Sometimes, when you have no fresh produce or meat in the fridge and dinner is unplanned.. you panic. Well, me? I never do because I *always* have canned tuna in my pantry and Whole30 Mayo in my fridge. I am smart like that 😉 haha, not really. It’s mainly because I’ve had years of practice on this whole clean eating thing and know having items on hand like that can lead to wonderful creations like these Whole30 Tuna Cakes with Smoked Paprika Aioli!
So, for lunches, I always whip up a quick, cold tuna salad and throw it on a bed of lettuce or really anything I have in my fridge. BUT, I wanted a warm, delicious, crispy tuna cake for dinner and so that is what I made! I also used my Primal Kitchen’s Mayo Whole30 compliant mayo to whip up a quick and easy aioli to dip it all in and YUMMO. I will definitely be doing this again soon.
Meals don’t always have to be fancy to be delicious. This Whole30 Tuna Cakes with Smoked Paprika Aioli recipe.. case and point! Plus, I am so beyond thrilled that Primal Kitchen’s Mayo is now available at select Costco’s in Texas! So, to celebrate, I thought I’d share this recipe that uses their mayo in two, delicious ways! Enjoy!
- 2 (5oz) cans tuna
- 1 tbsp. primal kitchens mayo
- 1/4 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp. avocado oil (olive oil is fine, too)
- 1/2 cup primal kitchen mayo
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- salt, to taste
- In a bowl, add tuna, egg, 1 tbsp. mayo, diced bell pepper, garlic, almond flour, salt and pepper. Using a fork, mix to combine.
- Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out 1/4 cup of the mixture. Transfer scoop to hands and form a nice patty. Continue until all patties are formed.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, but not smoking, using a spatula carefully lay the tuna cakes into the oil and let fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- Using a sturdy spatula, carefully flip and continue to cook on the other side until golden brown, about 2-3 more minutes.
- Transfer patties onto a plate lined with paper towels and immediately sprinkle with salt. Let rest for 2 minutes before serving.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl combine all of the aioli ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Serve with aioli and enjoy!
24 Comments
Britt
January 10, 2023 at 4:15 pmMine fell apart when I put them in heated pan. Suggestion? Add more almond flour?
Alex
January 10, 2023 at 6:11 pmI would add a bit more binder, the mayo, until it really holds well. and make sure your tuna is drained well before! 🙂
Jill
January 20, 2021 at 5:08 pmWhat is the nutrition facts for these?
Alex
January 20, 2021 at 5:46 pmI do not calculate the nutrition on any of my recipes but someone else may have who can share! You can often search my recipes on calorie-tracking sites like My Fitness Pal to see if someone has already calculated as well.
Deanna
January 7, 2021 at 11:48 pmThese are the BEST! I wasn’t even a tuna fan until I tried these. Highly recommend for Whole30, or really any time of the year even when you’re off Whole30. Simple and delicious, oh and also man approved! 🙂 Thank you, Alex!!
Kate
February 9, 2018 at 3:01 pmWould these work with canned salmon? They look delicious!
Alex
February 21, 2018 at 3:44 pmYes!! They do work with canned salmon!
Emily
December 29, 2021 at 12:02 amCould I make these in the air fryer?
Alex
December 29, 2021 at 6:48 pmYes, I bet they’d be great!
Ileana
February 7, 2018 at 11:05 pmThis was delicious! Hot or cold, it’s great!! ????
Maddison
February 7, 2018 at 3:54 pmcould you saute the garlic and peppers first or will it make the mixture too runny?
Alex
February 7, 2018 at 7:37 pmYes you could but like you said, be sure to strain it well.
Mindy
February 5, 2018 at 11:17 pmDo these taste ok cold? Trying to come up with new lunch options for my son.
Holly
February 24, 2021 at 7:26 amYES! I tried them cold and they’re just as amazing as warm.
Sarah
February 1, 2018 at 1:43 amCan you make these in advance and keep in refrigerator before cooking? Thanks!
Alex
February 1, 2018 at 12:52 pmI haven’t tried it but I am pretty certain you could and they’d be great!!! That way you can fry them up as you go so they stay crisp! 🙂
Eleni
January 31, 2018 at 9:55 pmwould it be okay to cook the tuna cakes in the oven instead of on the stove?
Alex
February 1, 2018 at 12:54 pmThey wouldn’t get crispy, so I wouldn’t personally do it this way.
Rebecca
January 31, 2018 at 5:08 pmYum! Do you see any issues with replacing the tuna with crab meat? Thanks!
Alex
February 1, 2018 at 12:55 pmI am going to work on a crabcake next week so that I can make sure the measurements works the same. I know it will be super similar but just am not positive!
Erin
January 29, 2018 at 9:42 pmCan you use Arrow Root instead of almond flour?
Alex
January 30, 2018 at 4:17 pmIf you do arrowroot, I’d just add 1 tbsp. I prefer to use arrowroot more as a thickener, not as a bread crumb replacement like I have in this recipe.
Kristen
January 16, 2021 at 11:38 pmCan I substitute the almond flour for coconut flour?
Alex
January 18, 2021 at 3:55 pmI find coconut flour has a much stronger flavor to it, so i don’t suggest itin this recipe. Cassava, tapioca, or arrowroot would be beetter.