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Tuna patties are a favorite lunch dish in our home! Seasoned with lemon, onion, and cilantro, these are moist in the middle and crispy browned on the inside.
This easy tuna cakes recipe is delicious and so easy to make. Serve them alongside other classic favorites like 7 layer salad or fried cabbage.
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Tuna Patties
Tuna Patties
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Why youβll love this recipe
π Classic timeless flavors that will have you reminiscing to childhood.
π Made with pantry and fridge ingredients you probably already have on hand.
π Easily modified for your personal tastes and palate.
Ingredients
- Tuna β We used solid white albacore canned tuna for this recipe, but any tuna canned in water will work.
- Eggs β Large eggs.
- Yogurt β Plain Greek yogurt. Alternatively you can use sour cream.
- Lemon β Squeezed for the juice.
- Cilantro β Fresh cilantro, chopped. Parsley can be substituted.
- Breadcrumbs β Plain, unflavored, dry breadcrumbs.
- Onion β Sweet yellow onion.
- Peppers β Jalapeno pepper if you like spice, or bell pepper if you prefer no spice.
- Seasonings β Salt and pepper.
- Oil β Vegetable oil for cooking. Olive oil is my preference.
- Sauce β Optional, sriracha, plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), and lemon juice.
Tuna, cilantro, peppers, oil, eggs, onion, yogurt.
Step-by-step directions
β First, in a large bowl mix together tuna, egg, cilantro, onion, yogurt, breadcrumbs, peppers, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
β Then, shape tuna mixture into patties.
β Next, heat oil in a large skillet and lightly fry patties until cooked through and browned on each side.
β Finally, serve with yogurt dip.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Mix the patty ingredients together.
Preparation
Can you make tuna cakes ahead of time?
Yes, these are great when made ahead! I like to make a big batch and keep them in the fridge for easy dinners. You can enjoy them cold or heat them up in the microwave, toaster oven or air fryer.
They can even be frozen for longer term storage.
What kind of peppers should I use?
If you like a hit of spice, add jalapeno pepper, but if not, go ahead and use green bell pepper. Green bell pepper has no heat but it will add moisture and texture to the patties.
Alternatively, you can substitute an equal amount of diced celery.
Use a fork to make sure the mixture is well combined.
Storage and leftovers
How long will the leftovers keep?
These will last in the refrigerator for 4 β 5 days or longer in the freezer. Make sure to store in a sealed container.
Can you freeze tuna cakes?
Yes! Allow the patties to cool to about room temperature, then layer them with parchment paper or wax paper in an air tight, freezer safe container.
Freeze for up to 6 months and defrost in the refrigerator.
The mixture should be plenty moist.
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
β Try adding smoked paprika or smoked chipotle powder.
β Swap the the jalapeno for green pepper or celery if you want crunch without spice.
β Trade the cilantro for fresh dill to switch up the flavors.
β Make this with canned salmon or canned chicken.
β Serve with your favorite dips like this creamy dill sauce or chunky blue cheese dressing.
Form into patties.
Serving suggestions
These are delicious with a fresh cucumber tomato salad, or corn and tomato salad. Serve them with a toasted slice of homemade white bread and a raspberry cheesecake cookie for dessert.
Brown on both sides.
More delicious tuna recipes
- Tuna casserole recipe
- Tuna pasta salad
- Tuna stuffed tomatoes
Whisk together dip ingredients.
Other delicious seafood recipes
- Cranberry almond salmon bowls
- Honey mustard salmon recipe
- Shrimp scampi
- Salmon rice bowl
- Easy coconut shrimp
- See all our seafood recipes!
Serve with dip and an extra squeeze of lemon.
Tools we love
- 15β³ Cast iron panβ This. Pan. Is. Huge. Literally massive. I have two and theyβre sooooooo amazing.
- Large Griddleβ We use ours for everything from pancakes, to eggs, to chicken breast, and seared steak!
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How to Make Tuna Patties
Tuna Patties
Tuna patties are a favorite lunch dish in our home! Seasoned with lemon, onion, and cilantro, these are most in the middle and crispy browned on the inside.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: tuna patties
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 273kcal
Author: April Woods
Ingredients
- 24 oz canned tuna drained
- 2 large eggs
- ΒΌ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped
- β cup breadcrumbs plain
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
- Β½ cup diced jalapo peppers or green bell peppers seeds and ribs removed
- 1 teasoon salt
- Β½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Dip (optional)
- Β½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- Β½ lemon juiced
Instructions
In a large bowl mix together tuna, egg, cilantro, onion, yogurt, breadcrumbs, peppers, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Shape mixture into 8 patties and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and fry patties until cooked through and browned on each side (about 5 minutes per side).
Whisk together dip ingredients, if desired.
Notes
Calories are automatically generated. For best results calculate based on your exact ingredients.
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Nutrition
Calories: 273kcal
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Tuna Patties
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