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If you love seafood and worry that cooking with fish is hard – this one is for you. A delicious and nutritious lunch or light dinner option, these canned tuna fish cakes are one to add to your arsenal. Using simple and readily available ingredients, this one is ready and on the table in just 30 minutes.
Tuna cakes are super easy and really delicious. The best part is that you can easily adapt the recipe with different herbs and spices to make them your own. Want zingy? Add citrus. Fancy some heat? Throw in those chillies.
Ingredients
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Olive oil (extra virgin)
- Garlic
- Curry leaves
- Paprika
- Sea salt
- Tuna MSC certified sustainable
- Egg
- Fresh coriander (cilantro)
Healthy benefits of tuna fish
Adding tuna to your diet will not only offer tremendous meal options, but also nutritional benefits. Tuna has an impressive content of lean protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants – without much saturated fat or sodium. It’s also a descent source of healthy omega 3s! These anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce blood pressure and play a critical role in heart health. What’s interesting is that, potassium, found in tuna, is a vasodilator and is very good for lowering blood pressure too.
Whether you add it to salads, sandwiches or make them into fish cakes you know you’re getting heaps of nutritional value. We like to serve them with a dip or chutney.
Whether you put them in a sandwich, shape them like sausages, or roll them up in a leafy green or wholegrain wrap – the meal options are endless.
Healthy for you and healthy for the planet too!
There’s a great guide here on different types of tuna and what they’re used for. When buying tuna (fresh or canned), ensure it comes from a wild and sustainable source – such as MSC Blue Fish Label.
How to make healthy tuna fish cakes
Mash potatoes
- Wash and boil potatoes in water for 15-20 mins. The potatoes should be completely submerged in water
Pan-fry spices
- Peel and dice onions and crush garlic. In a medium pan, heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil and fry curry leaves, garlic and onions. Cook until the onions are soft and lightly golden.
- Add paprika and salt. Cook for 1 minute, turn off heat and allow mixture to cool slightly.
Cakes
- In a bowl, beat egg and set aside
- Place cooked potatoes in cold water to cool. Remove skin and mash
- Add tuna, onion-spice mixture and cilantro. Mix thoroughly
- Shape 14 round flattened cakes and set aside
- Heat oil in a pan. Dip cutlets in the egg and fry on both sides until golden and crispy.
Substitution do
Although I love using canned tuna for this recipe, you can easily replace it with salmon or crab, which would also work well.
Tips
- You can prep these tuna cakes in advance and keep them covered in the fridge until ready to cook
- Adjust the spices to your liking
- Fresh cilantro can be replaced with parsley or basil if preferred
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days
- You can also freeze these for up to 1 month
More Easy Recipes You Might Like:
I’m excited to hear about your experience with this tasty tuna cakes recipe without breadcrumbs! Let me know how it goes by leaving a comment, rating it, or sharing an image on social media tagged #desiliciousrd. I can’t wait to see all of your photos!
Get the Recipe:
Canned Tuna Fish Cakes
Ingredients
- 10 potato, 590 g, small, washed
- 6 cups water, boiling potatoes
- 2 onion, medium, diced
- 4.5 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed (1.5 tsp)
- 1/2 tbsp curry leaves
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 2 cans tuna, MSC certified, drained
- 1 egg
- 1 handful coriander, fresh, finely chopped
Instructions
Mash potatoes
- Wash and boil potatoes in water for 15-20 mins. The potatoes should be completely submerged in water
Fried spices
- Peel and dice onions and crush garlic. In medium pan, heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil and fry curry leaves, garlic and onions. Cook until onions are soft and lightly golden
- Add paprika and salt. Cook for 1 minute, turn off heat and allow mixture to cool slightly
Cutlets
- In a bowl, beat egg and set aside
- Place cooked potatoes in cold water to cool. Remove skin and mash
- Add tuna, onion-spice mixture and cilantro. Mix thoroughly
- Shape 14 round flattened cutlets and set aside
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in large pan. Dip 7 cutlets in the egg and fry on both sides until golden and crispy. Add 1 tbsp of oil as needed and repeat with remaining the 7 cutlets.
Notes
- You can prep these tuna cakes in advance and keep covered in the fridge until ready to cook
- Adjust the spices to your liking
- Fresh cilantro can be replaced with parsley or basil if preferred
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days
- You can also freeze these for up to 3 months
Nutrition Information:
Keep in mind that the nutritional values provided are approximations and suggestions, and might fluctuate depending on ingredient variations, portion sizes, and recipe adjustments. This nutrition facts table cannot account for your individual needs. Your body — including your hunger and satiety cues — change daily. It’s perfectly fine to eat more or less on different days. Instead of letting food guilt take over, consider mindful eating.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried these yummy cakes last week and absolutely loved them! Such an easy recipe for busy work days 🤤 Looking forward to trying many more! xxx
Yay, am delighted to hear that, Queenie! We love these as lunchbox fillers:) xx
I absolutely love this idea!!! My goodness I do this with canned salmon but never thought to use tuna!! Sometimes the simplest, wonderful things are right in front of us!!
thank you!
Yay! that’s awesome to hear, Lisa! Yes, simple all the way! great idea with salmon too;)