Canned Tuna Two Ways: Crispy Tuna Cakes and Open-Faced Tuna Melts

Canned tuna sits in almost every American pantry, and most of the time it turns into the same sandwich. That is a shame, because a couple of cans, some bread crumbs and an egg can become a dinner that feels like you planned it.

Below are two recipes that share most of their ingredients. Tuna cakes are crispy outside and tender inside, good with a salad or a pile of rice. Open-faced melts are the twenty-minute fallback when the fridge is nearly empty. Buy tuna when it is on sale, and both are always within reach.

Serves: 4 (each recipe) · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 15 min · Keeps: 3–4 days in the fridge

🐟 Which canned tuna should you buy?

The label matters more for texture than for flavor, so buy based on what you are making.

For both recipes here, chunk light in water is the budget pick and works perfectly. The binder and seasoning bring the moisture back. If you are pregnant or feeding young children, the FDA and EPA publish advice on which fish to choose and how often; their chart lists canned light tuna (including skipjack) as a "Best Choice" and albacore as a "Good Choice," which means fewer recommended servings per week.

Drain the cans well. Press the lid firmly into the can over the sink, or squeeze the tuna in a fine strainer. Extra water is the main reason tuna cakes fall apart in the pan.

🧾 Ingredients

Crispy tuna cakes (8 cakes)

• 3 cans (5 oz / 142 g each) chunk light tuna, very well drained
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs, cracker crumbs or crushed saltines, divided
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise or plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp yellow or Dijon mustard
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced, or 2 tbsp minced onion
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Pinch of salt (the tuna and crumbs are already salty)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil for frying

Open-faced tuna melts (4 large toasts)

• 2 cans (5 oz / 142 g each) tuna, drained
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup diced celery, dill pickle or sweet relish
• 1 tsp mustard and a squeeze of lemon
• 4 thick slices of bread (sandwich bread, sourdough or split English muffins)
• 4 slices or 1 cup shredded cheddar, American or Swiss
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced (optional)

👩‍🍳 Step by step

Tuna cakes

1. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, green onions, garlic powder, pepper and a small pinch of salt.
2. Add the tuna and 1/2 cup of the crumbs. Mix with a fork until it holds together when squeezed. If it feels wet, add crumbs a tablespoon at a time.
3. Divide into 8 portions and press each into a patty about 3/4 inch thick. Coat both sides lightly in the remaining crumbs.
4. Chill for 15 minutes if you have time. A short rest in the fridge lets the crumbs absorb moisture, and the cakes hold their shape much better in the pan.
5. Heat the oil in a large skillet (nonstick or cast iron) over medium heat until it shimmers. Fry the cakes in batches without crowding, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden. Flip only once, gently, with a thin spatula.
6. Because the cakes contain raw egg, cook them through. An instant-read thermometer pushed into the center of a cake should read 160°F, the FDA's minimum for egg dishes. Drain on a paper towel and serve with lemon wedges.

Open-faced melts

7. Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler and turn the broiler on high.
8. Mix the tuna with mayonnaise, celery or pickle, mustard and lemon.
9. Lay the bread on a sheet pan and broil 1 to 2 minutes until lightly toasted on top. Flip the slices over.
10. Spread the tuna mixture on the untoasted side, add a tomato slice if using, and top with cheese.
11. Broil 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese bubbles and browns in spots. Broilers vary a lot, so do not walk away.

Tip: No broiler? Bake the melts at 425°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or make them in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until the cheese melts and the bottom crisps.

🔄 What can you substitute?

• Canned salmon or chicken works in either recipe. With canned salmon, remove the large skin pieces and mash the soft bones in; they are edible and add calcium.
• Leftover mashed potatoes can replace half the bread crumbs in the cakes for a softer, fish-cake style interior.
• Rolled oats, pulsed in a blender or simply crushed in your hand, make a good binder if you are out of crumbs.
• Yogurt or sour cream can stand in for mayonnaise in both recipes; add an extra squeeze of lemon.
• Corn, peas or shredded carrot stretch the cakes further. Add up to 1/2 cup and an extra tablespoon of crumbs.
• Spices: Old Bay–style seafood seasoning, smoked paprika, curry powder or a spoon of hot sauce all change the character of the cakes with ingredients you probably have.

How do you turn these into a full meal?

Tuna cakes are rich and crisp, so pair them with something fresh or starchy and plain:

• A cabbage slaw dressed with vinegar, a little oil and salt
• Rice and frozen peas, with a spoon of the leftover mayo mixed with hot sauce as a dipping sauce
• Tucked into a bun or a tortilla with lettuce and pickles
• Baked potatoes or oven potato wedges

Melts are a meal with a bowl of tomato soup, a raw vegetable plate or a simple green salad.

💰 Why are these so cheap per serving?

Canned tuna is one of the more affordable ready-to-eat proteins, and it never spoils in the pantry. These recipes stretch it further: the cakes use 3 cans for 8 patties thanks to the egg and crumbs, and the melts use 2 cans for 4 generous servings because bread and cheese carry part of the meal.

To work out your own cost per serving, add up the price of the tuna, eggs, bread or crumbs, and a fraction of the mayo and mustard jars, then divide by 4. Stores often discount canned tuna in multi-packs or during seasonal sales, which is the moment to stock up, since unopened cans keep for a long time on a cool, dry shelf.

🧊 How do you store and reheat them safely?

Once you open a can of tuna, it is a perishable food. The FDA refrigerator and freezer storage chart lists canned seafood taken out of the can at 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, and homemade tuna salad at 3 to 5 days. Do not store leftovers in the open can; move them to a covered container.

• Tuna cakes: Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. They keep 3 to 4 days. To freeze, lay cooked cakes on a tray until firm, then bag them; use within about 2 months for the best texture.
• Reheating cakes: Skip the microwave if you can, because it makes them soggy. Warm them in a 375°F oven or an air fryer for 8 to 10 minutes, until hot in the center. The FDA's safe food handling guidance calls for reheating leftovers to 165°F.
• Melts: Best eaten right away. Store any extra tuna mixture separately and build fresh melts the next day instead of reheating assembled ones.

You can also shape the raw cakes up to a day ahead, keep them covered in the fridge, and fry them right before dinner.

🏁 The short version

Drain the tuna well, bind it with egg and crumbs, chill, and fry the cakes until golden and cooked through to 160°F. When you need something faster, mix tuna with mayo and pickle, spread it on toast, top with cheese and broil. Keep a few cans in the pantry and you always have one of these dinners covered.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my tuna cakes fall apart?

Usually the tuna was not drained enough, or the cakes went into the pan before the crumbs had time to absorb moisture. Squeeze the tuna hard, add crumbs until the mix holds when pressed, and chill the shaped cakes for 15 minutes before frying.

Can I bake tuna cakes instead of frying?

Yes. Place them on an oiled sheet pan, brush or spray the tops with oil and bake at 425°F for about 15 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway. They will be a little less crisp than pan-fried, but still golden.

Is canned tuna already cooked?

Yes, commercially canned tuna is cooked during processing, so you can eat it straight from the can. The reason to cook the tuna cakes through is the raw egg in the mixture, not the fish.

Can I make these with canned tuna packed in oil?

Absolutely. Drain most of the oil, then cut back on the mayonnaise a little because the tuna is already rich. A spoon of that drained oil works well for frying the cakes or toasting the bread.