Lemon Garlic Tuna Cakes are the best and easy patties made with canned tuna, lemon juice and zest, garlic, onion, breadcrumbs, eggs, mayo and shredded Parmesan. Quick and delicious tuna cakes for lunch or light dinner!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I am all about easy lunches and light dinners but only if they have lots of flavor. The garlic-lemon combo is definitely one of my favorites to use. My Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken is so delicious, I wanted to make another dish with this flavor pair. I know it works great with vegetables, like my Lemon Garlic Roasted Potatoes. This time, I added it to my best easy tuna cakes. They were a huge hit! Best tuna cakes I've ever made!
These Lemon Garlic Tuna Cakes can be made ahead of time or even frozen after frying. They are a great option for a delicious lunch or a light dinner. Serve with tartar sauce, simple aioli, or in a sandwich. The combination of garlic and lemon gives these tuna cakes plenty of flavor. Coating lightly in breading before frying makes them moist inside and crispy on the outside.
Ingredients:
- tuna: from a can, drained from the water;
- bread crumbs: they help ingredients to bind and keep the cakes moist;
- onion and garlic: add flavor;
- lemon zest: the best way to add citrus flavor to a dish;
- egg: necessary for the ingredients to bind and prevent the cakes from falling apart;
- Parmesan cheese: adds cheesy flavor;
- seasoning: salt, pepper.
How to make tuna cakes?
- Start by draining canned tuna from water. I use a small colander to do that.
- Next, mix it with a large egg, breadcrumbs, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, and dried parsley.
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- Combine the remaining breadcrumbs and grated cheese in a shallow dish. Scoop ¼ cup of tuna mixture, form into a patty, and lightly coat with the breading mixture.
- Fry the cakes in a pan with oil, until nicely browned on each side. Remove from pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with spinach or other greens, an additional lemon wedge, or even simple aioli.
How to make them crispy?
My secret to making these delicious tuna cakes crispy on the outside is to lightly coat them in breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese mixture. It makes the cakes moist inside and perfectly crispy on the outside.
What to serve with tuna cakes?
These tuna cakes are very flavorful thanks to the citrus and garlic, but if you want to dip them or drizzle them with a creamy sauce, you can make aioli by whisking together mayonnaise with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a dash of hot sauce. You can also use my homemade Tartar Sauce.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! It's great to make a larger batch of tuna cakes, cook (or bake), and cool completely. Then arrange them on a large baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Next, remove them from the sheet and place in a ziploc bag. Seal well by squeezing out as much air as possible. Label the bags and place them in a freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Yes, tuna cakes can be prepared and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. They make for a quick and easy lunch or light dinner on a busy day.
Yes, these tuna cakes can be easily cooked in the oven. Simply arrange prepared tuna cakes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in 375 degrees F oven for about 18 to 20 minutes.
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If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Lemon Garlic Tuna Cakes recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz. tuna in water two 5 ounce cans; well drained
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- ¼ cup finely chopped white onion
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 4 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
Instructions
- Start by draining canned tuna from water. I use a small colander to do that.
- Next, combine it with garlic, onion, salt and pepper, lemon juice and zest, egg, breadcrumbs, mayo, ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese and dried parsley. Mix well.
- Combine remaining breadcrumbs and grated cheese in a shallow dish. Scoop ¼ cup of tuna mixture, form into a patty and lightly coat with breading mixture.
- Fry cake in pan with oil, until nicely browned on each side. Remove from pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with spinach or other greens, additional lemon wedge or even simple aioli.
Notes
- To freeze: cook (or bake) and cool completely. Then arrange on a large baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Next, remove from the sheet and place in a ziploc bag. Seal well by squeezing out as much air as possible. Label the bags and place in a freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat before serving.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
Rayan de Graaf says
These lemon garlic tuna cakes are fantastic. They’re flavorful, light, and perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. Highly recommended.
Cindy O says
I made these last night as dinner size patties. I did place in fridge after coating in breadcrumbs to help firm them up. Question: in the ingredients, it has 2 T olive oil 'divided' yet in the instructions there is nowhere mentioning how it is being used other than pan frying?
These came out tasty and I served with a lemon garlic horseradish aioli. Thank you for sharing.