Fantasy Fish Cakes with Aioli Sauce-
Fantasy Fish Cakes with Aioli Sauce are an easy to make, low carb, budget friendly, alternative to crab cakes.
These Tuna cakes are grain free, primal and low carb with a paleo option. Called “poor man’s crab cakes” by some, these are easy and inexpensive to make. My kids, who hate tuna, loved these. They keep asking me to make them again.
We are obsessed with the Alioli Sauce too. Definitely an addictive sauce and a keeper.
Be sure to make the patties medium thickness and get them nice and browned before flipping them over. If they are made too thin or not browned enough, they will fall apart when you try to flip them over. I learned that the hard way, lol.
I just recently gave this post a long overdue photo update and added a video!
Watch The Recipe Video Below: Press the Arrow to Play
I usually make a double batch of the sauce because the kids always fight over it. Okay, maybe I’m in that fight as well.
- 5 to 6 ounce Can Tuna Fish or packet
- 1 Egg beaten.
- 1 Tbsp Mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese ( can omit for diary free)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Golden Flax Meal
- 2 Tbsp Almond meal or almond flour
- 1/8 Tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Tsp onion powder
- 2 Tbsp Avocado oil, or Coconut Oil or Olive oil for frying
- THE AIOLI SAUCE:
- 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Tsp Grated Lemon Zest
- 1 Tsp Lemon Juice
- 1/8 Tsp Sea Salt
- 1/8 Tsp Black Pepper
- Drain tuna extra well, pat with a paper towel once drained.
- Mix all ingredients, except olive oil and sauce ingredients, in a mixing bowl
- Heat oil in Frying pan over medium high heat.
- Place a heaping spoonful into fry pan and press the spoonful down and flatten with back of spoon or spatula.
- Fry for about 2- 3 minutes on each side until browned and crusted.
- It helps to not flip it until the side forms a browned crust.
- Aioli Sauce:
- Mix all Ingredients, cover and refrigerate.
Make Aoili Sauce in advance, so it can chill while fish cakes are cooking.
Nutrition Facts: Yield: 6 small patties, Serving size: 2 patties, Calories: 144 Fat: 7 g Carbohydrates: 1.2 g / Net Carbs: 0.5 g Sugar: 0.1 g Fiber: 0.7 g Protein: 18 g
*All nutritional data are estimates based on the products I used*
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RECIPES YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:
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- Garlic Lime Butter Fillets
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- Tuna Melt Tomato
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- Cheesy Tuna Balls
What about some Old Bay seasoning like they use in crab cakes in Maryland???
Old Bay seasoning is a great idea, Dianna. I will try that next time I make them!
I’ve made these before but didn’t have garlic powder or onion powder. This time I used both and they really are good. I put some chilli into half of the mix and that’s pretty good too! Thank you
Thank you, Jane, for trying the recipe and for your kind words. Also thanks for the chili powder tip 🙂
I have been making these now for about 2 years when I came across your recipe. These are fantastic! There are very few meals that my whole family enjoys, and this is one of them! And the fact that they are super easy makes them even better!
Thank you so much, Heather for letting me know that your family continues to enjoy the recipe. I really appreciate your kind words 🙂
oh my goodness these are to die for – devouring as I type 🙂
Thank you so much, Therese, for taking the time to try the recipe and comment. I really appreciate it so much.
Both the tuna cakes and the aioli are fantastic. Great flavor and texture on both. I was surprised how crispy the tuna cakes got!
Thank you for trying them, Marie, and for your kind words.
I just tried this last night and my kids are very picky, so I wasn’t even going to try it on them until my older daughter asked for some. Both of my daughters ate almost all of them and asked for more. I was so excited this was such a hit and pretty healthy, too! I used the Wild Planet albacore tuna from Costco and extra almond flour since I did not have any flax.. Thanks so much for this new favorite recipe!
Thank you, Kim, for trying the recipe and your kind words. So glad the kids liked them.
The addiction is real.. These are AMAZING!!! New family favourite, and the kids want them for lunch at school.. thank you for this delicious and easy recipe!
Thank you so much, Ammee for you’re very kind words.
Whoa these are fantastic! I had to use coconut flour as it’s what I had on hand and I added a bit of Cajun seasoning. Mine are not as pretty as yours…lol…but super delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you for your kind words and for trying the recipe, Julianna 🙂
they were tasty. I would make these again. I followed the recipe The Only Exception being I added half a teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and I noticed it was easier for me to form patties with my hands first before putting it in the pan
Thank you, Melissa. I will try using my hands next time. Good tip.
YUM! Tuna cakes, why don’tI think of making these? I will now, thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Holley 🙂
Absolutely delicious food, thank you!
Thank you so much Darryl 🙂
These look so crispy and delicious!
Thank you Becky 🙂
Fish cakes are so underrated! I love them. And aioli! to die for. We totally fight over it in my house too!
Thank you Dana.
I love fish cakes ! They are so tasty and these little morsels pack with tons of flavor ! I’ll have to make this dish soon !!
Thank you ChihYu 🙂
These fish cakes look scrumptious, and everything is better with aioli!!!
Thank you Kari. I’m all about the sauce!
We always have tins of tuna in the cupboard and my kids love fishcakes, so this is a perfect recipe for us! Thanks for posting 🙂
Thank you Jo 🙂
These look crispy and delicious! That aioli sounds like the perfect topping!
Thank you so much Jessica
These look amazing. I love a good tuna cake over salad… with a dollop of mayo on top! Yum!
Thank you Cristina
I always make salmon cakes but for some reason forget to make tuna cakes! Considering I find it a lot easier to get canned tuna, that should be a no brainer. Gonna have to change that all up and try these!
You could use salmon in the recipe too. It is a little pricey though.
Fantasy fish cakes is totally the name for these. I’m always looking for a way to make mine a little different, and I adore the addition of parmesan in these. Yum!!!
Thank you Irene 🙂
Such a great recipe! I love creative ways to use canned tuna, and this looks delicious.
Thank you Jean 🙂
I bet these are so delicious! Love that beautiful, golden brown crispy crust! Such a fun way to work some fish into meals.
Thank you Emily 🙂
My kids would fight over those too! I’ll have to make a double batch! Love that aoili!
Thanks Renee, yes it is all about the sauce 🙂
Does the nutritional info include the sauce?
Diane, Yes it does include the sauce in the nutritional data.
These look lovely …… do you think they would work without the flax meal? (Im allergic to it) thanks
Hi Jo, Yes, they will work without the flax meal, I just add that for extra fiber.
If you leave out the flax meal do you increase the almond flour???
Hi Diana, yes increase the almond flour to replace the flax meal.
I made one batch of this recipe as written with tuna, and made another with a can of chicken, doubling the other ingreds. OH MY GOODNESS!!! Hubby says, “It’s a hit!” He liked both the tuna and the chicken. I will be making these often! 🙂
The sauce was AMAZING, too! Went well with both tuna and chicken!
Marsha, Thank you so much for making the recipe and taking the time to let us know your results. So glad your Hubby gave it the thumbs up! I love the canned chicken idea, and I will be making that version soon! 🙂
We made this using salmon and some leftover tilapia and the fish cakes were amazing. Thank you!
Jen, thank you! Salmon and Tilapia would be delish in there! Great idea!
I have looked for a recipe for crab cakes that doesn’t use crushed pork rinds (not a fan) and this looks perfect! Adding this to my Christmas Eve supper menu! Will make them as mini crab cakes! Can’t wait!
Sara, you can use crab meat in these as well. Be sure to use a non-stick pan. I have not tried anything with pork rinds yet. I know it is silly, but I’m still squeamish about pork rinds, lol.
~Stacey
Thank you for this recipe. It has become a family favorite. I have had great results with this recipe when using a non-stick frying pan, but they did stick the one time I forgot and used a regular pan.
Jean, thank you for trying these. Yes, a non stick pan is definitely preferable. If using a regular one, then it will require more oil. Also making sure the side your frying first is very crisp before flipping over helps.
~Stacey
Do you think this would work with crab? Sounds DEE-Lish!!
Diane, I think they would be really amazing with crab.:)
~Stacey
Stacey, thank you for this recipe. I love tuna any which way except straight out of the container! I will make this soon, and often I’m sure, as it sounds very much like what my Mom used to make for us, though this one will be low carb friendly. As for unkind comments, those people should just not make the recipe, and if they do and don’t like it, then it’s just another food/recipe that they don’t like and won’t make again. Simple as that. No need to be unkind to the person who is generous of their time and talent to share with the rest of us. Me? I don’t like mushrooms, so I just omit from a recipe. No need to be unkind to the creator for the recipe for using them. Bah! Don’t listen to them. You continue doing what you’re doing, because you’re doing a great job. Thank you.
Maria, thank you for your kind words and support. You have been really sweet. I know what you mean, I don’t like onions at all, so I just leave them out of a recipe but I know other people love them. People have different tastes.
Sincerely,
Stacey
I mixed this up for dinner tonight but cooked a small sample to see if I needed to make any adjustment to the seasonings. I followed the “fish cake” recipe exactly. It is very good and I did not change anything . For the sauce, I decided to wait for another day to make homemade mayo. I mixed crema mexicana with Mrs Dash salt free lemon pepper. It was tasty and complimented the fish cakes …. All in all it was very simple to make so I’ll add this recipe to make low carb collection. Thank you, thank you.
These were amazing. We used coconut flour instead of almond flour 🙂
Kim, thank you for trying the recipe and your kind words. This has made my day! After getting some unkind comments earlier in the day, it is great to receive a nice one!
Sincerely,
Stacey
Janet, thank you for trying this recipe and your great feedback! I like the cream Mexicana idea! You could use regular mayo as well. The homemade is for people on the paleo diet.
Sincerely,
Stacey