A high-protein dinner that you can make over and over again using ingredients from your pantry 

 This recipe is quick and easy if you have canned tuna. 

If you've ever stared at  your pantry shelves wondering what to eat for dinner, you're not alone. This is a situation I've found myself in again and again. And luckily for both of us, there was a solution: simple tuna cakes with vegetables and lemon dressing. It's a quick dinner that takes just 15 minutes to make. That's why I love this protein-packed recipe.  The cake is made with canned tuna and  white kidney beans, two ingredients I always have in my pantry. Not only is it versatile, it also contains protein, an important nutrient that supports many bodily processes, including bone health, digestion, and muscle growth. I'm trying to eat more plant-based foods this year, so I like that the cake is a combination of animal and plant proteins. 

I love the flexibility of this recipe because you can use whatever can of white kidney beans you  have in your pantry. I usually keep cannellini beans on hand, but navy beans or great northern beans would work too. Be sure to rinse  canned beans before using them to remove  excess sodium. Also, be sure to pat the beans dry so that no excess moisture gets into the mixture. Since you aren't using the whole can of beans in this recipe, add any leftover beans to a salad or  save them for another use like this white bean and avocado toast. Sometimes, when I have  time, I like to fry leftover beans in the air fryer until they are crispy. That way, it gives the veggies a nice crunch. 

In addition to the tuna and beans, the cake is made with dried herbs, eggs, Dijon mustard, lemon, and breadcrumbs. The recipe uses a mix of dried dill, dried mint, and dried tarragon, but I've found that  fresh dill is just as tasty. I usually estimate the amount of fresh herbs, but a general substitution rule is to use 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs instead of 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. 

Once the tuna mixture is ready, you just need to  shape  and fry the cakes. If the mixture seems a little wet, you can add more breadcrumbs. Add a little at a time and stir before adding more, or the cakes may become too dry. I love how  the cakes crisp up in the pan and  add a nice texture to the salad. This recipe makes four cakes, so I'll have the leftovers for lunches throughout the week. They keep well in the fridge and are  delicious cold or hot  out of the pan. 

The tuna cakes are served with a simple salad of leafy greens and a homemade lemon-dijon vinaigrette. I love recipes that use ingredients in different ways, and here I've used the lemon zest  in the cake and the juice  in the vinaigrette. The dressing and salad are easy to prepare, but I sometimes use store-bought salad kits to save even more time. 

The next time you're not sure  what to make for dinner (or lunch), try these easy tuna cakes. They're the perfect way to use up that can of tuna gathering dust in your pantry, and they only take 15 minutes. It doesn't get any easier than that. READ MORE