Savory and spicy, these Stovetop Tuna Patties make for a delicious light bite. Make the Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce for the perfect cool and creamy compliment to these tuna cakes. And even if you’re not craving tuna right now, just try them for something new in your meal rotation, you won’t regret it!
These spicy tuna patties are quick and simple, taking less than 30 minutes start to finish. Not to mention, they’re gluten free and the cilantro lime sauce can easily be made dairy free. What’s not to love about an easy and healthy meal?!
While this is my first tuna recipe on the blog, I have made some rather delicious Cilantro Ginger Crab Cakes. Served with a creamy lemon butter sauce. one bite of these tender & gluten free crab cakes will have you coming back for more!
Ingredients in Stovetop Tuna Patties
Olive Oil – My go-to oil for any stovetop cooking, a high quality olive oil creates great sizzle and flavor!
Red Onion – Adds a nice bite to these tuna patties, feel free to substitute shallot a lighter onion such as white.
Jalapeño – Bringing some heat into the mix, adding fresh chopped jalapeños is a game changer for a little extra spice.
Carrots – Shredded carrots are the perfect way to sneak some more vegetables into these tuna patties and adds great texture.
Tuna – The texture and consistency of canned tuna is needed for these patties to work. I suggest using a higher quality brand for optimal flavor, texture, and health (in regards to low mercury tuna). I’ll share my favorites below!
Eggs – Act as a binding agent for these tuna patties and holds them together while cooking.
Breadcrumbs – Use whatever type you have available, I used gluten free because that’s what I had but regular or panko would work just as well. My favorite gluten free breadcrumbs are these Aleia’s Gluten Free Plain Breadcrumbs.
Mayo – Adds moisture, flavor, and also helps to hold the tuna patties together. I love the brand Primal Kitchen for mayo (it’s made with avocado oil!) but any brand will work.
How to Make Tuna Patties:
- Heat a large saute pan to medium and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add red onion, jalapeno, garlic, and shredded carrots. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until onions are translucent and have softened. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the drained tuna and use a fork to break into small pieces. Add 2 eggs and stir together until evenly combined.
- Add remaining ingredients – cooked vegetables, breadcrumbs, mayo, cilantro, scallion, and kosher salt to the large mixing bowl. Stir together until smooth.
- Form into 3” wide circular patties that are ~1” thick. You should get ~12-13 patties.
- To the same large saute pan used to cook the vegetables, add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and heat to medium low. Add patties and cook for 3-5 minutes per side (cooking in batches as needed), or until browned on both sides.
- While patties are cooking, add all ingredients for the cilantro lime dipping sauce to a bowl and whisk together until smooth.
- Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and enjoy!
Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce
This Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce is a hidden gem of a recipe. It’s one of those sauces that once you make, you’ll start craving it with everything. While it pairs wonderfully with these spicy tuna patties, I’d also recommend it as a veggie/chip dip, on a sandwich, or for any other dipping needs!
The base is full fat greek yogurt, making for a creamy dip with a bit of tang to it. Then the real flavors come from the mayo, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, and salt. I love how the cool and herby flavors of this sauce compliment the spicy and savory flavors of the tuna patties. A match made for each other!
If you can’t have dairy, try substituting the full fat greek yogurt for a vegan alternative. Just make sure it’s unsweetened, plain and the thicker the better for texture. The most similar swap is probably the KiteHill vegan greek yogurt otherwise Forager Project also makes a cashew milk yogurt, as does most large retail stores!
Best Canned Tuna
As a pescatarian, I eat a lot of fish for added protein. Because of that, I like to buy high quality brands with sustainable sourcing. Cue the canned tuna, something with a lot of hype around it!
Canned tuna has a reputation for speculation because of high mercury levels and the inhumane sourcing practices by many of the original tuna fish brands. Thankfully we live in a time that pressures brands to practice more sustainable and humane ways of catching tuna. Not only is that good for the fish, but it also ensures we get higher quality product with lower mercury levels. A win win situation!
A few of my go-to brands for canned tuna include Wild Planet, American Tuna, and any of the Whole Foods brand canned tuna offerings!
What To Serve with Tuna Patties
While these spicy tuna patties are delicious and filling on their own, they also pair very well with a few of my favorite recipes. Try serving these patties as a protein add-on to a tasty salad or side dish, makes everything even tastier!
Kale and Quinoa Salad – Fluffy quinoa, massaged kale, and quick pickled apple slices are the star of this salad brimming with fresh flavor and great textures. A homemade salad dressing is the perfect creamy compliment but could also be subbed out for this cilantro lime dipping sauce.
Healthy Avocado Pasta Salad – Soft pasta, sauteed corn and onion, fresh tomatoes, and chopped cilantro are coated in a creamy vegan avocado dressing. The result is a fresh and light summer pasta salad bursting with flavor! Toss a tuna patty or two atop this and boom, a delicious + healthy meal.
If you try any of these recipes, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you and it helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Spicy Stovetop Tuna Patties 🙂
Ingredients
Tuna Patties:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small red onion chopped fine
- 1 jalapeno chopped fine
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 3, 5 oz cans tuna drained
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup gf breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup mayo
- ½ cup cilantro chopped fine
- 1 scallion sliced thin
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Olive oil or avocado oil for frying
Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce
- ¾ cup full fat greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp mayo
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped fine
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp lime zest
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Heat a large saute pan to medium and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add red onion, jalapeno, garlic, and shredded carrots. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until onions are translucent and have softened. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the drained tuna and use a fork to break into small pieces. Add 2 eggs and stir together until evenly combined.
- Add remaining ingredients – cooked vegetables, breadcrumbs, mayo, cilantro, scallion, and kosher salt. Stir together until smooth.
- Form into 3” wide circular patties that are ~1” thick. You should get ~12-13 patties.
- To the same large saute pan used to cook the vegetables, add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and heat to medium low. Add patties and cook for 3-5 minutes per side (cooking in batches as needed), or until browned on both sides.
- While patties are cooking, add all ingredients for the cilantro lime dipping sauce to a bowl and whisk together until smooth.
- Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and enjoy!
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Hello Just them tuna Pattie’s with the dipping sauce and it was delicious 👌👌👌👌Thanks for sharing the recipe😍
So happy you loved this, Neel! Thanks for leaving a review!!! – Casey