Tuna Patties Without Breadcrumbs- Healthy 15 Minute Recipe (Gluten Free, Paleo, Keto)

Looking for a delicious way to use inexpensive canned tuna? This recipe for tuna patties without breadcrumbs uses ground flaxseed and is packed with healthy ingredients. Ready in just 15 minutes, these will become one of your "back pocket" recipes.

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One of my favorite ways to use inexpensive canned seafood is to make it into patties (like salmon patties with ground flaxseed) - they are delicious, healthy and low carb (especially with the added flax instead of breadcrumbs), and terrific by themselves, with any salad, or as a sandwich.

So when I was thinking of ways to use the cans of tuna in the pantry (don't we always have some?) without resorting to typical tuna salad again (though this salad in the summer with tuna and fresh tomatoes rises above everything!) or tuna casserole (not a favorite), I wondered:

Can you make tuna patties without breadcrumbs?

Yes, you can! In fact, you can just leave out the breadcrumbs in traditional recipes and the egg will hold them together.

They are a bit different in consistency, though, and I wanted to add in the Omega-3's from the flax, so I created a recipe similar to the salmon patties by adding the ground flaxseed as a binder in place of traditional breadcrumbs.

I also always leave out the mayonnaise, as I feel it overtakes the seafood flavor when making patties.

This recipe uses the bright flavor of lemon with a bit of mustard, some vegetables, spices, and an egg to create a tuna patty that is just about perfect!

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with bits of onion and pepper. We've had them as the protein topping salads, inside pita bread and alongside pasta.

It's such a great way to use canned tuna that is not only a cheap source of protein, but the cans also store for a long time, making it a good protein option to keep in storage.

Is canned tuna healthy?

Canned tuna is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, low in saturated fat and calories, and a good source of protein and vitamin B12. It's one of the best food sources of vitamin D and contains iron, B6, potassium, and more. (Source)

What about mercury? Which canned tuna has the least mercury?

There's no doubt that canned tuna contains mercury (as do many other foods) but there is a safe amount, considered to be 1 part per million (ppm) of mercury per week. To stay within this choose seafood low in mercury and eat it at only one or two meals a week.

Tuna labeled "chunk white" is usually made from smaller skipjack or yellowfin tuna and has the LEAST amount of mercury.

Canned tuna with the MOST mercury is any type of albacore ("solid" or "chunk white") and ALL white canned tuna is albacore.

Here's a good article from Consumer Reports that goes into more detail and summarizes that it's okay - and beneficial - for kids and adults to eat a certain amount of tuna a week, but if you're pregnant it's best to just avoid canned tuna of all kinds.

Tuna Patties with Flaxseed Recipe

Ingredients Needed

• Canned chunk light tuna (this is the Safe Catch brand recommended by Consumer Reports and this is one of the cheaper brands also recommended.
• Egg
• Ground flaxseed (either brown or golden)
• Lemon juice
• Dijon mustard
• Chopped green onion or shallot
• Diced sweet peppers, fresh or roasted
• salt and pepper
• Oil for frying
• Sriracha or other hot sauce, optional
• Parmesan, feta, or other cheese, optional

Directions

1. Flake the drained tuna from the can into a small bowl and then add all the other ingredients and mix well (I love recipes like this, don't you?).

2. Set the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes to help the patties hold together and let the flax absorb the moisture.

NOTE: After mixing this up, I realized that because I used a shallot I was missing anything green, so I added a tablespoon of dried parsley which you may notice in the following pictures. (Did you know that dried parsley can have up to 17 times the antioxidant content of fresh? Since learning this, I try to add it to more things!)

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and use a medium cookie scoop (around 2 tablespoons) to portion out the tuna mixture into the hot oil, using the back of the scoop to flatten into patties.

Note: I used more than 2 tablespoons of oil here, as you can see - do what I say and not what I do, as I had a lot leftover.

Alternatively, you can make four larger patties using a 1/4 cup measure.

4. Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes total, flipping halfway through when you see they are browning.

If making larger patties, the total time will be about 5-7 minutes.

5. Remove the first batch of patties to a plate and continue with the second batch (you should have 8 smaller patties).

If making four larger patties, you can cook them in one batch.

That's it! In about 15 minutes you can have a main dish of healthy, inexpensive, simple tuna patties that are a step above plain old tuna salad.

More Easy Healthy Seafood Recipes

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