Tuna Patties, made with fresh ahi tuna, are light, juicy, and packed with flavor. This quick, healthy meal is one you'll make on repeat-especially with a tangy dipping sauce on the side.
Not your average tuna patties
A fresh take on the tuna patties I grew up with: juicier, lighter, and packed with flavor.
Tuna Patties were a regular at my childhood dinner table. But truth be told, I didn't love them. My mom made them with canned tuna and celery, and they were so dry we'd slice them open and slather them with butter just to get them down.
Years later, I decided to reimagine that humble dish. This tuna patties recipe is everything I wish we had back then: moist, flavorful, and made with fresh, sushi-grade ahi tuna. Like our Tuna Salad Sandwich and Crab Cakes, using fresh ingredients makes all the difference.
They come together quickly, feel light and healthy, and pair perfectly with a spoonful of No Mayo Coleslaw. Jackie never had my mom's version, but I know she'd appreciate the heart behind it. Recipes like this keep me connected to where I come from. And that's the best part about cooking.
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Ingredients
- AHI TUNA: fresh ahi tuna steaks (yellow fin tuna steaks)
- CRACKERS: cracker crumbs (we like Club crackers or Ritz crackers)
- SEAFOOD SEASONING: we like Old Bay Seasoning
- SALT: kosher salt or sea salt
- PEPPER: course ground black pepper
- EGG: large egg or extra large egg
- CILANTRO: fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- LIME: fresh squeezed lime juice
- OLIVE OIL: use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford
*see recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Top tip
Don't over mix. Make sure to keep larger pieces of tuna in the mix for optimum flavor.
Instructions
- Dice Tuna: Dice tuna into ¼" pieces and place in a mixing bowl
- Add Fresh Lime Juice: Squeeze juice from one fresh lime wedge onto tuna
- Add Seasoning: Salt and pepper tuna, and mix in old bay seasoning
- Crush Crackers: crush crackers and cilantro. Mix to an oatmeal consistency (you want some larger pieces)
- Wish the Egg: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Add to tuna.
- Add Cracker Crumbs: combine cracker crumbs with tuna and mix together (it will look wet, don't worry the crackers will absorb the liquid).
- Refrigerate Tuna Mixture: Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes
- Make the Dipping Sauce: Mix ¼ cup cocktail sauce with ½ cup mayonnaise. Add fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 1 teaspoon) to taste.
- Prepare the Pan: Heat a sauté pan over medium high and add tablespoon olive oil
- Make Tuna Patties: divide tuna mixture into 3 equal parts. Form into balls and lightly smash to flatten top and bottom
- Cook the Tuna Patties: place in sauté pan and cook over medium high heat for 2 minutes, turn over and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Serve: serve with fresh lime and drizzle with dipping sauce
Featured review
❝ Every time I make these, I want to thank you! Each time we grill ahi, we grill extra just for tuna cakes. ❞
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Variations
- Tuna Burger: make a larger sized patty. Serve it on a bun with fresh tomato & lettuce for an out of this world, healthier burger
- Salad: Serve patties on a bed of greens for an easy, gluten free meal. The sauce makes a great tasting dressing.
- Tacos: serve them in tortillas or use our Tuna Tacos recipe
- Spice it Up: add some Sriracha or hot sauce to the tuna mixture and or the sauce to spice things up.
Storage
- STORE leftover cooked patties in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- FREEZE uncooked patties by wrapping them individually in plastic wrap or a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before cooking.
- REHEAT patties in a sautée pan with a little olive oil.
- MAKE AHEAD: Shape the patties up to a day in advance and store them in the fridge until ready to cook.
FAQ
Tuna patties typically include tuna (fresh or canned), breadcrumbs or crackers, eggs, and seasonings. We use fresh sushi-grade ahi tuna for unbeatable flavor and texture.
Fresh, sushi-grade ahi tuna (yellowfin or bigeye) gives the best results-clean flavor, tender texture, and a big upgrade from canned. Bluefin works too if you can find it!
Yes! Canned tuna works in a pinch-but fresh ahi really elevates this recipe. It gives a juicier texture and cleaner taste.
Use the right ratio of egg and crackers. Chill the patties for 15-30 minutes before cooking. This helps them stay firm and hold their shape in the pan.
Yes! You can shape the patties up to a day in advance and store them in the fridge. Or freeze them uncooked for up to 3 months-just thaw before cooking.
Absolutely. Panko breadcrumbs are a great substitute and give the patties a light, crispy texture.
Serve them with cilantro lime rice, roasted vegetables, or a crunchy slaw. We love them with our No Mayo Coleslaw or Baby Broccoli, plus a simple dipping sauce.
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Tuna Patties recipe
Tuna Patties, made with fresh Ahi tuna, are light, juicy, and packed with flavor. A quick, healthy meal you'll want to make on repeat.
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 3 cakes 1x
Ingredients
For the tuna patties:
- 8 oz fresh ahi tuna
- ½ C cracker crumbs (we used a club crackers )
- 1 tbsp old bay seafood seasoning
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp Cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
For the dipping sauce:
- ¼ c cocktail sauce
- ½ c mayonnaise
- Tsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Dice tuna into ¼" pieces and place in a mixing bowl
- Squeeze one fresh lime wedge onto tuna
- Salt and pepper tuna, and mix in old bay seasoning
- Crush crackers and cilantro and mix to an oatmeal consistency (you want some larger pieces)
- In a separate bowl, scramble the egg and add to tuna.
- Combine cracker crumbs with tuna and mix together (it will look wet, don't worry the crackers will absorb the liquid).
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes
- Heat a sauté pan over medium high and add tablespoon olive oil
- Divide tuna mixture into 3 equal parts and form into balls and lightly smash to flatten top and bottom
- Place in sauté pan and cook over medium high heat for 2 minutes, turn over and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Serve with fresh lime and drizzle with tuna sauce
Notes
- Don't over mix: make sure to keep larger pieces of tuna in the mix for optimum flavor.
- Make ahead: Shape the patties up to a day in advance and store them in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Appetizer or sandwich
- Cuisine: Seafood
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake
- Calories: 527
- Sugar: 5.4 g
- Sodium: 1551.6 mg
- Fat: 41.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.3 g
- Protein: 21.6 g
- Cholesterol: 109.1 mg
chantal says
Tried this recipe last night and it was delicious! Made some modifications with what we had on hand. Used Chicken in a Biscuit crackers, added minced onions, cilantro and green onions (Next time I will add red bell pepper). For the mayo sauce, added sriracha and balanced with sugar for a nice kick. Cooked in a cast iron, the outside was nice and crunchy while the inside was moist. My husband absolutely loved it!
Jackie says
thanks so much for your feedback Chantal! We are so happy you and your hubby enjoyed it! Yay!
K & J
Jackie says
thanks so much Lisa!! We are so excited that you tried and liked our recipe!! Love your additions as well!
Sarah says
Made these last night. I didn't have cilantro on hand, but I did add parsley and used whole wheat Club crackers. The sauce was good, but I think next time I will add a dash of tobasco for a little kick. They were AMAZING with a spring salad.
Sherry says
These were delicious! I added onion, red pepper and some jalapeño. I used Ritz crackers and parsley because I didn't have cilantro. I will make them again soon.
Jackie says
thanks so much Sherry!! We are SO EXCITED that you stopped by and were able to try this recipe. Next time add the cilantro! You won't regret it!!
Juliette Gilbert says
This was delicious and very easy. I kept the recipe as it was and served with a mixed salad.
Jackie says
Thanks for stopping by Juliette!
We are so happy you enjoyed the Tuna cakes. This is one of our family favorites! We love serving them with a salad too!!
Trey says
Great use of my leftover seared ahi tuna. However, the direction to scramble, rather than whisk or best the egg confused me in my hurry to ready dinner.
Next time, I will whisk the eggs before adding to the mix. Evem still, a delicious recipe, somewhat reminicent of some Spanish tapas recipes.
Trey
andrea says
just tried these and they turned out great! i did add another egg and some milk because i had a cooked tuna steak that i used in stead of fresh and it was really dry. used ritz style crackers, and it was delish.
Keith says
Thanks so much!! The way you made them sound great too!!
Beth says
Every time I make these, I want to thank you! Each time we grill ahi, we grill extra just for tuna cakes.
I add minced onion and use panko instead of crackers. Then we top them with avocado crema: a mixture of a smashed avocado, plain greek yogurt, lime juice, and cayenne...simultaneously cool and hot. Fabulous!
Jackie says
Beth, this is the nicest thing to read!!! THANK YOU so much for your kind words! We are so happy that you are enjoying our food!!
Love the topping ideas too!!!
Sheryl says
Made these tonight. My ahi tuna was already cooked so I added an extra egg, added some chopped onion and I didn’t have lime so I substituted lemon juice and zest. They were delicious!!
Jackie says
We are SO HAPPY you enjoined them Sheryl!! Your kind words mean a lot to us!!
Jordan says
Delicious.
Jordan says
Delicious. Will make again.
Patty says
Can I make this ahead of time?
Jackie says
Hi Patty,
thanks for stopping by! Yes, you can make this ahead of time, but not too far ahead. We recommend making it the same day or the day before to maximize the flavor. Please let us know how it turns out!
Donna says
Can I freeze these?
Jackie says
Hi Donna,
thanks for stopping by! Yes, you can make these ahead and freeze them, but they may be a little drier than when served fresh. Please let us know how they turn out!
Joanna says
As a person who does not really like the taste of tuna, this exceeded all expectations ! Definitely a staple dish in my household from now on. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
Jackie says
Thank you Joanna! This makes our day! We are so happy you like it as much as we do!!
Neal says
Made tonight, added sautéed celery and onion for crunch, used ritz crackers, cooked cast iron crispy outside moist delicious inside. Used dressing with a cool salad
Jackie says
Thank you so much for sharing Neal! We are so happy you liked them!!
Karen says
How much cilantro and when do you add it?
Keith says
Thanks Karen for catching our mistake. I corrected the recipe. I added the cilantro to the mix with the cracker crumbs. I hope you enjoy them. Be on the lookout for some re-launched pictures in the near future. This was one of our oldest recipes and we want to re-make and update the photos.
Shannon says
We LOVE this recipe. Living in Okinawa, we catch a lot of tuna and it’s difficult to find recipes. The only thing I changed was I used Zatarans seasoning instead of Old Bay. We love Yum Yum sauce with this too. ❤️
Jackie says
Thank you so much Shannon!!
This makes our whole day!!! We are so excited that you like the recipe as much as we do, and we are definitely going to try it with Yum Yum sauce!! Great idea!
Diana says
My husband always buys too much Ahi for just the two of us, and this was a perfect solution for the leftovers. I actually had to double the recipe. I added wasabi to the sauce - and next time will add some onion and maybe a little celery to tuna. It was delicious, so thank you for this recipe! Will definitely be a staple in our kitchen.
Jackie says
This is so great to hear Diana! Wasabi sounds like a great addition! We are so happy you stopped by!!
Heather says
My friend has been fishing a ton recently and he was so generous that I had fresh caught ahí tuna coming out of my ears. Even moreso because none of my children will eat fish. At least, not until I made this recipe. I was making lunch for myself and my oldest son thought it smelled so good while cooking that he tried it. And he really liked it! He's 17 years old and never willing to try fish until THIS RECIPE! I can't thank you enough.
Jackie says
Thank you so much Heather! This makes our day!! We love this recipe too, and can tell you that it has also worked for us to get teenagers to eat fish! Hooray! We are so jealous that you have a supply of fresh Ahi tuna at your house!! Thank you for taking the time to write to us. Cheers!
Sandra says
Delicious! A keeper recipe!
Jackie says
Thanks so much Sandra!! We are so happy to hear that you love our Tuna Cakes as much as we do!!
Cathy Ward says
In What kind of oil do you fry them? I am definitely making this with my leftover Poke tuna. My guests who LOVE sushi could not get their heads around cubed raw tuna.
Keith says
Thanks so much for the comment, we use canola oil, however a vegetable, olive or avocado oil would work well also. Let us know how you like them.
Terese says
Tried this recipe tonight and it was fabulous. I was looking for other ways to prepare tuna since we have a freezer full from a successful fishing trip in Mexico! My husband wanted to make sure I kept this recipe! I did follow other remarks and added sauteed onion and jalapeno - then I added a little bit of sriracha to the sauce and served it with cilantro lime rice. So so good, thank you for sharing.
Jackie says
Terese,
This makes our day! This is one of our favorite recipes, and we are so happy you and your family enjoy it as much as we do. We love the addition of jalapeńo + sriracha! Thank you so much for your kind words.
Kerry says
Excellent flavor. Great ingredients. I followed the recipe as closely as I am ever able (which means the same ingredients in almost the same amounts. I did substitute parsley for cilantro because my husband doesn't eat cilantro. I also adjusted the old bay to accommodate a touch of Cajun seasoning. The patties cooked perfectly as described. Next time I will omit the pinch of salt because they were too salty. But between the tuna cakes and the sauce, they were a great dinner. Thanks!
Jackie says
Thanks so much Kerry! We are so happy you like this recipe as much as we do. Love the adjustment to cajun seasoning! We'll definitely be trying this!