Tuna burgers to the rescue when you need dinner in a hurry and you're drawing a blank! Grab a can of tuna from the cupboard and you're mostly done. Some dill olive mayo takes it over the top!

Photography Credit: Leela Cyd Ross

As summer careens into fall, I watch my disposable income transfer to sports uniforms and school supplies, while the lazy days of summer transform into the after-work hustle of homework, dinner, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and swim lessons.

Dinner at the end of summer needs to be affordable, fast, and healthy. It also needs to refuel my entire family after long days of school and energize them for early season sports. Tuna burgers are my answer.

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TUNA BURGERS ARE FAST, HEALTHY, AND FILLING

This tuna burger recipe is indeed fast, healthy, and filling. Canned tuna is inexpensive. I keep it stocked in the pantry so I can make this recipe on those days when I forget to plan dinner.

Along with the tuna, I toss in carrots, corn, and bell pepper to up the vegetable content and add a little color. Once formed into patties, I either fry them up on the stovetop or bake them in the oven. (They’re just too fragile for the grill.)

I usually eat tuna patties over a bed of lettuce a la crab cakes, while the rest of the family enjoys them on buns like hamburgers.

TOP YOUR BURGER WITH DILL OLIVE MAYO!

Take the extra few minutes to make the dill olive mayo, which comes together with a quick stir. Dill adds a fresh flavor that balances the brininess of the olives.

Smear on the spread, then top the tuna burgers with a piece of lettuce and sliced red onion. Dinner is ready, and you didn’t even break a sweat.

MAKE-AHEAD TUNA BURGERS

Feel free to shape the patties up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to use.

You can also reheat previously cooked patties by heating a teaspoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the patties. Flip them once and cook until they are warmed through—about 5 minutes.

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