Tuna Salad Patties
I put these in my bento lunches and love them. They taste like tuna salad sandwiches, but in perfect mini-burger form.
I put these in my bento lunches and love them. They taste like tuna salad sandwiches, but in perfect mini-burger form.
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 12 ounces tuna canned, drained (save juice)
- 1/2 cup white bread torn into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon tuna juice from can
- 2 tablespoons onion chopped fine
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- Carbohydrate 4.83788544758033 g
- Cholesterol 80.9319270792662 mg
- Fat 5.03288855469249 g
- Fiber 0.419700004841322 g
- Protein 24.1091644788705 g
- Saturated Fat 1.49171458234178 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (124g)
- Sodium 490.117174898487 mg
- Sugar 4.41818544273901 g
- Trans Fat 0.450639306425729 g
- Calories 165 calories
Step-by-step
- Drain the liquid from the tuna cans. If you are using tuna packed in water, reserve a tablespoon of the tuna water, and add a teaspoon of olive oil to the tuna mixture in the next step.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the tuna, mustard, torn white bread, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, parsley, chives, and hot sauce. Sprinkle on salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste the mixture before adding the egg to see if it needs more seasoning to your taste. Mix in the egg.
- Divide the mixture into 4 parts. With each part, form into a ball and then flatten into a patty. Place onto a wax paper lined tray and chill for an hour. (You can skip the chilling if you want, chilling just helps the patties stay together when you cook them.)
- Heat the olive oil and a little butter (for taste) in a cast iron or stick-free skillet on medium high. Gently place the patties in the pan, and cook until nicely browned, 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with wedges of lemon. You can also serve with tartar sauce on slider buns for a tuna burger.
The Binding Role of Torn Bread
Torn white bread functions as the core structural agent in these patties by absorbing excess moisture from the canned fish. Unlike fine breadcrumbs, torn pieces retain pocket air that preserves a tender interior crumb texture while holding the minced onion and herbs in place.
Chilling for Structural Integrity
Resting formed patties on a wax paper lined tray for sixty minutes allows the starches in the bread to hydrate fully and lock around the protein fibers. Skipping this refrigeration step often leads to crumbling during the pan-sear phase because the loose egg and oil emulsion lacks sufficient thermal set.
High-Heat Cast Iron Cooking
Combining olive oil with a small pat of butter in a cast-iron skillet yields optimal thermal conduction for browning. Cook the portions over medium-high heat for three to four minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms without overcooking the interior.
