These easy tuna cakes are ready in 15 minutes, pretty neat when you need to prepare a quick dinner! Made with simple pantry ingredients, canned tuna, mustard, panko breadcrumbs, herbs, and spices.
These are also known as tuna patties. Make them on your stove and enjoy them at any meal of the day!
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Make these easy tuna patties on those lazy nights that you are not sure what to have for dinner.
Yes, I know we all have those moments when we don't know what to eat.
The great part of this recipe is that it needs less than 10 ingredients. These ingredients are found in every pantry, and in case you don't have one of them, no sweat.
In the recipe notes, I include some substitutions in case you need them.
⭐️ Why This Recipe Works
- It’s easy to make, and you need a few pantry ingredients, mix, and fry.
- A budget friendly and kids-friendly meal.
- It’s an excellent appetizer, or have it for any meal of the day!
- It tastes delicious, and they are highly customizable. Adjust the flavors to your liking. You can add spice or change the herbs.
📋 Ingredients You Need
This recipe consists of a few basic ingredients and a couple of spices that will give the tuna cakes their flavor. You'll need the following:
- Canned Tuna in water: main ingredient, drained.
- Panko breadcrumbs: I prefer these because of the texture, it helps result in a lighter patty. You can use regular plain breadcrumbs, even crackers.
- Egg: it will help bind the other ingredients into the mixture.
- Parsley: used for flavor, you can replace with dry herb or any other preferred fresh herb, like cilantro, dill, or culantro.
- Garlic powder: also used for flavor, you can replace it with onion powder. Even use old bay for a traditional fish cake flavor.
- Dijon mustard
- Salt & pepper
You’ll have the complete measurement of each ingredient on the recipe card below.
As for utensils, you will need a mixing bowl, a fork, and a nonstick skillet.
Now that you have all the ingredients and utensils, let’s start.
📝 How to Make Tuna Cakes
Step 1: Drain your tuna cans to remove all the water in them and add to a mixing bowl.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl, add all the remaining ingredients and mix until combined.
💡 Tip: Add this point you'll add any other flavorings you prefer to your tuna patties.
Once everything is mixed, let's form the tuna patties.
Step 3: Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, take some batter and then form the patties over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
💡 Tip: You can place them in the fridge for a couple of minutes. This will help them maintain their form when cooking (this is an optional step).
Let's get cooking!
Step 4: Heat a medium nonstick skillet. Use a griddle for cooking more at once.
Lightly spray with oil, add the tuna cakes on the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Try not to move them too much, because they'll likely will start separating. The less flipping the better.
Step 5: Remove from pan and serve immediately. You can serve these tuna cakes with a mayonnaise dollop or tartar sauce.
Review the servings suggestion section for more ideas!
✅ Tips, Flavor Variations & FAQs
- If there are big chunks of tuna, break them apart with a fork.
- If the mixture is too dry, you can add a tablespoon of the drained liquid or mayonnaise.
- You can refrigerate the mixture before cooking for 20 minutes, this will help them not falling apart.
- You can double the recipe without issues.
- Make it spicy by adding chili flakes, diced jalapeños, or a teaspoon of hot sauce.
- Add some veggies to it, around 1/2 a cup of shredded carrot, zucchini, diced bell peppers, grated onions, or corn kernels.
- Add other fresh herbs to the mix, chives, cilantro, or dill.
- You could also add some cheese, this will help it bind together as well.
To keep tuna patties from falling apart, ensure all your ingredients are finely chopped, and there are no big chunks of tuna. This will help the mixture binds well together.
You can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
- You can make sandwiches or wraps with them.
- Serve them with:
- Rice (white or brown),
- A side salad,
- Use a lettuce for wrap and add your favorite toppings,
- A side of roasted veggies,
- A slice avocado,
- In tomato sauce.
- Sauces for tuna patties: tartar sauce, garlic aioli, mayonnaise, hot sauce, or sriracha mayo.
More Easy Seafood Recipes
If you have tried these tuna cakes recipe or any other recipe on Nashi Food, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I love to hear about your cooking experience.
Comparte tu amor por la comida!
Easy Tuna Cakes
Ingredients
- 2 can tuna in water (170 g), drained
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, medium size
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, optional
- tartar sauce, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Remember to drain your tuna before mixing all your ingredients.2 can tuna in water (170 g)
- In a medium mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix until combined.2 can tuna in water (170 g), 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- To form the tuna cakes, use a 1/4 measuring cup to get all of the cakes of the same size.
- Heat a medium nonstick skillet, place your cakes and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Try not to overcrowd your skillet, and cook them in batches of 3. Repeat until finished. Try not to move them too much to avoid them falling apart.
- Serve immediately with some mayonnaise or tartar sauce, and Enjoy!1 tablespoon mayonnaise, tartar sauce
Video
Notes
- If there are big chunks of tuna, break them apart with a fork.
- If the mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon of the drained liquid or mayonnaise.
- You can refrigerate the mixture before cooking for 20 minutes. This will help them not fall apart.
- 1 Tbsp of chopped fresh parsley = 1 tsp of dried parsley
- 1/4 cup of panko = 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
- You can also use any dry or fresh spices you have. Make it spicy, adding a 1/4 tsp of chili flakes or more if you like.
- Don't have tuna in water. No sweat, use any you have on hand, but remember to drain it. Those with corn also taste great!
- If you don't have mayonnaise, you can use avocado or a little yogurt or sour cream.
Original post: November 2016 | Updated: June 2022
MFUNDO says
Hi. I do not have mustard and I would like to make these for tonight. Can I make them without it?
Thank you.
Mfundo
Nadja | Nashi Food says
Hi, sure you can omit the mustard, the purpose is about flavor. You could replace it with mayonnaise if you like. Hope you gave it a try!
Laura says
what size tuna cans are you using?? Do you drain the water??
Nadja | Nashi Food says
Hi Laura, I used regular 170g tuna cans. I also drained the water before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
Barb Huggan says
Might try these , i have never made fishcakes without potatoes
Shannon says
You say you can substitute the mayonnaise, but mayonnaise is not listed in the ingredients??
Swathi says
This tuna cakes looks delicious I like with with a salad on side.