Spicy Tuna Cakes Sriracha (Printable Version)
Crispy, herb-spiced tuna cakes paired with a creamy, tangy Sriracha mayo dip for an easy, flavorful dish.
# What You Need:
→ Tuna Cakes
01 - 2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in water, drained
02 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
05 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
06 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely minced
07 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
08 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - 1 tsp Sriracha or hot sauce
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
13 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
→ Sriracha Mayo Dipping Sauce
14 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
15 - 1–2 tbsp Sriracha, adjusted to taste
16 - 1 tsp fresh lime juice
17 - Pinch of salt
# How-To:
01 - In a large bowl, combine drained tuna, panko breadcrumbs, eggs, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic, Sriracha, salt, and black pepper. Mix until fully incorporated.
02 - Form the mixture into 8 evenly sized small patties, pressing gently to ensure they hold their shape.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tuna cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and heated through, cooking in batches to avoid overcrowding.
04 - Whisk together mayonnaise, Sriracha, fresh lime juice, and salt in a small bowl until smooth.
05 - Present the warm tuna cakes with Sriracha mayo on the side for dipping.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- They come together in under 40 minutes and taste like you've been cooking since dawn.
- The crust is impossibly crispy while the inside stays moist and full of life, thanks to fresh herbs and a touch of heat.
- That sriracha mayo hits the sweet spot between creamy and spicy, making them impossible to stop eating.
02 -
- Drain your canned tuna thoroughly and even squeeze it gently with paper towels—excess moisture is the enemy of a crispy, cohesive cake.
- Don't skip the medium-high heat; too low and they'll absorb oil and become greasy, too high and the outside burns before the inside cooks through.
- The cakes will be delicate right after cooking, so wait 2 minutes before flipping—they need time to develop a crust that holds them together.
03 -
- Room-temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and create a more tender, cohesive cake than cold ones straight from the fridge.
- If your cakes are falling apart during cooking, your mixture likely needs more egg or panko—add one or the other a tablespoon at a time until it holds its shape.