Tuna cakes are one of those dishes that my mother used to make. My siblings and I didn’t exactly look forward to them. Don’t get me wrong. My mom was a very good cook, and she inspired me in countless ways. But for this dish, she used canned tuna and celery. The tuna cakes she made were so dry that you had to slice them open and spread them with butter.
I think the idea of buying and eating fresh tuna at that time was a foreign concept. Though my siblings and I ate my mother’s tuna cakes without complaint (okay maybe a few), I have always thought that this family staple could be made better by using fresh ahi tuna and some simple herbs and spices. My theory proved correct. One bite of these simple, flavorful patties will transport you to a dockside restaurant on the east coast. They are light yet satisfying, and we accented them with a tangy sauce to complement the flavor of the tuna. If made a little larger, they would make a great meal served on a bun with a little fresh tomato and lettuce.
Jackie never had the privilege of trying my mom’s tuna cakes, but I sure wish she had. I am certain that she would have eaten them with a smile on her face, because that’s the kind of person she is. I love to share stories of my mother through my food. I have so many great memories of her; she is the reason I enjoy cooking and am passionate about food. I think she, of all people, would really love this new version of her classic dish.
- 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
- Cilantro
- Fresh lime
- Olive oil
- For the sauce:
- ¼ c cocktail sauce
- ½ c mayonnaise
- Tsp fresh lime juice
- 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 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 tbsp 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
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!
thanks so much for your feedback Chantal! We are so happy you and your hubby enjoyed it! Yay!
K & J
thanks so much Lisa!! We are so excited that you tried and liked our recipe!! Love your additions as well!
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.
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.
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!!
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