll have a soggy tuna cake instead of a crispy outside.
I’m so sorry I just used the phrase soggy tuna cake.
Ok- meanwhile, mix tuna, almond flour, eggs, lemon zest, and seasoning together well in a large bowl. Using the 1/4 cup measuring cup, pack it with the tuna patty mixture. Once the skillet is hot, drop the tuna cake into the oiled cast iron skillet and press down with the back of a flat spatula to desired thickness. You may need to tap the back of the measuring cup to get it to come out.
Cook for about 4 minutes, flip and cook another 4 minutes.
These are extra good with a sauce like this lemon tahini sauce or a creamy dill sauce!
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
patties
|
- 2 5 oz cans albacore tuna
- 1/2 cup almond flour or breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- zest from 1/2 lemon
Ingredients
|
|
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the pan when you rotate it (try starting with 1 tablespoon).
- Meanwhile, combine tuna, almond flour, eggs, parsley, dill, garlic powder, salt, pepper and lemon zest in a large bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Once the skillet is hot, pack the tuna mixture into a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Drop tuna cake into the skillet (tapping the back of the cup if necessary) and immediately press down on the tuna cake with the back of a spatula to make it about 1/2" thick.
- Cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until it's browned to your liking.
- Substitute breadcrumbs for almond flour if desired (not Whole30)
- If you're not a fan of dill, simply substitute in other seasonings!
Enjoy!
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