Tuna Cabbage Patties With Spicy Garlic Mayo

You will love these cheesy, crispy Tuna Cabbage Patties with spicy garlicky mayonnaise dipping sauce. Super easy to make, the tuna patties are pan-fried in a little oil (like fritters) and can be served for lunch, brunch, or dinner. I love it with a big salad for a satiating, nutritious meal. Great as finger food! Keto, low-carb, gluten-free.

Cheesy Tuna Cabbage Patties 

Made with canned tuna, cheese, and egg BUT no flour, these cabbage patties are gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly. I often make them during a Low-Carb Challenge and enjoy them for lunch or dinner, and sometimes even breakfast with an added fried egg on top.

These are kind of like fritters but pan-fried rather than deep-fried. The shredded cabbage gives them a nice texture and body and becomes tender on the inside and crispy on the outside when the patties are cooked in a frying pan. Plus, the cheese melts and gets a little gooey, holding everything together.

You can serve them with a variety of sauces, including your standard tomato sauce or mustard. Or you can whip up a little hot sauce and garlic spiked mayo dipping sauce or a herby chimichurri.

I served them with a nice salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and peppers.

Cabbage Patties Ingredients

Cabbage: You will need about 2 cups of shredded or finely sliced/diced cabbage. White cabbage or Napa cabbage works best but you could also use red cabbage as well. You will get more purple-blue-ish patties in that case.

Canned fish: I made these patties with canned tuna but salmon or sardines will also work in this recipe.

Binding ingredients: Eggs and cheese, which will melt during cooking, are used for binding and holding everything together.

Other bits for patties: Red onion adds a little sharpness and flavour, and the rest is just salt and pepper. Super simple! Plus, olive oil or coconut oil for cooking.

Spicy Garlic Mayo Sauce

This is a really simple dipping sauce that goes with ALL fritters or savoury patties. All you need is good quality mayonnaise, minced or diced garlic and Sriracha hot sauce, Tobasaco or Frank’s hot sauce. Garlic powder can also be used but you will have a more mellow flavour. Mix everything together and it’s good to go!

You can switch up or put a twist on it with wholegrain or hot mustard, diced pickles or kimchi, herbs like dill or basil, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, lemon zest, and juice, harissa, chipotle, and so on.

How To Make Tuna Cabbage Patties

Step 1. In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage with cheese, tuna, eggs, red onions, salt, and pepper. Mix until well incorporated, especially the cheese and eggs. Don’t leave sitting for too long as the cabbage will release juices and the whole mix might get quite wet. Best to cook right away!

Tip: If the mixture seems too wet, add a tablespoon of coconut flour or regular flour to absorb the moisture.

Step 2. In a large frying pan, heat a good splash of olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil over medium-high heat.

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the mixture to make a pattie or use a large spoon or a 1/4-1/3 measuring cup to shape the patties. I usually eye-ball it with a heaped tablespoon of the mixture. I add it to the pan and then shape and flatten the patty.

Pan-fry over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Add a little more oil when you turn the patties to keep them extra crispy.

Step 3. While patties are cooking, make the sauce. Grate or mince the garlic clove and mix into mayonnaise together with hot sauce. Set aside.

Prepare a side salad or vegetables to go with the patties. I made a salad with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red capsicum/peppers, radish, onions, lemon, and olive oil dressing.

Prep Tip

If you want to make these ahead of time, you can prepare all of the ingredients and add them to a bowl EXCEPT for salt and eggs. Cover the bowl with a lid/Gladwrap or store the mix in a container until you’re ready to cook (a day or two in advance is fine). Then, when you are ready to cook, mix in the salt and eggs. If you mix those in too soon, the cabbage will start to release juices and the batter will get too wet/soggy.

Alternatively, you can make and pan-fry the fritters and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a frying pan or oven and serve with the sauce.

Tuna cabbage patties can be frozen once they are cooked. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then pan-fry on low heat to warm them up and get some of the crispiness back.

Nutrition Notes

These tuna and cabbage patties are gluten-free, low-carb and keto-friendly, and high in protein. They are nutrient-dense with lots of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. You can make a vegetarian version with cabbage, cheese, and eggs.

Here are the nutrition macros per 3 patties: 480calories, 5.9 g total carbs, 1.2 g fibre (4.7 g net carbs), 27.5 g protein, 38.2 g fat (includes 1 tablespoon of mayo sauce).

More Fritters And Patties To Try

Full Recipe For Tuna Cabbage Patties

Find the full list of ingredients, instructions, and extra cooking notes below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments and make sure to rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.