The High-Protein Dinner You Can Make on Repeat With Pantry Staples

You can cook this recipe right now if you have a can of tuna in your pantry waiting for you to use it.



It is not an uncommon occurrence for people to find themselves staring at the shelves in their pantry, pondering what they should eat for dinner. It is a circumstance that I have encountered on several occasions, and fortunately for both of us, I have the perfect answer to this problem: Easy Tuna Cakes With Greens And Lemon Dressing. The dinner can be prepared in only fifteen minutes, making it a speedy option. In this high-protein recipe, I love it for the following reasons.

The cakes are constructed with a foundation consisting of canned tuna and canned white beans, two essential ingredients that I usually have on hand in my pantry. In addition to being flexible ingredients, both of these foods include protein, which is an essential nutrient that plays a role in a variety of biological functions, including the maintenance of bone health, digestion, and the development of muscle. Since I’m attempting to eat more plant-based this year, I like the fact that the cakes have both animal- and plant-based protein.

Since you can use whatever canned white beans you may have in your pantry, I love how adaptable this recipe is. It is common for me to have cannellini beans on hand; however, navy beans or great northern beans would also be suitable. Just before you use your canned beans, be sure to rinse them to eliminate any extra salt that may be present. To avoid adding any more moisture to the mixture, you should also be sure to dry the beans by patting them dry completely. I will either add the leftover beans to the salad or I will preserve them for another purpose, such as this White Bean and Avocado Toast. The recipe does not call for the whole can of beans, so I will combine them with the salad. When I have the time, I like to use my air fryer to crisp up the leftover beans, which gives the greens a lovely crunch. This serves as a pleasant addition to the dish.

In addition to the tuna and beans, the cakes are made with dried herbs, an egg, Dijon mustard, lemon, and panko. Additional ingredients include the lemon. Although the recipe calls for a combination of dried dill, dried mint, and dried tarragon, I’ve discovered that fresh dill of any kind tastes just as good as the dried varieties. I usually estimate the quantity of fresh herbs by sight, but as a general substitution rule, use one tablespoon of fresh herbs in lieu of one teaspoon of dried herbs.

After the tuna mixture has been prepared, all that is left to do is form the cakes into the desired shape and then cook them. It is possible to add more breadcrumbs to your mixture if it seems to be a little bit damp. For the cakes to avoid becoming very dry, add a little amount at a time and mix it well before adding more. I love how the cakes turn out crispy in the pan, and I also love how they add a lovely texture to the salad. I’ll eat the remaining cakes for lunch throughout the week since the recipe produces four cakes. They may be stored in the refrigerator for a long time and taste just as good cold as they do when they are hot, fresh out of the pan.

To go along with the tuna cakes, there is a simple salad that consists of greens and a homemade lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. In this recipe, the lemon zest is utilized in the cakes, and the lemon juice is used in the vinaigrette. I love dishes that make use of ingredients in a variety of different ways. Even though the salad and dressing are simple to combine, there are times when I find myself reaching for a store-bought salad kit in order to save even more time.

I highly recommend giving these Easy Tuna Cakes a go the next time you are at a loss for what to prepare for dinner (or lunch). It will only take you fifteen minutes of your time, and it is the ideal way to use up that can of tuna that has been gathering dust in your pantry. It is as simple as it gets.

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