Ahi Tuna Burgers

Recently, we went on a big burger-designing binge. We bought at RV, burgers are easy to make ahead, and we wanted *options* - so I went a bit wild with things.

(Be sure to look at the set of links just before the recipe card, to see some of the wonderful stuff that made the cut for the blog!)

Anyway, in looking at the different options to start a burger off with - we usually just do beef and chicken, with the odd salmon burger in there - I decided to make ahi tuna burgers.

Honestly kinda shocked at how long it took me to come to the conclusion that I should make burgers out of fresh tuna. We LOVE the stuff!

It all started out with sushi, obviously.

Some favourites include Tuna Mango Poke, Tuna Crudo, Ahi Tuna Nachos, and my Tuna Poke Bowl.

While we serve it raw most of the time, I also cook it a bit.

Early on, we became obsessed with my Pepper Crusted Tuna with Wasabi Cream Sauce - one of my most popular recipes on this blog. A riff on that idea ended up as my Seared Tuna Salad.

Anyway, yeah. No idea why it took me so long to get onto tuna burgers!

These are AMAZING - we used some of our favourite flavours from our other tuna preparations, pairing it with Asian flavours - including a quick ginger slaw - a wasabi mayonnaise, and fresh avocado slices.

Unf. SO good!

Let’s get to it...

Ingredients

This recipe uses relatively simple ingredients - many will be pantry staples, depending on the types of cooking you tend to do! Everything should be relatively easy to find in any larger grocery store, though.

A few notes for you:

Ahi Tuna Steaks

I tend to use frozen ahi tuna steaks, rather than fresh ahi tuna. Because it’s going to be chopped up and mixed with other ingredients, there’s no need to buy a premium ahi filet for this.

I like to use pre-packaged tuna steaks, the kind that come pre-cut to about 4 oz portions. Just thaw them out and blot well with paper towels before using.

Also note: Because this recipe is cooked through, you don’t need to worry about looking for a “sushi grade” label, either.

Don’t have ahi on hand? Try yellowfin tuna or albacore tuna!

Just be sure to use uncooked, thawed fish. Canned will NOT work in this recipe.

Between the fresh ginger slaw , the tuna patties, and the assembly of the burger, there’s a fair amount of vegetable content here!

You’re looking at:

Purple Cabbage
Carrots
Avocado
Red Onion
Green Onions
Garlic Cloves

Bread Crumbs

Generally speaking, I use Gluten Free Panko Bread Crumbs, but Panko Crumbs work great if you don’t need to be gluten free.

If you’re aiming to keep things lower carb, you can use ¼ cup of almond flour, or ⅓ cup finely crushed pork rinds instead.

Soy Sauce

You can use regular soy sauce or reduced sodium soy sauce, if needed.

To keep things gluten free, you can use a Gluten Free Soy Sauce, Coconut Aminos, or Tamari.

Wasabi Powder

If you’re not able to find Wasabi Powder, you can use a bit of prepared wasabi, to taste.

Just start small and give it a minute to develop, before deciding if you need more.

Prepared wasabi comes in a WIDE variety of “heat” levels, and you never know what you’ve got until you try it, in my experience!

Hamburger Buns

You can use whatever buns you like, just be sure to keep the size in mind when you’re forming the tuna patties!

Brioche buns or sesame seed buns are our go-tos, as well as gluten-free buns - for me.

Everything Else

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

Mayonnaise
Black Sesame Seeds
Rice Vinegar (Or lemon juice)
Ginger Paste
Sesame Oil
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper

... I just really don’t have anything to add, for these last few ingredients!

How to Make Ahi Tuna Burgers

The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is a pictorial walk through:

Ginger Slaw:

Measure carrots, cabbage, and green onions into a medium bowl. Stir to combine, then set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic.

Pour over the bowl of prepared vegetables, toss gently to coat.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap, chill until use.

Wasabi Mayo:

In a small bowl, whisk together wasabi powder and water until smooth, allow to sit for 5 minutes

When 5 minutes have passed, whisk in mayonnaise, until smooth.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill until use.

Ahi Tuna Burgers:

Chop tuna into chunks – about 1″ or so – and blitz a couple times in a food processor. You want there to be some small chunks, not just a super smooth mush.

Place in a medium - large mixing bowl, along with the rest of the ingredients. Mix gently until thoroughly combined.

Cook patties in a single layer over medium heat for a few minutes, until it looks to be cooked halfway up.

Gently flip – I like to use 2 large spatulas – and cook for a few more minutes, until cooked all the way through and lightly golden brown.

Note: Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the tuna patties, and the method. With my 2-sided cooking on the Griddler, it’s usually 3-4 minutes.

Assembly:

Spread both halves of each bun with Wasabi Mayo.

Arrange avocado and red onion slices on each bottom bun, top with a cooked tuna burger patty.

Give the ginger slaw a quick stir, then arrange a generous portion on top of each patty, cap it off with the top of each bun.

Serve immediately.

Leftovers

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a day or two - in an airtight container - before being gently reheated and served.

Alternately, you can freeze the uncooked patties - just cook them from frozen, when you’re ready to use them.

More Burger Recipes

In the mood for a burger, and wanting to branch off from regular cheeseburgers? We've got you covered!

Apple Chicken Burgers with Basil and Gouda
Copycat White Castle Burgers
Dukkah Spiced Falafel Burgers
Dukkah Spiced Lamb Burgers
Fresh Salmon Burgers with Spinach & Feta
Juicy Goosey Burger
Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi Burgers
Mediterranean Chicken Burgers
Moroccan Spiced Beyond Burgers
Moroccan Spiced Lamb Burgers
Paneer Burgers
Tandoori Chicken Burgers
Vegetarian Chorizo Burgers

Share the Love!

Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen. We're also on Pinterest, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!

Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense. Well, the published nonsense, anyway!

Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and/or a comment below, and maybe even sharing this post on social media!