This Paleo tuna cakes recipe is a simple and easy dish that makes for a quick dinner, lunch or even appetizer. This delicious recipe is SCD, Paleo, and Whole30. It's gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and soy free.
Regular tuna salad is not something I typically look forward to eating. These tuna cakes with a remoulade sauce however, are a different story.
They’re thick, flavorful, and SO EASY to make! We like to have them as a quick lunch or dinner but they would make a perfect little appetizer as well.
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What kind of tuna should I use?
As with all boxed and canned foods, make sure to look at the ingredients on the back
I favor the Wild Planet 
brand of Albacore Wild Tuna. The only ingredients are tuna and salt (they also have a no salt added product but I haven’t been able to find it in my local grocery stores).
Tuna is higher in mercury levels, so I tend to limit my consumption of it.
How to make this tuna cakes recipe
Begin by steaming 2 cups of butternut squash until fork tender. Mash the squash with the back of a fork and set aside.
Mix together eggs, fresh dill, almond flour, minced garlic, and diced onion in a large bowl while the squash steams.
Add 10 ounces of canned tuna fish, making sure to drain the liquid. Use a fork to gently break up the chunks.
Mix until well combined with the egg mixture, then add in the mashed butternut squash.
Use a ⅓ cup measuring cup to help form the tuna into cakes. Place the tuna cakes on a greased griddle or skillet and cook over medium heat for three to five minutes per side before transferring to an aluminum foil covered baking pan.
Bake the tuna cakes for fifteen to twenty minutes until heated through.
Remove from the oven and enjoy while still warm!
Paleo Tuna Cakes Recipe Tips
- Butternut squash is used to add some bulk to the tuna cakes but pumpkin or acorn squash can also be used.
- Although the flavor will be a little different, you can swap canned salmon for the tuna if mercury levels are a concern.
- 1 Tablespoon of dried dill can be used in place of the fresh dill.
- Finely ground blanched almond flour OR almond meal can be used in this recipe.
Easy remoulade sauce
This version of remoulade consists of seven ingredients.
- Mayonnaise
- Fresh dill
- Dijon mustard
- Ketchup (Wellbee's Honey Ketchup
) - Diced white onion
- Fresh lemon juice
- Cayenne pepper
)
When it comes to the mayo, I like the Primal Kitchen
brand but you can also make your own.
If dairy doesn’t bother you, plain yogurt is also a delicious and healthy option for this sauce!
Mix the remoulade sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and enjoy!
This sauce is SO GOOD on the tuna cakes! Use any leftovers to fancy up chicken breasts or steak!
Here are a couple more seafood dishes for you to enjoy!
If you’ve made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below!
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Paleo Tuna Cakes Recipe with Remoulade Sauce
Ingredients
Tuna Cakes
- 10 ounces canned tuna, drained
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- ½ small white onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 Tbsp dried dill)
- ½ cup almond flour or almond meal
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, for greasing griddle or skillet
Remoulade Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1Tbsp dried dill)
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp white onion finely chopped
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
Tuna Cakes
- Steam the cubed butternut squash until fork tender. Mash squash with a fork and allow to cool for a few minutes..
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.
- In a large bowl combine the beaten eggs, onion, garlic, dill, and almond flour. Add the drained tuna and use a fork to break it into small pieces. Add the butternut squash and mix until well combined.
- Use a ⅓ cup measuring cup to form the tuna mixture into cakes. There should be enough mixture for 10 cakes. Heat the griddle to medium and grease with olive oil. Add the cakes in a single layer and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Place the tuna cakes on the foil lined baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. Serve warm with the remoulade sauce.
Remoulade Sauce
- In a bowl combine all ingredients and stir well.
Notes
- The remoulade sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.
- Store leftover tuna cakes in the refrigerator covered for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the oven for best results.
- More tips for the tuna cakes can be found in the post.
Nutrition
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Jen
Hi, any thoughts on how well these tuna cakes would freeze? I made a whole batch, but I'll be the only person to eat them - so I'd like to make them last! Wondering if next time I should freeze the patties prior to cooking?
Jennifer
I haven't tried it but I would think they can be frozen. The biggest issue might be excess moisture so I'd suggest cooking them and allowing to cool completely in the fridge before wrapping each individual tuna cake in freezer paper. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer.
Nitasha
Firstly love your recipes. First time making tuna cakes with pumpkin. Mine are very wet. When I flip they loose their shape. Should I add more almond flour.
Jennifer
Thanks Nitasha! Did you use fresh or canned pumpkin? Fresh tends to be more watery then canned. Overall the mixture is fairly wet and you need to wait to flip until the bottom has set. When flipping it's important to do so gently and if it breaks apart you can use the spatula to push the cake back together. However, if the mixture is too lose and doesn't hold together like the photos then yes, I would suggest adding some more almond flour.