Delicious Albacore Tuna Cakes Recipe with Homemade Tartar Sauce for Summer Meals

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Albacore Tuna Cakes with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Perfect for Summer

Delicious Albacore tuna cakes, fried golden brown and crispy on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside. Filled with Cajun spices, herbs, and aromatics for that traditional taste, this is a budget-friendly twist on a classic crab cake that is served with a creamy and zesty homemade tartar sauce.

Servings: 9 large tuna cakes
PREP TIME: 20 minutes + CHILL TIME: 20 minutes + COOK TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 60 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

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DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

My approach to cooking great meals for my family on a budget is pretty simple. Through the years, I’ve learned to swap out expensive ingredients for more affordable ones and keep everything else the same for a subtle twist on classic dishes that not only taste delicious but also save me some money! I’ve done just about anything and everything to help me along in the kitchen, making meals we love, and I can feel good about putting on the table, but will not break the bank. As a family of five that loves good food and has somewhat sophisticated palates, it is really important for me to brainstorm ways to satisfy those cravings with delicious-tasting foods while staying on budget.

When I first made these for my family, I was trying to come up with a creative way to use tuna in a recipe, something tasty and different; these were just perfect for a light and budget-friendly summer meal. Paired with a homemade tartar sauce that’s tangy, creamy, and exploding with flavors of fresh dill, capers, and pickles, it’s a classic pairing for fish, and you will not miss the crab! These tuna cakes are deliciously delicate and indulgent, all at the same time.

Swapping the lump crab meat for albacore tuna is a smart way to keep things affordable without skimping on flavor. I like to use albacore tuna because it’s higher in fat, which for me means more flavor than regular tuna, and it also has a firmer texture that holds up well for making the tuna cakes. It is a little more expensive than regular tuna, but not nearly as expensive as lump crab meat. Adding all of the familiar flavors you find in a traditional crab cake, you will wonder why you’ve never thought of this before; it’s brilliant! It really can make the pass for a crab cake; they are that tasty!

The Secret Ingredient is not Traditional but Adds a Very Special Flavor

My tip for a good and flavorful tuna cake is to load it up with a lot of spices, fresh herbs and aromatics like the Holy Trinity (peppers, onions, and celery), fresh lemon juice, and seasonings to give these cakes a rich seafood taste. My secret ingredient, which is not traditional but adds a very special flavor with just a hint of earthly sweetness, is dried tarragon. I love the combination of tarragon and seafood; it’s always worked so well in all of my seafood dishes. It adds a touch of elegance to any dish and is a perfect complement to these tuna cakes. You’ll thank me later!

What’s The Star of This Dish?

However, the star of this dish might just be in the sauce! Although these are delicious on their own with a good squeeze of lemon, they are over the top with a dollop of my homemade tartar sauce. Fresh dill, capers, baby pickles, fresh garlic, fresh lemon, and seasonings make this sauce creamy, bright, and fresh! It really is an explosion of flavors.

This dish is so flavorful; it’s really something craveable; it keeps you coming back bite after bite. It’s also a beautiful dish; its presentation is inviting and enticing. Whether you’re making these as a main dish served on a bed of arugula like I did or as an appetizer with a side of tartar sauce, visually and flavor-wise, it’s a showstopper; it looks elevated without breaking the bank. Give these delectable albacore tuna cakes a try this summer, open a nice bottle of wine, or pour yourself a nice cold drink and sit out on your patio and enjoy these al fresco. Cheers to good summer meals that are easy, delicious, and budget-friendly!

Time saving tips:

Summertime meals that are prepared in advance are exactly what we need. Anything that will free up time in the kitchen so you can enjoy more time by the pool, on the beach, or just relaxing in your home is exactly what we are looking for in terms of summer meals. These cakes can be prepped a few hours ahead and chilled, or assembled a day or two ahead and kept in the refrigerator. They can even be frozen, stored, and thawed until ready to pan-fry. Simply take your tuna cakes, wrap them in parchment paper, and place them flat in an airtight container or zip-lock bag. Make sure to store them flat so they keep their shape. Freeze for a few weeks with no problem.

Albacore Tuna Cakes Freeze Well

This is one of those meals that freezes very well and thaws with no issues. It’s a great time saver for weeknight meals or when you’ve got unexpected company that drops by. Summertime is a time when your mind and body crave easy, fresh, no-fuss meals—meals that can be cooked with little effort and aren’t going to keep you slaving away over a hot stove all day. These tuna cakes are one of those meals. I hope you give them a try this summer; it will be your new favorite way to enjoy tuna. Something fun, different, and delicious!
Happy eating, from my kitchen to yours.

Albacore Tuna Cakes with Homemade Tartar Sauce

BY ERICA GAMBOA

Albacore-Tuna-Cakes-8 — ^{Photo: Erica Gamboa}

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Servings: 9 large tuna cakes | Difficulty: Easy

PREP TIME: 20 minutes + CHILL TIME: 20 minutes + COOK TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 60 minutes

Kitchen tools you will need:

1 large frying pan
1 medium saute pan
1 baking sheet, lined with parchment paper
1 wooden spatula or fish turner (metal spatula)
1 garlic press
1 large mixing bowl
1 small mixing bowl
1 pair of food handling gloves

Ingredients:

For the Tuna Cakes:

3 (12 oz.) cans of Albacore tuna in water, drained and broken up into flakes
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
1/4 cup bell peppers, finely diced, any color
1 medium shallot, peeled and finely minced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. old bay seasoning
2 tsp. dried tarragon (optional)
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 tsp. salt, divided
2 tsp. pepper, divided
3 eggs
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

*You will need: 1/3 cup olive oil for frying

For the Tartar Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press or very finely minced
1 baby kosher pickle, finely diced
1 tbsp–2 sprigs fresh dill, fronds only, finely chopped
2 tsp capers, finely minced, plus 2 tsp of the juice.
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp pepper

*1/2 tsp salt is optional; taste for seasoning and add if needed. Capers and pickles are salty, so be mindful to taste before adding.

SHOP RECIPE INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR HOME DELIVERY

Instacart

Directions:

Making the sauce:

Add all the ingredients (except salt) to a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
Taste for seasoning, and add salt if needed.
Refrigerate immediately until ready to serve.

Tips for making the sauce
This sauce only gets better and better with time. Make the sauce first and refrigerate it while you make the tuna cakes. Letting the sauce chill for a few hours, if possible, makes a delicious and deep-flavored sauce.

Making the tuna cakes:

In a medium sauté pan, on medium heat, add a little olive oil and preheat.
Add the celery, shallots, garlic, and bell peppers to the pan and sauté for a few minutes until the veggies become slightly translucent and fragrant. Season with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, take the drained tuna and break up any large pieces with a fork or hands. The tuna should be flaky and broken apart.
Add seasonings, garlic powder, old bay seasoning, dried tarragon, cayenne, and the remaining tsp of salt and pepper, and mix until well combined.
Add, cooled veggies, eggs, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, parsley, and bread crumbs and mix well until everything is thoroughly combined.
Using gloves, take a heaping spoon full of mixture and form the tuna filling into a ball. Be gentle, and do not overwork the ball. Gently form the tuna into a cake shape and set aside on the parchment-lined baking sheet to rest. Repeat these steps until all of the tuna cakes are formed.
Once they are all formed, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator or freezer to chill for 20 minutes. This will help the tuna cakes set up and be easier to handle when frying.
Add olive oil to a large frying pan and preheat on medium-high heat.
Once the oil is heated, place three tuna cakes in the frying pan and brown on each side for about 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Pan fry in batches of three at a time to not overcrowd the pan and so that they can be easier to flip over.
Placed tuna cakes on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain when finished.
Serve on a bed of arugula salad or rice with a side of tarter sauce for dipping, and enjoy.

Notes & Suggestions:

Tips

If canned tuna is not an ingredient you are used to, these cakes can be made using salmon as well. These are delicious using left-over salmon. Simply flake the salmon, breaking up any larger pieces, and follow the same instructions. It is a wonderful way to repurpose your leftover fish into a totally unique and different meal!

My husband has also suggested these tuna cakes be used in a sandwich or burger. He thought they would make a fantastic burger! Another great idea for repurposing any leftovers and really making your dollar stretch!