Cajun Tuna Burgers

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OriginAmerican diner, Gulf Coast-inspired

Active15 min

Total30 min

EquipmentCast iron skillet, mixing bowl

Pan heat

375°F

Medium-high, oil shimmering

Internal

160°F

Egg binder is raw going in -- treat it like any egg-bound patty

Rest

2min

Off heat before building

Toast buns

1-2min

Cut side down, same pan

	1 · PATTY	2 · SEAR	3 · BUILD
2 cans chunk light tuna, in water, drained (5 oz each)	Drain very well -- press in a fine sieve until no liquid runs.1
1 large egg	Mix in as the binder.
1/4 cup ≈ 59 mL panko breadcrumbs	Mix in.
3 tbsp ≈ 44 mL mayonnaise	Mix in. Along with the egg, this is the entire binder.
2 tbsp ≈ 30 mL green onion, thinly sliced	Mix in.
1 tsp ≈ 5 mL Cajun/Creole seasoning	Mix in.
1/2 tsp ≈ 2.5 mL smoked paprika	Mix in.
1/4 tsp ≈ 1 mL black pepper	Mix in.
2 tbsp ≈ 30 mL neutral oil, for frying		Heat until shimmering.2
4 potato or brioche buns, split			Butter cut sides, toast in the still-hot skillet 1-2 min until golden.
1 tbsp ≈ 15 mL butter, softened			Butter the cut sides before toasting.
1/2 cup ≈ 118 mL dill pickle chips			Layer onto the burger.
to taste lettuce, tomato, red onion, optional			Layer on if using.
1/2 cup ≈ 118 mL spicy Cajun remoulade, made ahead			Spread on both toasted cut faces before anything else goes on.3
3 cups ≈ 710 mL quick Cajun slaw, made ahead			Drain any pooled liquid, then pile onto the patty. Made ahead -- see the notes.

1 · PATTY

2 · SEAR

3 · BUILD

2 cans chunk light tuna, in water, drained (5 oz each)

Drain very well -- press in a fine sieve until no liquid runs.1

1 large egg

Mix in as the binder.

1/4 cup ≈ 59 mL panko breadcrumbs

Mix in.

3 tbsp ≈ 44 mL mayonnaise

Mix in. Along with the egg, this is the entire binder.

2 tbsp ≈ 30 mL green onion, thinly sliced

Mix in.

1 tsp ≈ 5 mL Cajun/Creole seasoning

Mix in.

1/2 tsp ≈ 2.5 mL smoked paprika

Mix in.

1/4 tsp ≈ 1 mL black pepper

Mix in.

2 tbsp ≈ 30 mL neutral oil, for frying

Heat until shimmering.2

4 potato or brioche buns, split

Butter cut sides, toast in the still-hot skillet 1-2 min until golden.

1 tbsp ≈ 15 mL butter, softened

Butter the cut sides before toasting.

1/2 cup ≈ 118 mL dill pickle chips

Layer onto the burger.

to taste lettuce, tomato, red onion, optional

Layer on if using.

1/2 cup ≈ 118 mL spicy Cajun remoulade, made ahead

Spread on both toasted cut faces before anything else goes on.3

3 cups ≈ 710 mL quick Cajun slaw, made ahead

Drain any pooled liquid, then pile onto the patty. Made ahead -- see the notes.

chunk light tuna, in water, drained (5 oz each) · PATTY Flake into a bowl with the rest of the patty ingredients; mix gently just until it holds together. Form 4 patties, chill 15 min to firm the binder.
neutral oil, for frying · SEAR Patties in, don't crowd -- sear 3-4 min per side, flip once, to 160°F internal. Rest 2 min off heat.
spicy Cajun remoulade, made ahead · BUILD Made ahead -- see the notes.

Protein

Produce

Dairy & Egg

Pantry & Grain

Spice & Seasoning

Liquid & Fat

Notes

Make the remoulade and slaw first. Both are cold bowl work that wants time in the fridge -- the remoulade to come together, the slaw a full 30 min to soften. Do them before the skillet goes on, or a day ahead. Full recipes: Spicy Cajun Remoulade and Quick Cajun Slaw.

Chill the patties before searing. Mayo and egg are the only binder -- 15 min in the fridge firms them enough to survive the flip without crumbling. Skip it and expect to fight the pan.

Pull at 160°F, not by color. The tuna itself is already cooked, but the raw egg binding the patty isn't -- treat internal temp like any egg-bound patty, not like searing fish.

No fresh fish needed. Good canned chunk light tuna is the right call and is a standard grocery item locally in St. Louis.

Drain the slaw at the last second. It sits in its own liquid in the fridge by design. Tongs straight from the bowl to the bun and the bottom half is soaked before you sit down.

Make-ahead. Patties can be formed and refrigerated raw up to 24 hr, or frozen raw up to 2 months -- thaw before searing. The remoulade holds 3 days and the slaw 2, so the whole burger can be prepped a day out.

Dial the heat for kids. Drop the Cajun seasoning to 1/2 tsp here, and leave the hot sauce out of both component recipes -- the smoked paprika still carries the flavor in all three.

Adapted Adapted from the classic canned-tuna-patty method common to home cooking (egg- and mayo-bound, pan-fried), reworked into a Cajun burger format with remoulade, slaw, and a toasted bun. Developed for this project, August 2026. https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/tuna-cakes/