These homemade tuna burgers are delicious and super easy to make: with their unique texture, they pair really well with a soft bun and other spicy or crunchy bits to create a tasty burger experience that will conquer everyone at your dinner table! Plus you will only need 6 ingredients to make them (spices included!).
If you have been reading these pages or the posts on my Instagram feed for a while now, you know how often I talk about getting the most from what you have: it doesn’t matter if we are talking about a short time left for cooking in a busy day or an almost empty pantry… you can still get creative and let the ingredients guide you to prepare something delicious. These fish burgers fit perfectly into this idea: they are easy to make, they don’t require many ingredients and I’m pretty sure that a good part of these products can be regularly found in your kitchen.
Good quality ingredients are the starting point of any great meal and when I can find products that are not just delicious but also have special attention to sustainability, I am even happier to put them on my table! Put more attention to the food you choose: it’s quite an easy step to take (read the labels, get more information about your food, learn where it comes from, etc.) that allows you to become a more conscious consumer.
Try these tuna patties with my soft brioche burger buns (that you can even make in advance the day before): for a different twist, you can decide to add some turmeric into the dough; you’ll get a bright yellow bread that will immediately bring a smile at your dinner table. I usually add 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric for 300 g of flour (6 buns).
One of my favourite ways to serve these homemade fish patties is with caramelised onions, a bit of lettuce, a slice of cheese (like a young Cheddar or Emmental), a tablespoon of my plain hummus (mixed with 1 teaspoon of mustard) and some spicy tomato sauce (something similar to a ketchup). Try this combination if you like the ingredients or feel free to create your own according to your preferences (it’s better to taste the patties first!).
These simple tuna burgers are delicious paired with bread but they are super tasty on their own, too (for example, you can serve them with a salad or some roasted vegetables). Top tip: I prefer cooking these patties right before eating them because they tend to get a bit dry when reheated.
EASY TUNA BURGERS RECIPE
Ingredients (makes 2):
- 120 g tuna (canned or in a glass jar – in water or olive oil, drained)
- 20 g bread (gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 tbsp capers (or even a bit more)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- a pinch of black pepper
Method:
For these homemade canned tuna patties, both tuna in water and olive oil will work well but if you choose the one in water, add 1-2 tsp of olive oil to the mix; if you prefer the one in olive oil, you can use a bit of the oil left after draining your tuna to cook the fish burgers.
Prepare all the ingredients in a bowl: crumble the bread into small pieces with your hand (a fresh loaf or one that is a couple of days old are both good options) and crush the fennel seeds in a mortar (add also a pinch of salt if necessary, based on the taste of your tuna and capers). Using a fork, break the tuna into small pieces and mix well all the ingredients: you should be able to easily shape the patties with your hands but, if you are encountering some difficulties in doing it, you may need to add some extra bread. Now you can either cook the burgers straight away or leave them to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Cook these fish patties in a preheated pan with a bit of olive oil for approx. 2-3 minutes on each side. For a serving suggestion, check the introduction written on this page just above the recipe.
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