This tuna patties recipe is an easy dinner everyone will love! The tuna patties are tender on the inside and have a crispy golden exterior.
Need food inspiration? Here’s an easy, healthy dinner that’s always a big hit at our house: Tuna Patties! Also known as tuna pies, these unassuming canned tuna burgers may seem humble. But on the other hand: They’re so delicious on the inside and crunchy-golden on the outside, you won’t be able to resist another bite! Spice up with Old Bay, parsley and Dijon mustard, this recipe is an absolute delight. We recently made some for my parents who immediately asked me for the recipe… and our 5 year old licked his plate.
Ingredients for tuna patties, aka tuna patties
Tuna cakes are small fish cakes made with canned tuna, mayonnaise, mustard, and breadcrumbs, similar to a crab cake. Also called tuna cakes, they’ve been a staple of affordable meals in America for decades. But despite being known as a cheap dinner, the flavors are anything but! Old Bay, Dijon mustard and fresh parsley add restaurant flavor to this tuna patties recipe. For this recipe you will need:
- Tuna in a can
- fresh parsley
- Green Onion
- Old Bay Spice: Look for this classic American seafood condiment in the condiment section of your grocery store. Or you can buy Old Bay online or make Old Bay homemade.
- garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- Plain panko or coarse breadcrumbs: Use gluten-free panko if necessary. See below!
- Dijon mustard
- mayonnaise
- eggs
- olive oil
How to make tuna patties: the basic steps
The tuna patties are easy to make: the only thing to remember is that you need 15 minutes for the patties to set before pan-frying them. Here is the basic idea for making tuna patties (or see the recipe below for more details):
- To mix together: Drain the tuna and shred with a fork. Mix it with the other ingredients (parsley, spices, panko, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, egg; see recipe below).
- Shape and cool: Shape the batter into 8 burger molds, ⅓ cup each. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set texture. (They can also be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking, making them easy to make ahead of time.)
- Frying pan: Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
Panko vs. Breadcrumbs
Panko, or breadcrumbs, are an important ingredient in tuna pies: they make the texture cohesive and help it stick. Panko is our top choice because it’s easy to have on hand and very stable.
- Panko is a Japanese-style mix of breadcrumbs which is airier and lighter than conventional breadcrumbs. You can use it in many other recipes like pistachio-crusted salmon or stuffed portobello mushrooms, or even in place of croutons in a kale Caesar salad or romaine lettuce.
- Coarse breadcrumbs work too! Roughly labeled wrappers are best, but traditional breadcrumbs work, too. Or make homemade breadcrumbs.
- Do you need a substitute for breadcrumbs? Try gluten-free panko or gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed. You can also substitute this recipe with an equal amount of crushed crackers.
How to serve tuna patties
Neither Alex nor I grew up eating tuna patties which makes them look a little more home made! This is one of the few dinners where our 5 year old clears his plate and even asks for seconds. Here are some ways we like to serve these tuna patties:
When we served this to my family for a “fancy” dinner, we placed the tuna cakes on a bed of lemon couscous, with fennel salad and butter salad on the side. Extra Parmesan Salad Dressing, great as a sauce for cakes!
Tips for buying canned tuna
There are many options when it comes to the canned tuna aisle. What’s the best tuna to look out for in this tuna patty recipe? Here are some buying tips:
- Look for light tuna caught off the pole, which is the most sustainable choice. Skipjack Light Tuna has the lowest mercury levels of any tuna species. (Learn more here.)
- Buy BPA-free cans. Look for BPA-free cans, or tuna is now sold in BPA-free bags.
- Working with oil or water. Some canned tuna are packed in oil while others are packed in water. Use whatever your personal preference is! Be sure to empty the can before use.
More tuna recipes
What can’t a can of tuna do? Here are some fun tuna recipes that will make dinner easy (and affordable):
This tuna patty recipe is…
Pescetarian and dairy free. For gluten free, use gluten free panko.
The description
This tuna patty recipe is an easy dinner everyone will love! The tuna patties are tender on the inside and have a crispy golden exterior.
- 3 5-ounce cans of tuna
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Spice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup plain panko or coarse breadcrumbs (or glueTen free breadcrumbs*)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
- Drain the tuna and break into small pieces with a fork, chop up large pieces. In a medium bowl, combine parsley, scallion, Old Bay, garlic powder, kosher salt, panko, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and eggs.
- Using a ⅓ measuring cup, form the dough into 8 patties and pound into a patty with your hands. Chill patties for 15 minutes to set texture (or up to 24 hours).
- When ready to cook, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and sauté until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. Then gently turn them over with a spatula and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned. Other side. Repeat with the next batch, adjusting the heat as the pan gets hotter on the second batch (similar to pancakes!).
- Serve immediately, with a sauce (such as tartar sauce, tartar sauce, Caesar vinaigrette, or Parmesan vinaigrette) or over rice, couscous, or quinoa.
- Category: main course
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: seafood
Keywords: Tuna Patties, Tuna Patties Recipe, Tuna Patties, Tuna Patties Recipe, Tuna Patties, Tuna Patties Recipe
