Learn how to make tuna patties! Tips and tricks on how to not have them fall apart. Also, how to make delicious and super healthy tuna patties.
Ever tried making tuna patties and they completely fell apart? Yah, me too. Ever tried following a tuna patty recipe and have them taste totally bland? Yup, been there, done that.
Let me share an amazing recipe with you here now. After attempt number 29834 I was finally able to write down the magic formula. *sweat*
Let’s get right down to it.
How to make tuna patties healthy
So obviously vegetables make everything healthy, right? Here is a list of vegetables that taste best with and don’t screw with the shape of tuna patties:
- bell pepper
- carrot
- baby spinach
- zucchini
- broccoli
- cauliflower
What makes these patties super duper extra healthy though is my secret ingredient: “Amaranth“! It’s been around for centuries and yet not many people know it.
Learn more about the seed and also all nitty gritty tips on how to puff amaranth.
Just like quinoa, it is a ‘super grain‘. Though just as quinoa it’s not a grain but rather a seed. A delicious and extremely nutritious one.
The most amazing about amaranth is that it has a lot of protein. It contains even more than quinoa (only slightly more but still). With 14g protein per 100g raw Amaranth, it has almost double the amount of protein than for example brown rice. Isn’t that crazy?
Now, want to make your tuna patties extra healthy? Add tons of veggies and amaranth!! Done.
How to avoid tuna patties from falling apart
There are several tricks to avoid any kind of patties from falling apart:
Egg is an essential ingredient that serves not only as protein but also as “glue”. Egg alone however usually isn’t enough. If the ingredients are super wet (e.g. tuna/carrot/zucchini) the egg is kind of diluted and not as sticky anymore.
Starch helps “dry” the ingredients and also serves as glue. You can add tapioca starch to make paleo tuna patties or a gluten-free flour mix to make gluten-free tuna patties.
If the patties fall apart despite enough egg and flour, put the mixture in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Cold ingredients stick better together than warm or room temperature ingredients.
Make sure the pan is really really hot but on medium-low. If the pan isn’t hot enough the egg sticks to the pan and pulls on the patty and tears it apart. Wait for the pan to be really hot so the egg contracts and pulls the ingredients together. If the pan is on too high temperature, the patty burns from the outside before managing to cook in the center.
All ingredients have to be chopped or grated fairly small. Big chunks of tuna or big chunks of vegetables increase the risk of patties falling apart. Take the time to chop your ingredients very small.
What goes with tuna patties
Eat your tuna patties with a delicious fresh Mexican-Style Salad for example. Cauliflower Couscous works amazing, too.
Anything fresh and “leafy” will go amazing with these patties.
Another way to enjoy them is by dipping them into a delicious tahini dip.
Tuna Patties
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped baby spinach
- 1 can tuna (in water) 133g drained weight
- 1 cup puffed amaranth
- 2 eggs
- 1-4 Tbsp all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour mix)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4-1/2 tsp chipotle chilli powder
Instructions
- Peel and grate carrot. Deseed and finely chop ("finely" important!) bell pepper. Chop baby spinach. Add to a big bowl.
- Drain tuna in a colander, then put in a bowl and flake with a fork so there is no big pieces left. Add to big bowl.
- Add puffed Amaranth and spices, 2 eggs, 1 Tbsp flour and mix very well together.
- Preheat a cast iron pan over medium-low heat (NO oil yet).
- Try and form a patty. If it doesn't form easily, add a little more flour. 1 Tbsp at a time until patties form easily. (Amount of flour will depend on wetness of tuna and carrots).
- Add a good splash of oil to the pan and wait for it to be really really hot. Then carefully add patties.
- Fry patties for about 3-5 minutes on one side, then flip carefully and fry another 3-5 minutes on the other side until golden.
- Enjoy with fresh salad :)
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Ruby says
Can u air fry these and what about freezing them?
Lorena Grater says
You can freeze them once cooked but not raw. And I’m sorry not familiar with air-fryer cooking.
MK says
Can quinoa be used in place of the aramanth…and if so, use cooked, ground, or what? And same ratio?
Lorena says
I don’t think cooked quinoa will, only “puffed” quinoa. You can find puffed quinoa in health food stores sometimes.
MPaula says
Help! There is no amaranth in ingredient list!
Lorena says
Ahhhh, sorry Paula!! Just corrected the mistake. You need 1 cup puffed amaranth. That’s about 1/2 cup unpuffed. Working on the blog post on how to puff amaranth, right now. Hopefully finished by tomorrow or Wednesday the latest.