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    Home » Recipes » Pescatarian Recipes

    Easy Tuna and Potato Patties

    Published: Nov 28, 2020 · Modified: May 23, 2022 by Daniela Apostol · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

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    Tuna and Potato Patties, or tuna fish cakes, the ideal last minute appetizer that can feed a hungry crowd. Ridiculously easy to make, these patties are a great way of using up leftover mashed potatoes, and also sneak in some good old tinned tuna. 

    Overhead view of a platter with 7 tuna and potato patties

    The good old can of tuna can never disappoint. Always there, waiting patiently to be used. Apart from my Tuna Dip which has become a favourite whenever I need to whip up a quick bite, these tuna patties are a favourite recipe to make when there is leftover mash around.

    Not that this happens often, I absolutely love mashed potatoes (who doesn't?!), but if I made a ridiculous amount of mash and there are leftovers, these little fish cakes are guaranteed to be a smashing success.

    They are quick and dead easy to make, and you can sneak in any other leftover veggies too. Both my girls would gladly give them a try, even if they are "fishy", which is pretty much translated as not on their to-eat list.

    And you only need a few simple ingredients to make it happen: mashed potatoes, canned tuna, spring onions, garlic, eggs, breadcrumbs, flour, and some good seasoning. And that's it!

    Jump to:
    • HOW TO MAKE TUNA PATTIES WITH POTATO
    • TIPS AND TRICKS
    • WHAT OTHER FISH CAN I USE?
    • CAN I FREEZE THE PATTIES?
    Close-up shoot of a plate with 6 tuna and potato patties

    HOW TO MAKE TUNA PATTIES WITH POTATO

    As mentioned, leftover mash is the best - it's already cold, which is what we need to make the patties, already seasoned and ready to be used. But, if you don't have any leftovers, by all means, you can easily make some, or even use ready-made mash. 

    • in a bowl, add the mash, flaked tuna, chopped spring onions and garlic, egg and breadcrumbs, plus seasoning to taste
    • mix everything together
    • with wet hands, shape patties, then coat with flour, shaking off the excess
    • refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so that the patties can firm up
    • shallow fry in a pan set over a medium heat until golden brown on each side
    • transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil

    Nothing more, nothing less, and you get some proper delicious fish cakes.

    A collage of 4 photos to show how to make tuna and potato patties

    TIPS AND TRICKS

    Not to panic if the mixture seems too wet, once the patties are chilled, they will firm up nicely, and you will be able to fry them easily. I prefer to coat the patties in flour, rather than breadcrumbs, I like the texture more, but you can use any.

    The egg is the binging agent, plus it adds flavour, so not to be missed. The mash would probably hold everything together pretty well, but the egg works 100%, so why not use it and be sure you get the best patties.

    WHAT OTHER FISH CAN I USE?

    Canned tuna can be replaced by canned salmon or any other fish of your choice - if you don't have canned fish, you can fry/bake any fresh fish and flake it. Then it can be used in exactly the same way. 

    Overhead shoot of a plate with 8 tuna and potato patties

    If you don't want to try these little beauties, transfer them to a baking tray lined with non-stick paper, generously spray them with cooking oil spray, and bake in the preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) for about 20-25 minutes or until golden - l used this method for my Healthy Baked Salmon Patties and they were amazing. Do give them a go!

    CAN I FREEZE THE PATTIES?

    Absolutely! If you made too many patties, or you want to have some for other days, you can safely freeze them. Just wrap them up individually with clingfilm, and pop them in the freezer without cooking them. When you are ready to cook them, just pop them in the oven, and they should be perfect.

    A stack of 4 tuna and potato patties

    If you’ve tried these TUNA AND POTATO PATTIES or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

    4 from 21 votes
    A plate with 5 mashed potato tuna patties
    Print
    Tuna and Potato Patties
    Prep Time
    1 hr 10 mins
    Cook Time
    10 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr 20 mins
     

    Tuna and Potato Patties, or tuna fish cakes, the ideal last minute appetizer that can feed a hungry crowd. Ridiculously easy to make, these patties are a great way of using up leftover mashed potatoes, and also sneak in some good old tinned tuna. The tuna patties are kids' favourite finger food too, and they can be added to the school lunch box too. Or the picnic basket. Fry or bake them, they are as good.

    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: International
    Keyword: tuna recipes
    Servings: 10 patties
    Calories: 270 kcal
    Author: Daniela Apostol
    Ingredients
    • 500 g leftover mashed potatoes
    • 1 tin tuna
    • 2 spring onions
    • 2 cloves of garlic
    • ½ cup breadcrumbs
    • ¼ cup plain flour
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 tablespoon freshly-chopped parsley
    • oil to fry
    • 1 egg
    Metric - US Customary
    Instructions
    1. Finely chop the spring onions and garlic and mix them with the mashed potatoes, tuna (well drained), parsley, egg and breadcrumbs.

    2. Use your hands to shape 10 patties, then sprinkle some flour on a large plate and arrange the patties on the plate.

    3. Refrigerate for at least half an hour so that the patties can firm up.

    4. Heat up some oil in a large frying pan, just enough for shallow frying, then lightly coat the patties with flour and fry on both sides for about 3-4 minutes until golden.

    5. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper so that the excess oil can be absorbed.

    6. Serve warm or cold with your favourite sauce or on their own.

    Recipe Video

    Recipe Notes
    • If you'd like to see the measurements in CUPS and OUNCES, please click on the US CUSTOMARY link.
    • The amount of ingredients can be adjusted according to the number of servings you need, please click on the number of servings to change it.
    Nutrition Facts
    Tuna and Potato Patties
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 270 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 2g10%
    Cholesterol 19mg6%
    Sodium 158mg7%
    Potassium 607mg17%
    Carbohydrates 47g16%
    Fiber 3g12%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 10g20%
    Vitamin A 100IU2%
    Vitamin C 41.7mg51%
    Calcium 31mg3%
    Iron 1.4mg8%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. VeronikasKitchen.com

      July 14, 2017 at 2:35 am

      I love potato patties because they are so easy to make. And your recipe is amazing! it is a great idea to add some tuna! will definitely make it)

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        July 14, 2017 at 7:38 pm

        Thank you very much!

        Reply
    2. Thao @ In Good Flavor

      July 22, 2017 at 2:35 am

      My philosophy for feeding picky eaters is "what they don't know (and can't see) won't hurt them". I like canned tuna, so these patties are right up my alley! They look delicious!!

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        July 22, 2017 at 4:17 pm

        Thank you for your comments! Feeding little ones is a real challenge, but there is always a way! Glad you like the patties 😊

        Reply
    3. Sandra McGarry

      June 13, 2019 at 6:01 pm

      Anxious to try this recipe but a can of tuna needs clarification. What size are you using?

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        June 13, 2019 at 7:59 pm

        I used a 160g canned tuna (about 5 oz). Let me know if that helps!

        Reply
    4. Mandy

      January 20, 2021 at 3:13 pm

      I used this as a base for a croquette idea I had using tuna and broccoli, forming them into balls, using a 3-part breading station, and frying, so the finished product was quite different, but the mash and egg held them together nicely. I upped the seasoning some. I highly recommend stirring in some finely chopped broccoli and some cheese, especially for picky eaters. I made a quick dipping sauce of sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, dried dill, garlic powder, and onion powder, and it was delicious!

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        January 20, 2021 at 4:34 pm

        It sounds yummy!

        Reply
    5. Ann

      May 07, 2021 at 2:02 am

      The potato patties look delicious, and the receipt seems easy to do. I will try later. I hope my children love them. Thanks a lot.

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        May 07, 2021 at 7:15 am

        I hope you all like them! Let me know how they turn out.

        Reply
    6. Colleen Fowler

      September 21, 2021 at 11:51 am

      Hi, I tried this recipe but was not sure if the 1/4 cup of flour was added to the mash and tuna mix or was used to dredge the tuna potato cakes? Please can you clarify for me! I did not add the flour to the mix and I used the flour to dredge the cakes. I have frozen them and cook as I need to have for breakfast!

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        September 22, 2021 at 8:32 am

        Hi! The flour is used only to drench the patties for frying, in the mixture we use only the breadcrumbs. I hope you like them!

        Reply
    7. Fred

      February 02, 2022 at 5:37 pm

      Love those patties,i used crabmeat tured out delicious

      Reply
    8. Linda

      March 27, 2022 at 10:07 pm

      Looks like a great recipe. What size is the tin of tuna? Also why put the patties on a plate of flour. I would just refrigerate the patties then roll them in the flour before frying. I can't wait to try this recipe.

      Reply
      • Daniela Apostol

        March 30, 2022 at 8:23 pm

        Hi! Thank you for the comment! The can I used has 145g. The patties stick to the plate if they are not rolled in flour beforehand. You can roll them again before frying, but I would not skip the first part.

        Reply

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