Looking for an easy recipe for tuna patties without breadcrumbs? These crisp, golden tuna fish cakes are made with canned tuna and mashed potato for a quick, budget-friendly dinner you can make from store-cupboard ingredients. They freeze well, work with leftover mash, and are perfect when you want simple, healthy tuna patties everyone will enjoy.
Quick Summary. Tuna Fishcakes / Patties
- Prep time: 20 Minutes
- Cook time: 10 Minutes
- Total time incl. resting: 1 hr 10 Minutes
- Servings: 4
- Key Ingredients: Tuna, Potatoes, Egg, Flour
- Cooking Method: Pan-Fry, Oven-Bake, Air-Fry
- Make Ahead: Yes. Up to 24 Hours
- Refrigerator Storage: 2 days
- Freezer Storage: Up to 3 Months
You can make fish cakes with different types of fish. Try my Salmon Fish cakes or Smoked Haddock Fish cakes. My Smoked Mackerel ones are made without egg.
Tuna is probably the least expensive. A fish cake just combines the fish with mashed potato, and in this recipe, it uses egg and flour to bind it together. I then flavour them with fresh parsley and lemon zest. Sometimes, fish cakes are dipped in flour and rolled in breadcrumbs, but I've done these tuna fish cakes without breadcrumbs.
Jump to:
- Quick Summary. Tuna Fishcakes / Patties
- Why You'll Love These Tuna Patties
- Using Leftover Mash
- Ingredients for Tuna Patties
- Recipe Tips and Variations
- A Healthier Fishcake
- How to make Tuna Patties (Without Breadcrumbs)
- Serving Suggestions
- Sustainability Notes
- Storage and Freezing
- Tuna Patties FAQs
- 📖 Recipe
- Pin this Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
Why You'll Love These Tuna Patties
- No breadcrumbs needed: perfect if you want a lighter tuna patty.
- Made from store-cupboard ingredients: canned tuna, potatoes, egg and flour.
- Budget-friendly: a cheap, high protein meal.
- Perfect for leftover mashed potato: cut food waste.
- Freezer-friendly: freeze uncooked patties for easy dinners on busy days.
- Versatile: pan fry, oven bake or air fry.
Using Leftover Mash
Fish cakes are a great way to use up leftover mash and help cut food waste and these tuna patties are perfect since tinned tuna is a store cupboard staple. If you're using leftover mash, let it cool, then just mix it with the other ingredients at stage 2 of the recipe. You'll also love this Tuna Pasta Bake, great for using up leftover veg and if you want more ideas on using up leftover mash, check out this collection of easy leftover potato recipes.
Ingredients for Tuna Patties
This easy tuna potato patties recipe is made with canned tuna and mashed potato for a simple, healthy midweek meal.
- Tinned tuna: you can buy it packed in oil, brine or spring water. I prefer spring water.
- Potatoes: use a floury potato for the lightest mash. In the UK look for Maris Piper, King Edward or Désirée varieties. In the US, Russets.
- Flavourings: I use parsley and lemon zest but you can also use chives or dill.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Extra veg: you can add in sweetcorn, spring onions or grated carrot to make them go further.
- Burgers: turn them into tuna burgers by shaping the patties larger and serving on a bun.
- Gluten-Free: swap plain flour for gluten-free flour.
- Spicy: spice them up with a pinch of chilli flakes, smoked paprika or cayenne pepper.
A Healthier Fishcake
To make a healthier tuna fish cake, use tinned tuna in water, rather than brine or oil. Tuna in water is generally lower in calories and fat. You can also bake them in the oven, rather than pan-frying them. This uses less oil so is a healthier option.
How to make Tuna Patties (Without Breadcrumbs)
Step 1: Cook potatoes
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Peel and chop potatoes into 2cm pieces. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until soft but not falling apart. Drain, mash and spread onto a plate to cool quickly.
Step 2: Mix
Add the cooled mash to a bowl with
- well-drained tuna
- egg
- plain flour
- chopped parsley
- salt and pepper
Stir in the zest of half a lemon.
Step 3: Shape
Dust your worktop with flour. Divide the mixture and shape into patties about 2cm thick. Dust lightly with flour.
Freezer tip. Freeze uncooked patties in a single layer to prevent them sticking together.
Step 4: Chill
Pop the patties in the fridge for about 1 hour to firm up. This is important to help them keep their shape when cooking.
Step 5: Cook
Pan-fry: (best crispiness): Heat vegetable oil over a medium heat. Fry the patties for 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Add a little more oil when turning if needed.
Oven-bake: Brush with oil and bake at 200°C / 400°F for 15-18 minutes, turning once.
Air-fry: Lightly oil the basket. Air fry at 180°C / 360°F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Step 6: Serve
Serve your tuna patties. See suggestions below.
Serving Suggestions
These easy canned tuna patties are geat for meal prep, lunchboxes or quick dinners. They can be served hot or cold and go well with:
- a simple green salad
- tartare sauce, lemon mayo or a yoghurt dip
- peas or sweetcorn
- as a tuna burger with tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise.
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Sustainability Notes
Try to buy tuna that has been sustainably sourced. This means making sure it has been fished in a way that is not harmful to other marine life and that protects the fish stocks. The Marine Stewardship Council has a Good Fish Guide which lists all types of fish. You can also look out for their logo on the fish you buy to make sure the fish meets sustainable standards.
Storage and Freezing
- Make ahead: prepare up to 24 hours in advance. Keep in the fridge.
- Fridge: cooked patties keep for 2 days.
- Freeze uncooked: freeze in a single layer, then bag.
- Freezer life: up to 3 months
- Cook from frozen: brush with a little oil, pop on a tray under the grill or broiler for 12-15 minutes on one side, then turn over and grill for 5 minutes on the other side.
Tuna Patties FAQs
Yes. This recipe intentionally uses no breadcrumbs. Mashed potato, flour and egg bind the tuna fish cakes together without needing anything else.
There are a few simple things you can do to stop your fish cakes from falling apart.
Drain the tuna thoroughly so it's not mushy. Cool the mashed potato completely. Chill the patties before cooking and flip once during cooking.
Yes you can bake or air fry tuna fish cakes for a healthier version. To oven-bake, brush with oil and bake at 200°C / 400°F for 15-18 minutes, turning once. To air-fry, lightly oil the basket. Air fry at 180°C / 360°F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway.
These tuna fish cakes are naturally high in lean protein. Choose tinned tuna in water to minimize added fat and calories. Tinned tuna is also a good source of B vitamins, calcium and vitamin D. Homemade patties use simple ingredients without the use of UPF's. To make these fish cakes healthy, bake them in the oven rather than pan-fry.
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📖 Recipe
Tuna Patties without Breadcrumbs
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Ingredients
- 450 g potatoes (16 oz) organic, floury such as maris piper
- 370 g tinned tuna (13 oz) drained weight
- 1 egg organic, beaten
- 2 tablespoon plain flour organic
- 20 g fresh parsley organic, leaves only, chopped
- 1 dash salt
- 1 dash black pepper organic, fairtrade, freshly ground
- 2 lemons organic, fairtrade
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Peel and chop potatoes into 2cm pieces. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until soft but not falling apart. Drain, mash and spread onto a plate to cool quickly.450 g potatoes
- Add the cooled mash to a bowl with well drained tuna, the egg, plain flour, chopped parsley and salt and pepper. Stir in the zest of half a lemon.370 g tinned tuna, 2 tablespoon plain flour, 1 egg, 20 g fresh parsley, 1 dash salt, 1 dash black pepper, 2 lemons
- Dust your worktop with flour. Divide the mixture and shape into patties about 2cm thick. Dust lightly with flour.Freezer tip. Freeze uncooked patties in a single layer to prevent them sticking together.
- Pop the patties in the fridge for about 1 hour to firm up. This is important to help them keep their shape when cooking.
- Pan-fry: (best crispiness): Heat vegetable oil over a medium heat. Fry the patties for 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Add a little more oil when turning if needed.Oven-bake: Brush with oil and bake at 200°C / 400°F for 15-18 minutes, turning once.Air-fry: Lightly oil the basket. Air fry at 180°C / 360°F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway.3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Serve your tuna patties.
Notes
Ingredient Notes
- Tinned tuna: you can buy it packed in oil, brine or spring water. I prefer spring water.
- Potatoes: use a floury potato for the lightest mash. In the UK look for Maris Piper, King Edward or Désirée varieties. In the US, Russets.
- Flavourings: I use parsley and lemon zest but you can also use chives or dill.
Serving Suggestions
Tuna patties can be served hor or cold and go well with:-- a simple green salad
- tartare sauce, lemon mayo or a yoghurt dip
- peas or sweetcorn
- as a tuna burger with tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise.
Storage
- Make ahead: prepare up to 24 hours in advance. Keep in the fridge.
- Fridge: cooked patties keep for 2 days.
- Freeze uncooked: freeze in a single layer, then bag.
- Freezer life: up to 3 months
- Cook from frozen: brush with a little oil, pop on a tray under the grill or broiler for 12-15 minutes on one side, then turn over and grill for 5 minutes on the other side.
Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
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