Dairy FreeKetoPaleoSpecific Carbohydrate DietWhole30
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If you are looking for an easy canned tuna recipe, look no further, these paleo tuna patties contain just a handful of ingredients that you likely already have in your fridge and pantry, making them convenient and economical!
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love These Tuna Patties
How To Make Tuna Patties
What To Look For When Buying Canned Tuna
Tips For Ensuring These Tuna Patties Hold Together
What To Serve With Tuna Patties
Can I Make Tuna Patties In Advance?
How To Store Leftover Tuna Patties
Can I Freeze Tuna Patties?
Easy Tuna Patties Recipe
Why You Will Love These Tuna Patties
- This isn’t your typical bland tuna patty recipe. The canned tuna is mixed with lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh parsley, red onion, dijon mustard and chopped scallions/green onion so that they really pack a punch of flavour. They are golden brown and crisp on the outside and moist and tender in the middle.
- These healthy tuna patties are great for meal prepping, make a big batch on a Sunday night and then you can quickly reheat them all week long and enjoy them on a salad, in a wrap or on their own for lunch or dinner.
- This is a great recipe to whip up when you have a kitchen and pantry low on supplies because they only require a couple of cans of tuna and a handful of simple ingredients. Not only that but they are a very wallet friendly too!
- Everyone will love this tuna patty recipe, even kids! They have quickly become a family favourite in my house that even my 2 year old loves.
- These Paleo tuna patties are also Keto, Whole30, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal too!
How To Make Tuna Patties
This tuna patties recipe could not be any easier to make! Simply combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir them around to ensure everything is well mixed together. Next form the tuna mixture into patties approximately 2 inches wide in size. Place the formed patties onto a plate or parchment paper lined baking sheet and transfer them to the fridge for 20 minutes. This will help them to firm up and hold together better when cooked. Heat oil (avocado oil or vegetable oil work best) in a large skillet on medium heat and cook the patties for 4 minutes until a golden crust forms then flip them over and continue to cook them on the other side for an additional 4-5 minutes. That’s it, so easy! (Detailed instructions below in the recipe card)
What To Look For When Buying Canned Tuna
When buying canned tuna, there are several things to consider to ensure that you’re getting a quality product:
- Type of Tuna: Look for cans that specify the type of tuna, such as Albacore tuna, Yellowfin or Chunk Light Tuna, as these tend to have better flavor and texture.
- Sustainability: Check for labels indicating that the tuna fish was sustainably caught, such as the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) logo.
- Salt Content: Be aware of the salt content in a can of tuna, which can vary widely between brands and types of tuna.
- Oil or Water: Decide whether you prefer tuna packed in oil or water. Oil-packed tuna tends to be more flavorful but also higher in calories.
- Brand and Price: Choose a reputable brand with a good track record for quality and taste. While cheaper options may be tempting, be wary of low-priced cans, which may contain lower-quality tuna or added fillers.
Tips For Ensuring These Tuna Patties Hold Together
- To ensure that these tuna cakes hold together when cooked, I recommend making them on the smaller side, using approximately a golf ball sized amount of the mixture per patty
- When frying the patties, don’t move them around in the pan more than necessary. Allow one side to form a golden crust before flipping it over, and only flip them once. I’ve found that these are the best tricks to keep them from falling apart in the pan.
- Use a large nonstick skillet or frying pan to ensure that the tuna patties don’t stick
- Chilling the patties in the fridge for 20 minutes will help firm them up and hold together when frying. If you are in a rush, pop the patties in the freezer for 5 minutes instead.
What To Serve With Tuna Patties
These paleo tuna patties are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in a variety of different ways:
- Serve them with lemon wedges, a squeeze of lemon juice or a dollop of sauce. Some of my favourite sauces to serve with these tuna patties include thisTartar Sauceor thisChive and Paprika Sauce.
- Enjoy these paleo tuna patties served on top of a romaine or butter lettuce salad with chopped cucumber and tomatoes for a filling meal.
- Add them to a wrap (with a tortilla or pita) or for anyone doing Whole30 or on the Paleo diet you can enjoy them as a lettuce wrap served between iceberg lettuce leaves with a pickle, mayonnaise and tomatoes.
Can I Make Tuna Patties In Advance?
These easytuna patties are great for meal prep. Prepare the tuna mixture and form it into patties up to 1 day in advance. Store the tuna patties in the fridge and for the best results, cook them right before serving for a quick and easy dinner. Alternatively you can cook the tuna cakes up to a 3 days in advance and then quickly reheat them in a hot pan with a splash of oil to ensure they get crisp on the outside.
How To Store Leftover Tuna Patties
Leftover cooked tuna cakes will last up to 3 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. They can be reheated in a skillet on medium high heat with a splash of oil for 4-5 minutes, in the oven at 350ºF for 10 minutes or in an air fryer at 375° for 5 minutes until warmed through.
Can I Freeze Tuna Patties?
You absolutely can! I recommend only freezing them after cooking them to ensure they hold together once thawed. Freeze the cooked tuna cakes on a baking sheet and once frozen, transfer them to freezer bags or an airtight container. Bring the tuna patties out of the freezer an hour in advance to allow them to thaw at room temperature before reheating them in a pan, in the oven or in the air fryer (instructions for all 3 above).
If you are looking for more canned tuna recipes why not try this Jalapeno Tuna Casserole or this Tuna and Green Bean Salad.
Love easy seafood cakes and burgers? Here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Asian Salmon Cakes
- Shrimp Burgers
- Thai Fish Cakes
- Mini Crab Cakes
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Easy Tuna Patties Recipe
Every Last Bite
These Whole30 and Paleo Easy Canned Tuna Patties are a popular recipe on this site thanks to just how fast and easy they are to make. They are great for those weeknight meals when you are low on groceries because they contain just a handful of ingredients that you likely already have in your fridge and pantry making them convenient and economical!
4.82 from 22 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Grocery List
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Diets Gluten Free, Grain Free, Keto, Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal, Whole30
Servings 6 patties
Calories 135 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cans tuna (5oz cans)
- 1 tbsp of the liquid from the tuna can
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp grated red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard or mustard powder
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Drain the liquid from the cans of tuna, reserving 1 tbsp of the liquid from the can. Add the tuna and reserved liquid to a bowl and break the tuna up with a fork.
Add in the almond flour, chopped parsley, lemon juice and zest, red onion, scallions, mustard, egg, salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed and then taste. Adjust the seasoning as desired.
Form the mixture into 6 patties and place on a parchment paper lined plate or tray. Place the patties in the fridge for a minimum of 20 minutes, chilling them will help them hold together when cooking.
When ready to cook, place the olive oil in cast iron skillet on medium heat. Once hot add in the patties and let them cook for approximately 4 minutes until a golden crust forms. Flip and cook on the other side.
Serve the patties with lemon wedges and roasted red pepper sauce or lemon aioli.
Nutrition
Calories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 14gFat: 8gSodium: 249mgSugar: 1g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
Appetizers Hot Appetizers Mains Make Ahead Most Popular Seafood Under 30 Minutes Whole30in30min
originally posted April 27, 2018 — last updated December 7, 2023by Every Last Bite
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41 comments on “Easy Tuna Patties”
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Stacie — April 28, 2018 @ 12:54 am Reply
Hi there! I would love to make these, but I am wondering if I can use coconut flour?
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Meleia — May 5, 2018 @ 5:44 pm Reply
Just made these… for an easy inexpensive fish cake I thought they were great. Prefer the crab or salmon but I usually have can or two of tuna in the pantry. I did top it with the lemon aioli – nom! Thanks! Also – thought you killed it on your whole30 takeover! The celery root taco shells… genius.
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Every Last Bite — May 8, 2018 @ 8:46 pm Reply
Aawww thank you for such a kind comment! I absolutely loved doing the takeover. So happy you enjoyed the tuna cakes, I agree, they aren’t fancy or gourmet but considering they contain just a few simple pantry staples they are great for when you need an easy and economical meal. 🙂
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Veronica — July 18, 2018 @ 3:01 pm Reply
These tuna cakes are the bomb! So easy to make and so tasty. Both me and my boyfriend loved them 🙂 gonna try the eggplant meatballs next! Keep it up and thanks so much for the SCD friendly recipes x
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Gracie Macpherson — August 23, 2018 @ 9:42 am Reply
What sz canof tuna?
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Every Last Bite — August 28, 2018 @ 8:49 am Reply
I use 145g sized cans 🙂
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Marsha — November 18, 2019 @ 9:16 pm Reply
Can these be made with coconut flour or regular flour
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Every Last Bite — December 11, 2019 @ 3:33 pm Reply
Yes definitely, there is such a small amount of almond flour that you can use another type of flour instead.
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Michael Eible — November 21, 2018 @ 12:52 am Reply
Do you guys have the nutrition chart for this?Thanks
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Jaidee — January 9, 2019 @ 11:24 pm Reply
I would love to make this in my air fryer — have you tried that? And if so, any thoughts on what temp and how long? I love tuna and this recipe sounds lovely so thank you!
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Every Last Bite — January 10, 2019 @ 8:05 pm Reply
Unfortunately I have absolutely no experience with an air fryer so I am not able to make any suggestions but I suspect it would work well.
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Izzy — September 27, 2021 @ 2:02 am Reply
Great recipe! I want to batch prep these ahead of time for my work weeks – is it best to pre cook or freeze uncooked?
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Teirrah — August 13, 2019 @ 12:49 am Reply
So good and so easy!
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Every Last Bite — August 13, 2019 @ 8:57 am Reply
So happy you enjoyed them!
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Sarah McMullen — September 2, 2019 @ 11:13 pm Reply
They look so good! 😊 I began the September Whole 30 today. However, it has been two or three years since I did a whole 30, so things may have changed. But I thought that almond flour was not allowed?
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Every Last Bite — September 9, 2019 @ 5:55 am Reply
Hi Sarah – Almond flour is allowed if you are using it to bind something like a fish cake together, it is not allowed however to make muffins/cake/pancakes. Good luck on your whole30!
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Dana — March 24, 2020 @ 5:52 pm Reply
Really tasty and super easy!! I made the lemon aioli to dip them in and it was delicious!
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Lisa — April 4, 2020 @ 4:16 pm Reply
Looks delicious! I have an egg sensitivity. Have you tried making these without egg? do you think flax egg would work?
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Martha — April 14, 2020 @ 9:42 pm Reply
WOW! Made these today, followed the recipe to the T, used solid white tuna, along with the suggested recipe for the roasted red pepper aoli… Completely addicted! I did add an extra garlic clove to the aoli because i love garlic but together the dish was delightful! The tuna cakes held together perfectly. I would say go a little smaller than palm size on the tuna patties.
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Candace — July 19, 2020 @ 6:02 pm Reply
Delicious! I’m really not much of a cook, but I followed the steps to the letter and these came out perfectly. I made a couple changes to the ingredients: omitted the onion and scallion (which I did not have on hand because I don’t particularly like those flavors) and swapped in a healthy portion of Old Bay seasoning and a tiny dash of hot sauce.
Question for future reference: Can I freeze half of the patties for future use? If so, would it be better to do so before I cook them or after? Any special instructions or tips?
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Renee — September 8, 2020 @ 11:44 pm Reply
I’m allergic to almonds and I’m doing the Whole 30 for the first time. Can I use arrowroot flour instead?
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Danai @ Living, Learning, Eating — September 11, 2020 @ 9:21 pm Reply
Trying this for dinner tonight! I’ve been searching for a tuna patty recipe that didn’t need bread crumbs, because we have loads of cans of tuna leftover from spring’s pandemic stockpiling and my husband is keto. I’m excited to see how this turns out!
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Susan Mikhail — September 13, 2020 @ 11:46 pm Reply
Soooo good! I made them, then froze and just pull out the number I want and thaw in the fridge. Tonight I had 3 over mixed greens with olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar! Fantastic and entertaining level flavor!
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Rachel — January 5, 2021 @ 11:53 pm Reply
This came together so quickly and all with easy pantry ingredients
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KQ — August 4, 2021 @ 4:02 am Reply
Made this per recipe. The tuna cakes Dane out nice. Patties delicate and several cracked but tasty. Really happy they used almond flour and no mayonnaise. I will make again.
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Velina Minkova — August 25, 2021 @ 12:45 am Reply
Tried this recipe today. And it’s great. I had to skip a few ingredients because I was short on them but the main ones worked great!
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TK — October 12, 2021 @ 11:47 pm Reply
I made this last night but since I had no open bag of almond flour & tried my Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Biscuit mix….I know, it seems weird but it held up well, it worked perfectly, tasted good AND I was using what I had open.
Just wanted to share in case someone gets in a gluten-free bind! -
Linda — December 4, 2021 @ 6:38 pm Reply
I made this recipe and used the cakes to make a tuna melt. Very good!!
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Every Last Bite — December 7, 2021 @ 6:08 pm Reply
That sounds incredible!
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Liz — April 15, 2022 @ 1:01 am Reply
Wow! These tuna cakes are delicious. Everyone in my family loved them.
Thank you for sharing the recipe! -
Melina — July 6, 2022 @ 2:39 pm Reply
Hi! What changes would you make if I were to use mackerel in brine? Thx :))
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LouAnn Sibley — December 21, 2022 @ 9:49 am Reply
No oil, egg or or frying in any oil! I use a little mayo and Kraft Parmesian cheese and I used 1 piece of oatmeal toast to add. Blend the dry crumbs in your small drink mixer. Bake them at 350* on parchment paper.
Less unnecessary additional calories.
Turned out great! I’m a nurse and my husband is a physician. Works out great and he wants them to grab and run!! These make 15 hour days as a physician alot easier.
Poor guy doesn’t even have time to eat them . . . He brings them home to eat them and collapses!!! -
June — February 9, 2023 @ 7:02 pm Reply
These were delicious, I would use other fish i.e., crustaceans as well.
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Carol — April 20, 2023 @ 3:55 pm Reply
Can I add diced celery to these patties without them falling apart
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Alta — May 2, 2023 @ 4:04 pm Reply
Cn these be baked instead of fried?
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Leanne Brantner — September 10, 2023 @ 6:23 pm Reply
I do not see any ingredients or the recipe itself. I see just a picture and then the instructions only.
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Ashley M — January 25, 2024 @ 7:31 pm Reply
This recipe is insanely delicious! I used spelt flour instead of almond flour and they were perfect.
