Sweet and Spicy Tuna Cake

Let me just start by saying: my sister-in-law makes to die for tuna burgers. Like, I am 100% not sure how she does it, but she elevates canned tuna to actual deliciousness in a way that I didn't really know was possible.  This recipe is mostly an homage to that.

This recipe also costs about $1 per serving to make, meaning it fits well into the grad school budget.

I'm calling this a tuna cake because, as opposed to putting it on a bun and calling it a burger, I chose to eat it with a fork...and it's pretty similar in composition to a crab cake.

You'll need:
- about 1-2 small sweet red peppers, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp of cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp of garlic powder (not pictured)
- 1 tsp of onion powder (not pictured)
- 1 can of tuna, drained*
- 1 cup of bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil

You're going to want to begin by finely chopping your red peppers.  Depending on your personal preference when it comes to chunks in things, you may want to make the pieces larger or smaller.

Now that you've chopped your peppers and hopefully drained* your tuna, add both to a mixing bowl, along with your egg.

Add your spices and mix together with a fork until the mixture is wet and the egg is clearly combined.

Add breadcrumbs a few tablespoons at a time, mixing until the mixture becomes firm and sticks together.

Next, add your oil to the pan and heat your pan to medium-high heat.  Form your mixture into a patty and introduce to the heat.

Cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until brown and crispy.

Serve on its own or with toppings.  Since this runs a little spicy, I added a little ranch on the side, but you could use tartar sauce or anything you feel comfortable with.  Guacamole would probably be tasty.


* I've noticed that the best way to drain tuna, unless you have a tuna strainer (hey, my sister does), is to open the lid about 2/3 of the way and press until juice stops coming out of the can.