Burgers don’t have to be made with beef to be delicious. Case in point: zesty, easy tuna burgers!
These Aisian-inspired burgers use a blend of fresh Ahi tuna, mustard, coconut aminos, ginger, and more for savory umami patties. Add a few simple toppings and we’re ready to roll!

I have to admit that since photographing my easy grilled burgers with cilantro dill mayo recipe, I anticipated making another burger recipe.
Those burgers were so much fun to photograph, but I had more ideas!
But it felt a little weird to make another beef burger recipe so soon. After scrolling through my recipe ideas list (currently over 170 pages… please send help), I settled on making tuna burgers this time around.
We’re not going to mess around with canned tuna here. Make sure you get the fresh stuff!
In landlocked North Dakota, we don’t have many options for truly fresh fish around here. Instead, I picked up a bag of frozen tuna. Cost effective and no less fishy.
To start this recipe off, you’ll combine the coconut aminos, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, and all the other “flavor-enhancers” and blend or process it into a paste.

Then add the tuna and blend or process until it’s all combined. Use your hands to form a few patties, and we’re ready to go! See, that was easy!
Since that first lettuce-wrapped burgers recipe, I’m a bit enamored with lettuce wraps, so I used green lettuce as my “bun”. Feel free to use sweet potato slices, gluten free buns, or whatever your heart desires to make these burgers finger-friendly.
The tuna burgers themselves are zesty and flavorful, so I chose to keep the toppings to a minimum. A little fresh avocado, some bright pickled red onions, and punchy sriracha bring it all together!
More Gluten Free Grilling Recipes
- Easy Bunless Burgers with Cilantro Dill Mayo
- Grilled Walleye with Mango Salsa
- BBQ-Ribbed Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Grilled Flank Steak with Olive Herb Relish

📖 Recipe

Easy Tuna Burgers (Whole30, Paleo)
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 16 minutes
- Yield: 4 burgers 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Pan-fried
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
Piled high with avocado, pickled red onions, sriracha, and mustard, these zesty tuna burgers definitely satisfy with a variety of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
For the Tuna Burgers:
- 2 teaspoons brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 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
- 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. Form the tuna mixture into 4 patties and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add tuna patties and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Pile on the toppings and wrap in green lettuce. Eat immediately!
Keywords: Easy Tuna Burgers

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" 🙂