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 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!
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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.
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Expert tips
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.
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.
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Tuna and Potato Patties
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
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Instructions
- Finely chop the spring onions and garlic and mix them with the mashed potatoes, tuna (well drained), parsley, egg and breadcrumbs.
- Use your hands to shape 10 patties, then sprinkle some flour on a large plate and arrange the patties on the plate.
- Refrigerate for at least half an hour so that the patties can firm up.
- 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.
- Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper so that the excess oil can be absorbed.
- Serve warm or cold with your favourite sauce or on their own.
Video
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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Shirley B. Wilson says
My mother made these when the budget money got tight, but Tuna was cheaper then. Still, even at todays prices it is a fairly inexpensive meal and really quite tasty.
Fast, easy and I would recommend this recipe. And as a side dish I served cole slaw. I also used instant mashed potatoes in the same measurement as called for here, just allow them to cool before adding to the other ingredients. There was once a tv commercial that said "Try it, you'll like it" and I think you will too.
Mei says
Can I bake this in oven? What temperature should I use?
Daniela Apostol says
Yes, they can be baked in the oven too. Make sure you use a bit of oil or oil spray so they don't stick. I would bake them at 180 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes or until golden, turning them onto the otherwise half the way through.
Linda says
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.
Daniela Apostol says
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.
Fred says
Love those patties,i used crabmeat tured out delicious
Colleen Fowler says
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!
Daniela Apostol says
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!
Ann says
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.
Daniela Apostol says
I hope you all like them! Let me know how they turn out.
Mandy says
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!
Daniela Apostol says
It sounds yummy!
Sandra McGarry says
Anxious to try this recipe but a can of tuna needs clarification. What size are you using?
Daniela Anderson says
I used a 160g canned tuna (about 5 oz). Let me know if that helps!
Clodagh O'Neill says
Ahhh wish I'd read through the comments earlier! My standard tuna can is 400g. I didn't use all of it because I thought it might be too much, but I definitely used more than 160g. Would be very useful to put amount in the recipe!
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
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!!
Daniela Anderson says
Thank you for your comments! Feeding little ones is a real challenge, but there is always a way! Glad you like the patties 😊
VeronikasKitchen.com says
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)
Daniela Anderson says
Thank you very much!