It’s the middle of a hectic week. Everyone just got home and you need to put something on the table fast. But everything is frozen. What do you do? Simple. Look to your pantry, folks. Make tuna burgers.
If you love tuna salad, you’ll adore these gorgeous little burgers made from tuna and onions. But that’s not enough, is it? Your burgers have to have some zing. No problem. Add some smashed avocado, a dollop of sesame mayo, and a couple tomato slices. Now you’re golden.
Seriously, they’re simple to make, they’re fantastic, and you can use what you have on hand.
They also happen to be gorgeous. Don’t you think so?
O.K. So they’re a little sloppy, but that’s half the fun. This dish is designed to fit the bill as a grab-and-go dinner, not something to get your camera phones clicking. (That would be these burgers.) Tuna burgers are a fast, fun way to clear out some pantry space and grab something delicious at the end of a hectic day.
And, they have a secret…
Sesame mayo.
Yeah, that stuff oozing seductively down the side of the burgers.
In fairness, it’s more like the mayo is gushing out of the burger, but I’m addicted to this stuff right now, and it’s so simple to make that it’s ridiculous.
Just take two tablespoons of real mayonnaise, add a teaspoon of sesame oil, and stir. That’s it. Not the world’s healthiest condiment, but crazy good, especially with the addition of some mashed avocado.
This is as simple as it gets, but it doesn’t sacrifice taste, and these tuna burgers are even amazing chilled as leftovers. Trust me. Been there. Done that. It’s good. Insanely good.
But enough of the chatter. Let’s get to the recipe, shall we?

Tuna Burgers with Sesame Mayo and Avocado
Tuna Burgers with Sesame Mayo and Avocado - A quick and delicious weeknight dinner for the whole family. Ready in less than 20 minutes, but crazy tasty.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces chunk light tuna in water.
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine.
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons real Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 ripe avocados
- 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
- 12 slider buns or 8 regular hamburger buns.
Instructions
- Drain tuna. Reserve liquid
- Place tuna in a large bowl and add onions, eggs, and panko bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Add reserved liquid and continue mixing until mixture has a uniform texture that holds together. Shape into patties of desired size and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add mayonnaise and sesame oil and mix well. Set aside.
- Cook tuna patties in batches in an oiled skillet over medium-low heat for approximately 3 minutes per side, turning once.
- Cut and pit avocados. Scrape flesh into a bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and mash with the back of a fork.
- Prepare buns and stack tomatoes, tuna patties, tomato, avocado, and sesame mayonnaise in whatever order makes you happy.
- Serve hot.
- Share and enjoy.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 340Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 551mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 21g
What I would have done to make these tuna burgers better:
There are so many possibilities here that it’s mind boggling. Don’t get me wrong. The tuna burgers were incredible just as described. But feel free to add or subtract ingredients to suit your tastes.
I can see these being amazing with some roasted red peppers in place of the avocado. Or with a dab of tartar sauce instead of the sesame mayo. Honestly, they’re just burgers, and burgers lend themselves to customizations. Find your own ultimate combination based on what you have in your pantry.
Wrapping up:
I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and that it finds a happy place on your family table. Especially on those nights when it feels like everything is just too hectic to cook.
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Until next time,
Food is love. Share and Enjoy.