Tuna Patties are one of my family’s favorite dinners. Crispy on the outside and tender the inside, it’s a healthy meal in less than 30 minutes!
When you’ve had a busy day and don’t know what to make for dinner, I highly recommend these Lemon Dill Tuna Patties. They’ve become a staple in our house, and with good reason. It’s a healthy dinner on auto-pilot.
And it’s my way of getting some healthy fish into my kids without complaint. They love tuna salad and we make it often. But let’s face it, it’s not the most exciting meal in the world.
A few weeks ago, as I pulled out a few cans of tuna from the cupboard, I nearly put myself to sleep. The thought of just mashing up some tuna with some mayo and a sprinkle of salt and pepper bored me to tears. I needed to do something different with that flaky fish, just to shake things up a bit.
Enter these delicious tuna cakes. Or tuna burgers. Or tuna patties. Whatever you want to call them, they made our dinner more interesting and enjoyable.
Be sure to check out my recipe for Keto Crab Cakes too!
You will love this healthy recipe
We all need a few easy recipes in our repertoire that please the whole family. That’s no easy task for any of us with multiple children.
This tuna patties recipe checks all the boxes for my people. It’s ready in less than half an hour, it has wonderful flavor, and it’s incredibly healthy. With 23g of protein and only 2g of carbs per serving, I know I am getting good nutrition into all of us.
And it’s an incredibly versatile recipe too. Want to change up the flavors? Try adding some Tex Mex spices and cheddar cheese. You can cook them in a pan or in the air fryer. And you can make them a day or two in advance.
Ingredients you need
- Canned tuna: We get big packs of Wild Planet sustainable tuna at Costco, which we keep on hand at all times for easy meals.
- Almond flour: This acts gives the tuna patties some structure.
- Green onion: Fresh green onion adds flavor and color.
- Dill: I recommend fresh dill but if you only have dried, try 1 teaspoon.
- Lemon: This recipe uses both the zest of the lemon as well as some juice.
- Mayonnaise: Mayo adds moisture and a bit of tanginess.
- Eggs: Egg helps bind the tuna patties together.
- Pantry staples: Salt, pepper, cooking oil.
Step by Step Directions
1. Combine the ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except the avocado oil until well combined.
2. Form patties: Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Form each into patties about 3/4 inch thick.
3. Cook one side: In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the avocado oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add half of tuna patties and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Flip the patties: Carefully flip over and cook the other side another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining oil and patties.
5. Add toppings: Top with mayo, lemon, and capers, if desired.
Expert Tips
Make sure to drain the tuna very well. If the tuna patties have too much liquid, they will be more prone to falling apart.
A little almond flour helps give them more structure. If you need to be nut-free, try using some sunflower seed flour.
Form them firmly by hand into nice even patties about 3/4 inch thick. They shouldn’t be more than 3 to 4 inches in diameter. They are easier to flip when they aren’t too big.
I recommend a good non-stick skillet for this recipe. Flip the tuna patties carefully by wiggling your spatula underneath. Once they are cooked well on one side, they hold together nicely.
Don’t need 8 tuna cakes? You can easily make a half batch!
Frequently Asked Questions
Use both a little filler such as almond flour, as well as eggs, to bind the tuna patties together. Also be sure to keep them on the small side for easier flipping. You can wiggle a spatula underneath each patty and then carefully flip over.
These low carb Tuna Patties use almond flour and have only 2g carbs per serving.
Store the patties in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them for several months.
More healthy low carb fish recipes
Tuna Patties Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 5-ounce cans tuna, drained
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 medium green onions, chopped, white and light green parts only
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except the avocado oil until well combined.
- Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Form each into patties about 3/4 inch thick and place on a waxed paper lined tray.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the avocado oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add half of tuna patties and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Carefully flip over and cook the other side another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining oil and patties.
- Top with mayo, lemon, and capers, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
The taste is great..but mine keep falling apart should I add more flour 🙁
No, flour is going to make it more likely to fall apart. Perhaps another egg white?
Micro for 30 seconds defore browning.This will hold them together.
Just made these , they’re amazing!!! Thanks for the recipe
Just a quick question, so the 1/4 cup of Mayo goes into the mix or is it to put on the top of the patty after it’s cooked?
Thank you.
It goes in the mix.
I think I figured out my mistake. It’s 4 cans of tuna not 1 right? Luckily still turned out good.
Yes, it’s 4 cans.
Just made these. SO delicious! Definitely a keeper. One question, what should the texture be of the mix? I found mine sticky and a little challenging to hand form the patties although they still turned out delicious 🙂
Made these tonight with the Wild Planet tuna, which we always purchase. Delicious! Thank you!
do you think we can use coconut flour? we just ran out of almond flour!
Probably but only use about 1/3 the amount.
I made these last night for dinner. EASY and DELISH!!! Topped with garlic aoili, capers and lemon.
Coukd these be made ahead and frozen?
I would think so. Be sure to thaw fully before cooking.
I made these twice this week – so good! Thanks!!
Yaaay! I’m so glad I’ve found this recipe. I LOVE tuna patties!
These sound seriously so good, we cant get enough tuna around here. Must make!
Yeah these bad boys are so on my radar!!!! Lemon, dill and tuna….what’s not to love!
I bet my husband would love these tuna cakes!
How many ounces of tuna? I would like to use larger cans…
I used the 5 ounce cans. Some of that is water weight but I think it comes to about 4 ounces actual tuna per can.
Could this recipe be used for crab cakes, just subbing the tuna for real crab?
I would think so, yes. Make sure it’s well drained!