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Fish, Classics and bistro fare

Tuna and tomato cake with green salad

Tuna and tomato cake is a savory loaf cake for 4 people, ready in 65 minutes, easy to make, for about €1.90 per person. It's made with flaked tuna, sun dried tomatoes and shredded emmental, and served warm in slices with a green salad. The key is draining the tuna well and patting the sun dried tomatoes dry so the batter doesn't turn soggy.

A savory cake with tuna, sun dried tomatoes and cheese, sliced up with a green salad, it works every single time.

Tuna and tomato cake with green salad
Total time
1 h 05
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
520 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This cake sits somewhere between a hot dish and a picnic bite, moist inside, lightly golden on top, with chunks of tuna and sun dried tomato that give each slice some bite. The emmental melts into the batter and adds the kind of cheesy pull that wins over kids and adults alike. Served warm with a well dressed green salad, it doesn't need anything else to make a full meal.

It's the kind of recipe you turn to on a weeknight when you want something simple and light, or pack in slices for a picnic or a lunchbox. Kids take to it easily thanks to the cheese and the soft texture, and leftovers are just as good cold the next day, as a snack or a starter.

The ingredients

4 people

Dairy

  • eggs 4
  • milk 10 cl
  • shredded emmental 100 g

Pantry

  • flouroften in the pantry 200 g
  • baking powderoften in the pantry 1 packet
  • olive oiloften in the pantry 10 cl
  • canned tuna in wateroften in the pantry 2
  • sun dried tomatoesoften in the pantry 80 g
  • wine vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • green salad 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs, Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Drain the tuna, flake it, and cut the sun dried tomatoes into small pieces.

    Pat the sun dried tomatoes dry with paper towel, they're often very oily.

  2. Whisk the eggs with the oil, milk, salt, and pepper.

    Go easy on the salt, the tuna and cheese already add plenty of flavor.

  3. Add the sifted flour and baking powder, then the tuna, tomatoes, and emmental.

    Mix quickly until the batter is smooth.

  4. Pour into a buttered loaf pan and bake at 180 °C. 45 min

    Score the top with a knife dipped in oil, the cake splits open nicely as it bakes.

  5. Let it cool slightly, unmold, slice, and serve with the salad dressed in oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

    The cake holds together better warm than piping hot.

Our tips to get it right

  • Measure the flour and baking powder carefully, a savory cake with too little baking powder stays flat and dense in the middle.
  • Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes once it's out of the oven before unmolding it, it holds together better and won't break apart.
  • Test doneness with a knife tip in the center of the cake, it should come out dry, otherwise bake a few more minutes.

The variations

  • Swap the tuna for diced smoked salmon for a stronger flavor, keeping the same quantities.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the tuna with drained artichoke hearts cut into pieces.
  • For kids, swap the sun dried tomatoes for fresh cherry tomatoes cut in half, the flavor is milder.

What to serve it with

  • A well dressed green salad
  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A chilled cucumber soup in summer

Storage

The cake keeps 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It freezes well, sliced, for up to 2 months. Reheat it for a few minutes in the oven or eat it cold, it's good either way.

Questions about this dish

Can I use tuna in water or tuna in oil?

Both work, but tuna in water, well drained, keeps the cake from being too greasy. If you use tuna in oil, drain it thoroughly before flaking it in.

Can this cake be made ahead of time?

Yes, it can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It's actually even better the next day, once the flavors have settled.

Does tuna cake freeze well?

Yes, sliced and well wrapped, it freezes for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat it for a few minutes in the oven.

How do you keep the tuna and tomatoes from sinking to the bottom?

Toss the diced tuna and sun dried tomato in a little flour before folding them into the batter. This simple trick keeps them from sinking during baking.

How long does it take to make a tuna and tomato cake with green salad?

Count 1 h 05 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a tuna and tomato cake with green salad?

About 520 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a tuna and tomato cake with green salad cost?

About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs, fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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