Mexican Tuna Cakes with Jalapeño Cream Sauce
Spice up your dinner rotation with these Mexican Tuna Cakes! They are full of flavor, gluten-free, and topped with a lightened-up jalapeño cream sauce.
Tuna has been a cabinet staple in my house for as long as I can remember. We used to eat a lot of tuna sandwiches when we were kids, and tuna noodle casserole was a regular in my mama’s dinner rotation. My sisters also used to make meals for us a lot, and tuna melts were one of their specialties. Tuna melts are still like comfort food for me, and I’ve made a few different versions here on Belle of the Kitchen, including my Parmesan Pesto Tuna Melt and the Hawaiian Tuna Melt.
I still love it and always make sure to keep a couple of cans of Bumble Bee Tuna on hand, especially with the busy back-to-school season underway. Tuna is so easy to whip up, and with a little imagination you can create some really tasty and unique meals!
I actually got the inspiration for these Mexican Tuna Cakes on a recent date night with my husband. We finally had the opportunity to go to a restaurant we had been wanting to try out for awhile, and after looking over the menu I knew I wanted to order the crab cakes. They were totally delicious, but left me wishing I could make them at home. Crab cakes are something I’ve never attempted before, and honestly I don’t have a lot of experience with crab, period. Well, outside of crab legs slathered in lots of melted butter. We do make those on occasion. 🙂
I thought it over and decided I was going to give it a try with the Bumble Bee Chunk White Albacore Tuna I already had at home. It would be cheaper and easier, plus I love Bumble Bee products because they are a great source of lean protein, healthy fat, and important vitamins and minerals. This is important to me since we are trying to make a conscious effort to eat healthier.
And while I was at it, I decided to make these tuna cakes a little more my style; Mexican style that is! That’s pretty much my favorite way to eat any kind of food. 🙂
You’ll start off with a host of great ingredients, including corn, black, beans, green onions, garlic, crushed tortilla chips, cumin, chili powder, etc. Simply mix all of those ingredients together in a bowl and then form into patties. Add some olive oil to a large skillet and fry them up! Meanwhile you’ll cook some onions and garlic in a sauce pan, then mix in the rest of the ingredients to make the jalapeño cream sauce. If you want your sauce to be smooth, simply run it through the blender or use an immersion blender to take out the chunks. I like mine a little chunky so I left it as is.
Scoop it on top of each tuna cake, add on some salsa or guacamole and a sprinkle of cilantro, and you have a delicious, healthy dinner!
For more recipe inspiration, be sure to check out Bumble Bee® on Twitter and Pinterest!

Mexican Tuna Cakes with Jalapeño Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Tuna Cakes:
- 2 eggs
- 4 tsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup crushed corn tortilla chips
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 green onions,, chopped
- 1/4 cup black beans,, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup corn, (I used frozen)
- 2 garlic cloves,, minced
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro,, chopped
- 2 (5 oz) cans Bumble Bee Tuna
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Jalapeño Cream Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion,, diced small
- 1 medium jalapeño,, seeded and diced small
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (8 oz) package light cream cheese, softened
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and lime juice. Stir in the crushed tortilla chips, cumin, and chili powder to make a paste. Mix in the green onions, black beans, corn, garlic, cilantro, and tuna. Form the mixture into four patties.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- To make the jalapeño cream sauce, melt butter in a medium sized saucepan. Add in onions, jalapeño, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until onions are soft, about five minutes. Add in cream cheese and green chiles and stir until cream cheese is melted. Stir in the chicken broth until mixture is smooth and cook for 1-2 additional minutes. If you prefer a smoother sauce, transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth or blend sauce directly in the pan with an immersion blender.
- Top each tuna cake with sauce, then with salsa, guacamole, cilantro, etc. if desired.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
I am sure I’d love these! That cream sauce looks incredible.
Oh these look so yummy and simliar to a traditional Jamaican dish. Can’t wait to try it!
This looks amazing! I may have to try my hand at making this for lunch one day since my husband is allergic to any kind of fish or seafood! I could have it all to myself😋
Omg yes please, Mexican cuisine is not so popular here so I definitely need to make this
That looks delicious and light which is perfect for me. Thanks!
I’ve been looking for some new healthy recipes to try lately. These look amazing and I love tuna!
This was yummy! I had a problem with it binding so I added a bit of mayo and it changed the game! Feed two teens girls, let me say this was a winner. Our first ever experience with tuna cakes. Delicious. I did not have exactly everything, I used pickled jalapeños and taco seasoning. Also added Panko crumbs. Also no green chilies so I guess what I trying to say is just go for it!!!
These sound so light and perfect for summer! Love the sauce you added too.
That sauce sounds so good! What a great recipe!
Wow what an incredible way to use up tuna!! Absolutely amazing!
The happy faces fulldwith are so cute – makes you really enjoy the recipe even more! I am really keen to try the jalapeño cream sauce as I think you can use it with so many different dishes.
this is such a great way to use tuna! what a fun idea and so many wonderful flavors. Definitely need to add this to my weekly meals 🙂
This recipe sounds terrific I love all the ingredients and I have them in the house to make thanks
These were incredible. And that sauce–don’t get me started. I just made these a few days ago and already getting ready to make again. An absolute keeper!
Yay Michele! So glad y’all enjoy these! They are definitely my favorite way to dress up some tuna!
Thank you for the nice recipe.
Thanks Liz!
Was anxious to try this but my patties completely feel apart in the pan. Followed recipe to the letter
I’ve never had an issue with these falling apart before, I’m sorry to hear that happened to you, Jeff! Was your pan and oil the correct temp?
Made these last night – FABULOUS!!! This recipe is a little time-consuming to assemble, but completely worth it. We love Mexican food, but never thought about taking tuna fish to that arena, and my husband isn’t crazy about tuna. He LOVED these. The sauce is to die for! I was worried that the patties wouldn’t hold together, but once they were in the skillet, they were fine and turned out beautifully. The only way I made tuna patties before was mixed with some seasonings and leftover mashed potatoes. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! It’s definitely a keeper in our house! 🙂
I am so glad to hear that y’all enjoyed these, Kathy! They have become our new favorite way to eat tuna, so much good flavor in there! Thank you for coming back and leaving your review, I’m glad you’ve gotten your hubby on board with tuna now, too! 🙂
I almost always eat tuna cold so I never think to make it inot little cakes. What a great use!
I love the creative twist with the tuna in these cakes – and Mexican food is my favorite, too, so I’m excited about the culinary mix of flavors and ingredients!
WHOA WHOA WHOA!!! I know tuna cakes, but you’ve taken them to a whole new level! They’re awesome!!
We have all of this tuna and always make the same thing – we have almost stopped buying it because we’re bored. Can’t wait to try this!
Tuna melts are definitely comfort food around here too…and these tuna cakes look soooo delicious!
Love the Mexican flavor going on in these and that cream sauce….oh Yeah!
These look and sound so delicious! Love all the flavors you have going on here!
Tuna is great no matter how you prepare and inspiration from a date night is even better! I bet the kids loved these!