For a filling and protein rich meal, these Easy Tuna Patties with Spicy Aioli do the trick. They're made with tuna, crackers, and lemon juice, and are topped with a zesty and spicy homemade aioli sauce!

A Quick Look

Recipe Name: Easy Tuna Patties with Spicy Aioli
Ready In: 20 minutes
Serves: 8 cakes
Main Ingredients: Tuna Cakes, tuna, garlic, finely chopped onion, egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chopped cilantro or parsley
Why You'll Love It: For a filling and protein rich meal, these Easy Tuna Patties with Spicy Aioli do the trick. They're made with tuna, crackers, and lemon juice, and are topped with a zesty and spicy homemade aioli sauce!

A filling and satisfying nutritious entree

Looking for a protein-rich entree filled with flavor and zest, I decided to create something with a bit of extra oomph. I decided to make tuna the main part of this recipe thanks to its high protein, vitamin, and mineral content. Plus, I don't cook with it nearly enough!

I did some experimenting, and lo and behold, easy tuna patties with spicy aioli turned out to be one of my favorite tuna recipes I've ever created. It's tangy, juicy, and delicious, and even comes with a homemade spicy aioli sauce to eat with each and every bite!

This dish is easy to make but feels absolutely gourmet. Your friends and family will love it, and will probably wind up questioning whether you secretly went to culinary school behind their backs.

Ingredients used to make easy tuna patties with spicy aioli

These tuna patties with aioli are made of two parts. First, we will make the cakes with a combination of tuna, spices, mayo, lemon juice, and breadcrumbs. Then, we'll make the delicious aioli sauce with Greek yogurt, sriracha, and more lemon juice!

Tuna cakes:

Tuna
Garlic
Onion
Egg
Mayonnaise
Lemon juice
Cilantro or parsley
Salt
Pepper
Crackers or breadcrumbs*
Avocado or olive oil

*I used almond flour crackers and pulsed them in my food processor until fine.

Aioli:

Greek yogurt
Sriracha
Lemon juice
Salt

Kitchen tools needed for this recipe

You will need a handful of items to make this recipe, but nothing too crazy. Grab a few mixing bowls, a skillet, a couple of utensils, and dive in!

Large mixing bowl
Stirring utensil
Large skillet
Spatula
Small mixing bowl
Whisk

As far as measurements go, you'll need the following sizes: ½ tsp, 1 tbsp, ¼ cup, and ½ cup.

How to make tuna patties with spicy aioli

This recipe begins by mixing all of the tuna cake ingredients and then frying 'em up on the stove. After that, we'll dive into creating the lemon zesty sauce to go on top!

In a large bowl, mix all of the tuna cake ingredients until everything is very well combined. You should be able to form the mixture into patties.

With about ⅓ cup of the mixture, form a patty. Repeat until you've used all of the mix.

Heat a large skillet on the stove with the cooking oil.

Once hot, place the patties in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they reach a golden brown color.

Flip and do the same thing on the other side. Remove from the heat once cooked.

While cooking, prepare the aioli by mixing all of the ingredients together.

Serve and enjoy!

Tuna making tips

Here are some quick tips and FAQs regarding this recipe and the cooking process!

Tuna patties are falling apart
If you find that your patties won't stay bound, make sure that your tuna is in very small pieces. Additionally, be sure to cook on medium-low.

When is the meat fully cooked
The tuna patties are fully cooked when they reach a temperature of 125-140F (125F being medium-rare). They should be cooked when both sides reach a golden brown color, though you can check the temperature to be sure.

What is aioli?
If you're a fan of Mediterranean dishes, you've probably had your fair share of aioli. But if you're not as familiar with the cuisine, you may be wondering what it is! Aioli is made of olive oil, garlic, and salt, and is used as a sauce for eating alongside other dishes. Eat it with sandwiches, wraps, or tuna patties. We, of course, will be spicing ours up with sriracha!

Storing easy tuna patties with spicy aioli
Though I personally find this dish to taste best fresh off the stove, it can be stored for 2-3 days. Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. The same goes for the aioli!

Is tuna good for you?

The short answer is yes! If you're looking for lean options that are rich in nutrients, tuna is a wonderful choice. It's incredibly high in protein (think over 40g per can) and is essentially void of carbs and sugar.

The breading in this recipe does contain carbs, but it is still a great choice overall!

More protein-rich entrees

In the mood for some more delicious dinners that will leave you feeling fueled and satisfied? Here are some great options.

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa

Erin Antoniak