Zesty, easy gluten free tuna burgers prove that burgers don't need beef to be delicious. Fresh ahi tuna, a punchy paste of garlic, ginger, and coconut aminos, and a quick chill in the fridge before cooking. That chill time is key - it keeps the patties together and gives the flavors a chance to really come through.
Whether you use a gluten free bun or wrap your serving in lettuce, these tuna burgers deliver a satisfying, high protein meal. If you love fresh, bold seafood flavors, my Grilled Walleye with Mango Salsa is another one to add to your rotation!
Quick Look: Gluten Free Tuna Burgers
⏲️Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes (includes chill time)
🍽Servings: 4
🥗Nutrition: 276 Calories / 29g Protein
🥘Main Ingredients: Ahi tuna, Mustard, Garlic, Ginger, Tamari/Coconut aminos, Olive oil, Avocado, Pickled onion, Lettuce
📋Dietary Notes: Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free, Nut free
⭐Why You'll Love It: Simple homemade tuna burgers pack a ton of flavor - it's a different spin on gluten free burgers for a surf 'n turf flair!
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These tuna burgers aren't your average canned tuna situation. You'll use fresh tuna steaks, right in the food processor. The result is a burger with real texture and bold, savory flavor in every bite! The cook time is fast too, just 2-3 minutes per side, so once the chill time is done you're eating in under 15 minutes.
And let's not forget the toppings. Creamy avocado, tangy pickled red onions, a hit of sriracha, and a swipe of brown mustard - every bite has something going on. My Paleo Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa follow the same idea of bold toppings doing a lot of the heavy lifting, and they're just as fun to build and eat!
Gluten free tuna burgers also come together with surprisingly little hands-on effort. If you love easy, high protein seafood dinners like this one, my Sheet Pan Ginger Miso Salmon with Green Beans is another weeknight win worth trying!
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Key Ingredients
Ahi tuna: Fresh is the move here! Look for ahi or yellowfin tuna - fresh or frozen is fine. Cut it into 1-inch pieces before adding to the food processor. This gives you control over the texture so you don't accidentally puree it.
Tamari/Coconut aminos: The gluten free swap for soy sauce and it works beautifully. Coconut aminos adds a slightly sweet, salty depth without any soy or gluten. You'll find both near the soy sauce at most grocery stores.
Fish sauce: Just a teaspoon, but it adds a serious savory backbone. Don't skip it - it's what makes these burgers taste like more than the sum of their parts.
Ginger and garlic: Fresh is best here! Both get blended into the paste and are a big part of what gives these an Asian-inspired flavor profile.
Pickled red onions: These are the tart, bright contrast that cuts through the richness of the avocado. I have a simple pickled red onion recipe linked in the recipe card if you want to make your own - and I highly recommend it! They're one of my favorite toppings for salads and tacos like Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Tacos.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Gluten Free Tuna Burgers
Step 1: Add mustard, tamari/coconut aminos, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Pulse until you have a chunky paste, scraping down the sides as needed.
Step 2: Oil your hands with a little olive oil to prevent sticking and form the tuna mixture into 4 patties. Place them on a plate or sheet pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Step 3: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tuna patties and cook for 2-3 minutes per side.
Step 4: Assemble the burgers and pile on your toppings - sliced avocado, sriracha, brown mustard, pickled red onions. Wrap in a lettuce wrap or use a gluten free bun and eat immediately!
Top Tips from Chelsea
Don't over-pulse the tuna. You want small bits of tuna throughout the patty, not a perfectly uniform paste. Check often between pulses.
The chill time matters. Skipping the 1-hour chill is tempting, but please don't! It helps the patties hold together when they hit the hot pan and keeps them from falling apart on you.
Oil your hands. When forming the patties, oil your hands with a little olive oil or vegetable oil to prevent the tuna from sticking to you rather than together.
Eat them right away. These tuna burgers are at their best fresh off the skillet. I wouldn't try to save them for meal prep - make them, eat them, enjoy them!
Make extra pickled onions. You'll use them on everything. I do it for my Ancho Chicken Tacos with Mango Slaw too! They add brightness to any meal and you might find you put them on everything, like Simple Pulled Pork Burrito Bowls too!
What to Serve with Tuna Burgers
These gluten free tuna burgers make quite a meal on their own thanks to all the toppings, but you can definitely round out the meal with a fresh summer salad or easy side dish!
- Tangy Cucumber Salad with Chives
- Greek Cucumber & Watermelon Salad
- BLT Corn & Tomato Salad
- German Potato Salad Recipe
If you're looking for more gluten free seafood recipes to add to your weeknight rotation, I've got plenty of great options to explore!
Gluten Free Tuna Burgers FAQs
No. I really recommend using fresh or frozen (and thawed) tuna for this recipe. Canned tuna has a very different texture and moisture level that makes it hard to form patties that hold together the same way. Fresh is worth it here!
Two things: don't over-process the tuna (it should not be uniformly smooth), and don't skip the chill time. Both of those steps are what keep these patties intact when they hit the pan.
You can! Cook for 3-5 minutes per side over medium-high (400 to 450 degrees F) heat.
Make sure your grill grates are very clean and well-oiled. The patties are a little more delicate than a beef burger, so handle them gently when flipping.
Yes! You can form the patties and keep them in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. Just keep them covered.
Otherwise, you can partially freeze uncooked patties on a plate or baking sheet before transfering to a freezer-safe zip-top plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
More gluten free burger recipes
Did you try this Gluten Free Tuna Burgers recipe? I'd love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and rating or tag me on Instagram - I appreciate your feedback.
📖 Recipe
Easy Gluten Free Tuna Burgers
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: pan-fried
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Piled high with avocado, pickled red onions, sriracha, and mustard, these zesty gluten free tuna burgers definitely satisfy with a variety of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
For the Tuna Burgers:
- 2 teaspoons brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos/tamari
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- ½ teaspoon kosher sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb Ahi tuna, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Toppings:
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon brown mustard
- ¼ cup pickled red onions (use the instructions here to make your own)
- Green lettuce
Instructions
- Process tuna. Combine mustard, coconut aminos, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until pastelike, scraping the sides as necessary. Add tuna pieces to the food processor and pulse until just combined.Don't completely process the tuna into a smooth paste; there should still be pieces of tuna.
- Form the patties. Oil your hands lightly to prevent the tuna mixture from sticking to you rather than to itself. Form the tuna mixture into 4 patties and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Cook patties. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add tuna patties and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Assemble burgers. Pile on the toppings and wrap in green lettuce or serve on a gluten free bun. Eat immediately!
Notes
- Don't over-pulse the tuna. You want small bits of tuna throughout the patty, not a perfectly uniform paste. Check often between pulses.
- The chill time matters. Skipping the 1-hour chill is tempting, but please don't! It helps the patties hold together when they hit the hot pan and keeps them from falling apart on you.
- Oil your hands. When forming the patties, oil your hands with a little olive oil or vegetable oil to prevent the tuna from sticking to you rather than together.
Lisa says
Oops - tuna isn't in the ingredient list on the recipe 🙂
Chelsea says
Hi Lisa! It's on there - "1 lb Ahi tuna, cut into 1-inch pieces" 🙂