Tuna Cakes with Avocado and Cilantro Recipe
These Tuna Cakes are a healthy and delicious meal option featuring flaky wild-caught albacore tuna mixed with creamy avocado, fresh herbs, and whole wheat bread crumbs. Baked to perfection with a lightly crisp exterior and tender inside, these cakes are perfect served on whole wheat buns or a bed of greens with your favorite toppings like sliced avocado or Greek yogurt.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 medium ripe avocado (peeled and pitted)
- 10 ounces solid white albacore tuna in water (drained, preferably wild caught)
- ¼ cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (plus additional to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
To Serve
- Whole wheat hamburger buns (or toasted whole wheat bread, or a bed of mixed greens)
- Sliced avocado, cheese, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, cilantro, salsa (optional toppings)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, lightly mash the avocado until creamy but still a bit chunky. Add the drained tuna, seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs, finely chopped red onion, fresh cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice, hot sauce, garlic powder, kosher salt, and the large egg. Mix everything together until the ingredients are well combined, allowing some clumps for texture.
- Form Patties: Shape the mixture into 6 evenly sized patties. Make sure they hold together well but are not packed too tightly.
- Bake the Tuna Cakes: Arrange the patties evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Place them in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Flip and Continue Baking: Carefully flip each tuna cake and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the outsides are lightly crisped and the cakes are cooked through.
- Serve: Enjoy the tuna cakes warm. Serve them on toasted whole wheat buns, bread, or a bed of mixed greens. Add optional toppings like sliced avocado, cheese, plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, cilantro, or salsa as desired.
Notes
- For best flavor, use wild-caught solid white albacore tuna packed in water.
- Lightly mashing the avocado but keeping some texture helps bind the cakes without making them too mushy.
- Adjust hot sauce quantity based on your heat preference.
- To make gluten-free, substitute whole wheat bread crumbs with gluten-free bread crumbs.
- These cakes can be cooked on a nonstick skillet over medium heat if you prefer frying instead of baking.
