Italian Tuna Cakes:
a protein punch
Before I was a nutritionist, I rocked the gym world. I mastered the art of balancing macros and became a gym rat (not recommended for sustainability!) I then opened a food service business where I home cooked macro-balanced meals for clients each week. One of the top 5 most popular meals was my tuna cake! It’s only fitting that I include the recipe for all of my readers since they are simple and pack a nice protein kick to your day. Not to mention, they’re pretty easy on the wallet.
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- 10 oz canned tuna, drained
- 1 large zucchini, shredded and squeezed out to drain the excess water
- 1 large egg + 2 egg whites whisked
- 2T mayo of choice (I use avocado mayo)
- 1t course mustard
- 1/3C almond or GF flour + a little extra if the batter is too wet
- 2T Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2t salt
- 1t pepper
- Avocado oil or bacon fat for frying
- Flake apart the tuna In a bowl.
- Add the shredded zucchini, flour, garlic, & spices and mix well.
- Add the whisked egg and egg white.
- Form the cakes Into disc-size about 1/2 In thick. They should stay formed during frying at this size.
- Just barely cover the bottom of the frying pan with oil on med-high heat and place tuna cakes In oil after heated.
- Fry on one side 4-5 minutes, until a crust has formed. Cook on second side for 3-4 minutes until firm.
- Enjoy with dipping sauce of choice. I love homemade ranch or chipotle mayo!
Make sure your oil is hot enough to get a good sear on the outside. That crispy crust makes all the difference!
I like to pair these with roasted sweet potatoes or even cold and flaked apart in a spinach salad.
This recipe should make about 8-10 tuna cakes.