As part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias I created a recipe for tuna cakes, a healthy lunch or dinner, using Ocean Naturals Wild tuna.
I love a good tuna salad sandwich and I always keep my pantry stocked with tuna, but I’ll be honest, I forget about using it! When I got the chance to try this wild skipjack tuna from Oceans Naturals, I immediately craved two things: a tuna salad sandwich and tuna cakes. Since nobody really needs a recipe for tuna salad, I thought I’d create a healthy lunch or dinner recipe for tuna cakes.
But first things first, let’s talk more about the nutrition in tuna before we get to the recipe. Tuna is a high source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids and is naturally low in fat and carbohydrates. Even better, Ocean Naturals clearly lists the species of fish on each package and only uses ingredients you can pronounce. No fillers or additives- just fish packed in water or oil. Another bonus is that Oceans Naturals tuna is sustainably and ethically caught. It had a great flavor, no “canned” fishy taste.
I added some spices, greek yogurt, egg and panko for binding and pan fried them in a little olive oil. I thought they’d be nice over some greens but they needed a dressing or sauce of sorts so I made a lemon caper sauce using mostly Greek yogurt. They were delicious and a great way to enjoy canned tuna- fresh, light and perfect for a healthy meal. The leftovers were great warmed up in the microwave served with that yummy, tangy sauce.
I will be making these again soon.
Ocean Naturals Tuna gives away free product every Tuesday so you have a chance to win when you visit their facebook page.
Oh and one last thing that I though was pretty awesome, you can actually learn more about who caught the fish you are eating and where it came from by visiting the Ocean Naturals website and entering the code from your can of tuna.
This is what I found after entering the code from my tuna can….
How cool is that? Try some Ocean Naturals next time you pick up canned tuna. It’s good, good for you and good for the planet!
- 2 6-ounce cans Ocean Naturals skipjack tuna, rinsed and drained
- 2 Tablespoons sliced scallions (~1 scallion)
- ¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon celery seed
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- pinch or two of salt
- 3 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup panko
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- juice from ½ fresh lemon
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil for pan-frying tuna cakes
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons mayonaise
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons drained capers, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- pinch of black pepper
- Drain tuna and add to a medium size bowl. Add all other ingredients through lemon juice to bowl and stir well to combine. Using a measuring cup, scoop out ¼ cup tuna mixture into your hands and gently form into a patty. Place on a plate until all patties are formed.
- Loosely cover plate and refrigerate at least 15 minutes.
- To cook tuna cakes, add 1 Tablespoon to a large non-stick skillet, cook on one side for ~3 minutes, gently flip and cook on other side for 2 minutes (5 minutes total). Add a little more olive oil and pan fry second batch.
- Serve warm with lemon caper dipping sauce or over a bed of mixed greens with sauce as the dressing.
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, serve with warm tuna cakes.
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf says
This looks delicious! And pretty straightforward to make. I do use canned tuna but mostly to make tuna salad or sometimes I just have tuna over a salad. Can’t wait to try these!
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted..Friday Round-Up: Don’t be afraid to ask for help
GiGi Eats Celebrities says
I just bought me a MUFFIN TIN – so now I can make TUNA MUFFINS! 😉 And hey, muffins are like mini cakes RIGHT!?! What could my tuna “frosting” be? lol
GiGi Eats Celebrities recently posted..We’re Getting Chili!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama says
I always forget about the canned tuna I buy too. These look great and so easy. Another winner Melanie!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama recently posted..Old School Blogging – November
Miz says
I LOVE THE CAKES—-Ive never dipped 🙂
it may be time to try.
Miz recently posted..KLOUT & the power of a tiny tribe.
Kierston @candyfit says
I absolutely LOVE tuna cakes, crab cakes, trout cakes. I like cake. 😉
Kierston @candyfit recently posted..The Groove, Accountability, Mindfulness and #RECIPEFRIDAY…
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says
Mmm, what a great idea! I eat tuna a lot but often forget about turning it into cakes. Yum!
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Brittany says
Yummy! I will be trying this!
Brittany recently posted..Greek Falafel and Vegan Tzaziki
the Candid RD says
These sound heavenly!!! And the ironic thing is that I my boss gave me this GIANT can of some of the best tuna I have ever tasted (no joke, it’s really delicious) and my mom and I wanted to make something special with it and we wanted capers but didn’t have any at the time…..we were so bummed! This recipe would have been perfected (and, it’s not too late, the can was like 3 pounds so we have leftover tuna…printing this pronto!).
the Candid RD recently posted..My Low-FODMAPs Kitchen Essentials
kim says
These looks great for a non-Thanksgiving lunch for family this weekend. Are there supposed to be capers in the dipping sauce?
Melanie Flinn, MS, RD says
Yes! I can’t believe no one else caught that. The capers are a must, thank you! Happy Thanksgiving Kim!
Sara Merritt says
These little tuna cakes look so delicious. Such a great alternative to the tuna sandwich!!
Sara Merritt recently posted..Feasts Around the World
Melanie Flinn, MS, RD says
Thanks Sara! They were definitely a nice change!
Kristin Wheeler (@MamaLuvsBooks) says
YUM! Those look great! Even as a party appetizer perhaps? #client