Tuna Quinoa Cakes Recipe | Healthy Dinner Recipe (2024)

March 26, 2012 by Lindsay 57 Comments

Hi Friends!

Another Monday, another day spent wishing the weekend comes quickly! I have a delicious recipe to share with you today!

Let’s talk about quinoa for a minute. I have kind of a love-hate relationship with quinoa. I WANT to love it. I love the nutrition side of it. I’m just not 100% crazy about the taste of it. Lately, however, I’ve been working on incorporating it into my diet more frequently and I threw together these cakes in hopes that they would taste mostly like tuna, with the added bonus of quinoa. Mission accomplished!

These are super simple to make, packed with protein and they taste great!

Tuna Quinoa Cakes

by Lindsay L

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Keywords: bake pan sear appetizer burger entree salad healthy tuna

Ingredients (6 cakes)

½ c sweet potato, cooked and mashed
2 cans tuna, drained
¾ cup cooked quinoa
¼ c green onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 egg
¼ c plain yogurt
1 Tbsp mustard
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
½ c breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the tuna and sweet potato and mix well.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
3. Using your hands, form into 6 cakes.
4. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20 min, flipping once.

*These could also be made with salmon.

These could be drizzled with sriracha and enjoyed on top of a salad to take it from bland to amazing.

The first night we ate these, we grilled up some veggie kabobs and some sweet potatoes and ate the cakes topped with goat cheese. AMAZING.

The next night, I ate the leftovers in a whole wheat tortilla topped with avocado and a little bit of cheese. Equally as good!

Whatever way you choose to enjoy them, I hope you make them soon 🙂

So tell me: quinoa- love it or hate it?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

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About Lindsay

Lindsay Livingston is a Registered Dietitian and new mom from Columbus, Ohio. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter @LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram @TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!

Reader Interactions

Comments

Lauren @ Lawfully Wedded Wife says
March 26, 2012 at 12:10 AM
I also have a love/hate relationship with quinoa, for the exact reasons you mentioned! I have some in my cupboard and always mean to take it out for another chance! I LOVE tuna so these sound awesome, thanks for sharing! 😀
Reply
Maureen says
March 26, 2012 at 12:18 AM
I’ve only had quinoa twice, but I love it so far. These tuna quinoa cakes look so good and filling!
Reply
- Lindsay says
  March 26, 2012 at 8:14 AM
  yay! glad you love it. so good for you!
  Reply
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
March 26, 2012 at 12:37 AM
I’ve actually never tried quinoa just yet but I’ve been meaning to incorporate it into my diet. I’ll have to give it a try with these tuna quinoa cakes. And I love that you drizzled it with Sriracha. I put that sh*t on everything. Oh crap, did I just steal a line from the Frank’s Red Hot commercial? 🙂
Reply
- Lindsay says
  March 26, 2012 at 8:14 AM
  oh you should definitely try it at least once!
  Reply
Maria says
March 26, 2012 at 1:16 AM
Like you, I’ve never been wild about quinoa, but my family introduced me to a stuffed pepper quinoa recipe, using tomatoes and cheese – it was amazing. I’ll have to post the recipe at some point because it really changed my mind about quinoa.
And this recipe sounds great, too! I am trying to get more seafood and fish into my diet. What an easy (and relatively cheap) way to do it!
Reply
- Lindsay says
  March 26, 2012 at 8:14 AM
  ooooh yes please! sounds delish!
  Reply
Emily says
March 26, 2012 at 1:24 AM
I love quinoa! But, it’s definitely an acquired taste. And, if prepared incorrectly, can be extremely boring and almost tasteless. I’m glad you’ve found such a delicious and unique way to prepare it though!
I get vegan quinoa cakes from the “deli” at Whole Foods all the time and I absolutely love them! I’ve been meaning to make my own but haven’t done it yet. This post definitely inspired me!
Reply
Christine @ Oatmeal in my Bowl says
March 26, 2012 at 1:30 AM
These look great Lindsay! And thank you for reminding me that I have some Lemon Quinoa in the cupboard I need to make up. Sounds like something I should be incorporating in my diet more.
Reply
- Lindsay says
  March 26, 2012 at 8:13 AM
  it’s SO good for you! i’m just trying to find more fun ways to eat it!
  Reply
  - Laura Malone says
    May 27, 2013 at 2:40 PM
    I love this recipe! thanks so much. I will certainly be making these while the mother in law is here! I have been eating quinoa for years now. I had the same problem at first. two tricks I picked up from helpful folks was 1. rinse your quinoa really well before cooking to remove bitterness
    2. add or create a broth (using fresh herbs) to boil your quinoa in.
    Both of these things work like magic.
    Reply
    - Lindsay says
      May 28, 2013 at 8:34 AM
      awesome! hope you enjoy them!
      Reply
Brittany @ GOtheXtraMile says
March 26, 2012 at 5:46 AM
Looks amazing! I love quinoa but I never prep them ahead of time and then when I want to eat it, I’m too impatient to wait for it to cook!! lol
Reply
- Lindsay says
  March 26, 2012 at 8:13 AM
  same! although it cooks faster than some grains, i try to remember to make a big batch when i have time!
  Reply
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
March 26, 2012 at 6:48 AM
I don’t think I’ve ever eated quinoa, but I found a recipe recently that incorporated it, so I’ve been wanting to try it. Honestly, I’m not a fan of tuna fish, but if I could sub in something else, I bet I would like these! 😉
Reply
- Lindsay says
  March 26, 2012 at 8:12 AM
  you could definitely use another fish like salmon, or even canned chicken?
  Reply
MizFit says
March 26, 2012 at 7:21 AM
I think id like these!
When I competed i’d make tunaoatcakes 😉 they were GOOD to my mouth but not to anyone else’s 😉
Reply
Lindsay @ In Sweetness and In Health says
March 26, 2012 at 7:28 AM
Oh my gosh, I think I may have to make these!! They look awesome. I LOVE tuna :). I’m with ya on the quinoa though…I like it sometimes, but it has to be mixed with something that sort of masks the taste haha. Oh, and did you mash the potato without the skins?
Reply
- Lindsay says
  March 26, 2012 at 8:12 AM
  normally i leave the skin on but for these i just microwaved and scooped out the insides!
  Reply
Brittany (Healthy Slice of Life) says
March 26, 2012 at 8:46 AM
I can’t get enough quinoa, so sign me up for these- YUM!
Reply
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
March 26, 2012 at 8:47 AM
So pretty…. and you used sweet potato! This makes me wish I was a seafood-eater…
Reply
Jess says
March 26, 2012 at 8:53 AM
OMG these look UNREAL. I am totally pinning these and I PROMISE I’ll try the recipe soon!! Hehe
PS. My lunch features quinoa today, leftover from dinner the other night – I made mine with chicken stock, diced jalepeno, garlic and onion. SO GOOD that way, and tastes great leftover on salad later on 🙂
Reply
jobo says
March 26, 2012 at 9:18 AM
Yum! I definitely want to make these!! And I love quinoa. M doesn’t, for some reason, so I tend to make it for myself only 😉 The lentil quinoa salad I made is my fave so far (using quinoa!).
Reply
Madeline@Food,Fitness,Family says
March 26, 2012 at 9:31 AM
These look SO good! Might have to make these Friday 🙂
Reply
sarah @ sarah learns says
March 26, 2012 at 9:42 AM
love quinoa! i seriously pin almost an quinoa recipe i see – brad even likes it, which is a HUGE bonus!
Reply
Cat @ Breakfast to Bed says
March 26, 2012 at 10:29 AM
wowzers. yum. I’m making tuna for dinner tonight and this looks yummier.
Reply
Elle says
March 26, 2012 at 10:53 AM
These look great! I love quinoa and am always on the hunt for new ways to use it. I am going to pick up some green onions… have everything else!
Thanks.
Reply
Anna says
March 26, 2012 at 11:29 AM
These sound awesome & are going on my “must make” list for this week! I believe I’ll do the salmon version & probably swap almond meal for the bread crumbs. Thanks, Lindsay! 🙂
Reply
janetha @ meals & moves says
March 26, 2012 at 12:27 PM
I love tuna and quinoa! Looks good, lady.
Reply
KaraHadley says
March 26, 2012 at 12:56 PM
I LOVE quinoa. Now that I’m working I make a big match of some kind of quinoa salad every week and take it to work for lunch. Mmmm… And I don’t know why I have it in my head that fish cakes are only for crab. They’re such an awesome way to eat fish. Thanks for the reminder.
Reply
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic says
March 26, 2012 at 1:01 PM
I love tuna AND quinoa so this sound perfect to me! Plus the addition of sriracha, too!
Reply
emily (a nutritionist eats) says
March 26, 2012 at 1:25 PM
I made quinoa cakes a while back and loved them, but I bet they are really good with tuna! I’ll have to try that next time I have some quinoa!
Reply
Parita @ myinnershakti says
March 26, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Vishnu would love this! I’m going to send him the recipe ASAP.
Reply
StoriesAndSweetPotatoes says
March 26, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Have you had quinoa flakes? Maybe you would love those more easily 🙂 This is a cool recipe. I’m not super partial to quinoa cakes myself but my mom lives off them.
Reply
Heather says
March 26, 2012 at 3:00 PM
Love quinoa! Such a blank canvas – you can do anything with it!
Reply
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite says
March 26, 2012 at 3:56 PM
first of all…LOVE the new site look! It’s fantastic. I actually just had a quinoa cake on Saturday and realized that I must recreate it!
Reply
Yellow Haired Girl says
March 26, 2012 at 4:20 PM
I like this a lot!! I’ve made something similar before … but I love your addition of sweet potato! I’m a quinoa lover 🙂 just used some leftovers in my wrap for lunch!
Reply
Liz (Little Bitty Bakes) says
March 26, 2012 at 7:29 PM
Mmm, looks nice and crispy on the outside! Good recipe.
Reply
Heather @ For the Love of Kale says
March 26, 2012 at 9:04 PM
Mmmm! QUINOA? LOVE IT! But you know this already. 😉 And anything involving sweet potatoes rules!
P.S. – Love the new layout!
Reply
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
March 26, 2012 at 9:38 PM
I know what you mean! I like quinoa, but it’s definitely not my favourite grain. I prefer brown rice, millet or bulgur!
These cakes look fantastic though! And I love that you used sweet potato in them. 😀
Reply
Christy says
March 26, 2012 at 10:46 PM
These look fantastic! I would never think to combine them. Haven’t had quinoa in quite some time, so I’ll have to try making this! Also is sriracha really spicy? I’ve heard it’s good, but am afraid of it burning my mouth off!
Reply
Michelle @Push.Pump.Progress says
March 27, 2012 at 9:33 PM
these look AMAZING! i am saving this recipe! Unfortunately i am on the palaeolithic diet so know gluten/wheat or dairy for me. If you have any recipes that fall into that category i would love to try them out!
Reply
- Erin - SincereFoodLove says
  May 18, 2013 at 11:09 PM
  I subbed chia seed gel for the egg and totally skipped the bread crumbs to make this dairy/gluten-free. Turned out great!
  Reply
Terra says
March 29, 2012 at 2:36 PM
What a great mix of flavors, love that you added sweet potatoes:-) I love love quinoa, but my favorite way to work with quinoa is baking with it! Yum! Hugs, Terra
Reply
Terry Howatt says
February 11, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Hello,
Really enjoyed your recipe. One thing I changed up was instead of using bread crumbs (as I am wheat intolerant) I used 1/4 ground flax. It was amazing! I will definitely try it again.
Reply
Terry says
February 11, 2013 at 4:26 PM
Hello,
Really enjoyed your recipe. One thing I changed up was instead of using bread crumbs (as I am wheat intolerant) I used 1/4 cup ground flax. It was amazing! I will definitely try it again.
Thanks again!
Reply
- Lindsay says
  February 11, 2013 at 9:43 PM
  awesome! glad you liked them!
  Reply
Terry Howatt says
March 31, 2013 at 8:58 PM
Hi,
Great recipe, I have also used Salmon, works well too!
Reply
- Lindsay says
  April 3, 2013 at 11:10 AM
  yes it does! delish!
  Reply
Erin - SincereFoodLove says
May 18, 2013 at 11:07 PM
Loved this recipe! I always make big batches of quinoa in my rice cooker and this was perfect for the final cup in my fridge. Subbed leftover butternut squash puree for the sweet potato, added sautéed garlic/peppers/onion, subbed chia gel for the egg and skipped the bread crumbs. So good and ended up with a dairy and gluten-free dinner!
Reply
Leanne says
June 12, 2013 at 10:33 PM
Would the recipe still work if I omitted the yogurt? If not – what are some substitutions?
Thanks.
Reply
- Lindsay says
  June 13, 2013 at 9:42 AM
  you could try adding something like hummus or something of a similar texture!
  Reply
  - Leanne says
    June 13, 2013 at 10:05 AM
    What is the purpose of the yoghurt?…
    I see similar recipes without yoghurt. I want to try this one because it has added sweet potato for health!
    Thanks!
    Reply
    - Lindsay says
      June 14, 2013 at 10:11 AM
      it helps keep it moist and hold together
      Reply
Anne says
July 27, 2013 at 7:07 AM
I just made the tuna Quinoa cakes they are absolutley delicious. i have had packets and packet of all types and styles of Quinoa sitting in the pantry since we had a lass working with us who was Gluten intolerant, she introducted me to Quinoa and I have loads of cake receipes now through her but not many heathly recipes. I will definetly be using Quinoa more ofter now, I will be looking for healthy recipes using it.
Reply
Elisa says
February 19, 2015 at 8:33 AM
I made these last night and they were delicious!! My family really enjoyed them. I will have to make a double batch next time!
Reply
- Lindsay says
  February 19, 2015 at 10:28 AM
  So glad to hear that!!
  Reply

Tuna Quinoa Cakes Recipe | Healthy Dinner Recipe (2024)

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My favorite way to serve tuna patties is on a bed of greens, like a salad, with a little of my Comeback Sauce. But you could also stuff the tuna cakes into a pita with some tomatoes and greens, and a little tartar sauce.

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How do you keep tuna cakes from falling apart? ›

To fix the problem, you just need to add a little extra raw protein, and the easiest place to get a protein fix is from an egg. Adding an egg to a batch of tuna patties is a little extra insurance that things will stay together, especially if you tend to measure your other ingredients by eyeballing them.

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Spread on toast or crackers for breakfast or as a quick snack.
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