Easy Tuna Patties Recipe (with Canned Tuna)

If you’ve got canned tuna, then you’ve got dinner! This easy, crispy tuna patties recipe is budget-friendly, delicious, and comes together in minutes—perfect for busy nights or a quick, comforting meal.

Golden tuna patties are a little crispy, a little creamy, and a whole lot of tasty. They’re one of those meals that feel like a treat but are secretly super simple.

These crispy, golden beauties are proof that you don’t need fancy ingredients to make something delicious. I’m going to show you just how easy this tuna patty recipe is to put together in just 10 minutes. That, and I’ll share our favorite way to serve them.

Reasons to Love Tuna Patties

I grew up eating tuna patties, and always thought they were a fancy meal. Little did I know how easy and inexpensive they were to make. I make them more often than my family did because even the picky eaters loved them. And, they make a great lenten dish too.

Ingredients

All ingredients are listed on the recipe, but I wanted to share some important notes here.

You will find a few species of canned tuna. We prefer albacore tuna. It’s got a light and not overly fishy flavor. For this recipe, you’ll need 10 ounces, and recommend packed in water.

Panko bread crumbs add a tasty texture to our tuna fish patties. When mixed with the egg, they help the patties stick together.

Veggies give our canned tuna patties flavor and a delicious crunch. We use chopped red bell pepper and green onion. Celery would be another great option. Keep the amount that you use to 3/4 of a cup. If you add too much your fried tuna patties will fall apart.

For our spices, we use Old Bay seasoning. It’s delicious in our seafood recipes and adds a slightly salty and spicy flavor. We don’t add any additional salt but we do add ground black pepper, fresh dill, garlic powder, and fresh parsley. You could swap the parsley for chives or skip them altogether.

Mayonnaise also has a binding quality and adds sweetness. You can use any variety that you prefer. The mayo along with our fresh lemon juice adds flavor and keeps our patties moist.

Avocado oil is used to fry our tuna patties because it has a high smoke point (around 520°F), meaning it won’t burn easily, keeping your tuna patties crispy without a bitter or burnt taste. Plus, it has a neutral, light flavor that won’t overpower your dish. Good substitutes include light olive oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil which will fry our patties up golden and crispy.

How To Make Our Tuna Patties Recipe

Mix it up. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients (except for the oil). Mix only until combined and cohesive. Divide the mixture into 6 equal-sized portions. Shape into patties.

Add the oil to a non-stick pan. When hot, fry the tuna cakes 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

Hostess Tips

If the tuna will not form into a patty, add a little bit more mayo. Mix only until the ingredients stay together. Overmixing will cause the patties to be dense and mealy in texture.

We recommend using a fish spatula to flip the tuna patty over. It allows you to turn the patty but leaves the oil where it is in the pan.

Use a nonstick pan or griddle and make sure the oil is hot before adding the patty. Otherwise, it may stick and fall apart or just absorb the oil.

How to Serve

The versatility is what excites me about this tuna patties recipe.

We make 6 patties and simply serve them with a salad or roasted veggies for a light meal or on top of a bed of rice for a heartier meal.

You can make tuna burgers by dividing the ingredients into two patties and serving them on a bun with slices of tomato and lettuce and a dollop of tarter sauce.

Add a slice of cheese over the top and you’ve got a delicious tuna melt.

Make tuna sliders for an easy appetizer. They’re easy because you can double or triple this recipe. You can eat them cold or warm. They taste great with a tasty dipping sauce. Try spicy mustard, sour cream, or mix lemon juice with mayo for a simple aioli.

So go ahead—whip up a batch, and enjoy every golden, flaky bite!

FAQ’s

Can you use fresh tuna? I wouldn’t recommend it. The tuna would be overcooked by the time the patty was cooked. The texture would be different and not bind as well with the other ingredients.

Can this be made ahead of time? You can make the tuna patties 2 to 3 hours ahead of time. Shape them and refrigerate them covered with plastic wrap until you’re ready to cook them.

How To Reheat & Store

Best way to store

Tuna cakes should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 3 days.

Can I freeze

Tuna patties can be frozen. We recommend cooking them first. The breadcrumbs will not hold up after thawing making them dense and mealy.

How to reheat

Tuna fish patties can be eaten cold but if you want to rewarm, use the microwave in short 10-second increments.

Preheat your air fryer to 350 and place the patties in a single layer. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Frozen patties can be warmed in the air fryer without thawing. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Use a conventional oven preheated to 400ºF. Place them on a lined sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. To heat frozen bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

We love an easy 10-minute recipe like this tuna patties recipe. If you do too, I think you’ll enjoy these recipes too:

Baked Blackened Shrimp: A quick and easy appetizer, these spicy, mouth-watering shrimp are ready in less than 10 minutes and can be enjoyed in tacos, salads, pasta, or rice. 

Sheet Pan Shrimp with Green Beans and Potatoes: This one-pan dinner is easy, healthy, and fast, featuring succulent shrimp, perfectly cooked potatoes, and roasted green beans.

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

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