Hot-n-Spicy Tuna Cakes (Paleo & Keto)

I’m sure we’ve all stocked up on a bunch of canned foods for this life. So here’s something you can do with that canned tuna that’s a little different – but a lot more flavorful – than just a plain old sandwich or salad.

Spicy Tuna Patties

These little tuna cakes aka patties have the perfect combination of tangy and spicy that give it not only a rich flavor, but a nice kick too. I used a little extra cayenne pepper for the spiciness, but you can totally reduce the amount if that isn’t your thing.

Paleo, Low Carb and Keto Friendly Tuna Patties!

These spicy tuna fishcakes are bound together with an egg and almond flour instead of breadcrumbs so there’s the cakes are not only gluten-free, but paleo-friendly, whole30 approved, keto and low carb too.

If you don’t have restrictions, feel free to sub in regular breadcrumbs or even about 1½ tablespoon of coconut flour.

To keep them Paleo, make sure to use almond or coconut-based yogurt.

These crispy tuna cakes are also made with no potato and no bread/breadcrumbs (no carb essentially) to make them keto and low carb.

The cakes also have no cheese in there or mayo, so dairy free too (using the compliant yogurt option).

How to make hot and spicy tuna cakes?

Drain the canned tuna of all the liquid and then flake it. Make sure to get all the liquid out or the mix will be too soggy.

Mix together the tuna and remaining ingredients – almond flour, egg, red onion, chopped cilantro and parsley, yogurt, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and black pepper – in a large bowl.

I’d recommend using a fork and mixing it well until it’s uniform.

P.S. This recipe doesn’t ask for salt because most canned tuna is salted enough. If yours is a “no salt added” can, be sure to add some salt to taste.

Shape the mix with a cup measure!

• Line a one-cup measure with plastic wrap and add a portion of the mix in, flatten it completely with the back of a spoon.
• Then lift the lining with the patty out of the measure and flip it onto your cooking surface.

This give you perfect, round and even patties every time.

You can of course, use your hands.

How to cook the perfect crispy tuna fish cakes?

To cook these crispy tuna cakes, pan fry the patties on a greased non-stick skillet over medium-low for about 4-5 minutes on each side until the patties are golden brown and crisp.

If your pan is nonstick, you only need a tiny bit of oil

You can also turn these into baked tuna cakes by baking them at 350°F for 15 minutes or cook them in an air fryer also at 350°F for about 12 minutes.