If you have potatoes and canned tuna at home

Name: If you have potatoes and canned tuna at home
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 700 grams boiled potatoes; 1 canned tuna (160g); 1 small bunch of fresh parsley; 1 egg; 4 tbsp flour; 100 grams grated parmesan; Salt and pepper; sunflower oil (to fry); 1/3 cucumber; 4 tbsp natural yogurt; 50 grams grated parmesan; salt and pepper to taste

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These tuna and potato patties are simple and quick to make, so you'll love cooking them over and over again. These kid-friendly and protein-packed patties use only basic ingredients and are easily accessible to everyone. They are perfect for pleasing a crowd or just yourself, but either way, they will disappear in minutes.

A photo showing a plate with fried potato and tuna patties served with tzatziki sauce.

Golden pan-fried tuna patties are the ultimate quick-fix meal – crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, and perfect with cool tzatziki sauce. But if you're looking to expand your appetiser game, let me share some crowd-pleasers that always steal the show at my gatherings.

That time I served baked Gorgonzola pears with a honey drizzle? Guests couldn't decide if it was an appetiser or dessert (pro tip: it's both!). For asian-inspired food, my turkey wontons with sweet chilli sauce disappear faster than I can plate them. When I want to impress, TikTok-famous baked salmon sushi cups make everyone think I spent hours cooking (shh...they take 20 minutes!).

My secret weapon? Spicy tuna onigiri with sriracha mayo – portable, flavorful, and always the first thing gone from the platter. For cosy nights, rustic tomato-bean dip with garlic with crusty bread keeps friends lingering around the table. And no party is complete without a tray of easy oven-baked turkey meatballs – I always make double because half vanish before serving!

💗 Why This Recipe Works

There is nothing that can beat these simple tuna potato fritters! Their pillowy texture is so delicious and comforting. This is the best recipe to use with the leftover mashed potatoes. It is surely one of my favourites, my kids love them, and it brings me so much satisfaction to see them happy.

🥘 Ingredients

Boiled potatoes, tuna, parsley, egg, flour, parmesan, seasoning, sunflower oil, individually displayed on a table.

*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Potatoes - As the main ingredient, the potatoes have to be boiled and mashed before being used in the recipe. All varieties of potatoes are suitable for this dish, although when cooked, the white ones have a smoother texture and a delicious, buttery flavour.
Canned Tuna - I would advise using good quality tuna- I am using tuna from Rio Mare, and it makes my recipes improve dramatically. I started using it whilst visiting Italy, and since then, this has been my personal favourite.
Fresh Parsley - Herbs are always best when fresh- that's why I tend to stock my freezer with bags of chopped parsley. This way, the freshness always remains.
Egg - Free-range or organic eggs would be best.
Salt and pepper - I recommend freshly grated Himalayan salt; this way, you'll avoid having any other nasty things in your salt. Any type of pepper will work.
Flour - Flour helps the mixture become denser and helps the ingredients stick together. All-purpose, plain or even bread flour would work in this recipe.
Sunflower Oil - This is my go-to frying oil, due to its neutral taste, which is often used in many kitchens.
Cucumber - This is used for making the Tzatziki sauce, a classic Greek sauce that perfectly complements these potato cakes. Cucumber brings a cool, refreshing crunch to the overall taste.
Natural yoghurt - The yoghurt provides a creamy base for the sauce- Greek or natural yoghurt would work for this recipe.

♻️ Popular Substitutions and Additions

Potatoes - Replace regular potatoes with sweet potatoes or squash for a sweeter variation with a hint of earthiness. An additional tablespoon or two of flour will enhance the binding and consistency of the potato mixture, as sweet potato and squash lack the starchiness of the potato.
Canned Tuna - To substitute this ingredient, you can incorporate cooked bacon bits, diced ham, crab meat, or smoked salmon for various versions of potato cakes.
Fresh Parsley - Chives are great as well when added to this recipe, bringing a delightful onion-like flavour.
Parmesan - Consider these alternatives for parmesan: Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, Asiago, Sharp Cheddar or Nutritional yeast, for a dairy-free option.
Flour - Cornstarch can be used as a gluten-free alternative to flour; use the same amount as instructed in the recipe.
Sunflower oil - Use flavoured oils, like garlic-infused or rosemary-infused oil for frying to impart an extra layer of taste. Corn, grapeseed or canola oil could be used to replace sunflower oil as these have the same neutral taste and are suitable for frying without imparting much flavour.
Natural Yoghurt - You could use dairy-free alternatives like coconut or almond-based yoghurts, as they have the same consistency as Greek Yoghurt.

📋 Variations

Vegetable Blend - Mix in sautéed vegetables such as onions, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, or corn kernels for added texture and flavour.

Stuffed Potato Cakes - Feel free to add a mix of your preferred stuffings like mozzarella cubes for a gooey bite, a mixture of crispy bacon bits, cheddar cheese, and a sprinkle of chopped chives, a blend of wilted spinach or crumbled feta cheese, and a touch of garlic for a Mediterranean twist.

How to make Tuna and Potato Patties

These step-by-step photos show exactly what to aim for – from golden-brown patties to creamy tzatziki. Craving more easy snacks? Try our crispy baked turkey meatballs (baked in 25 mins!) or viral salmon sushi cups (perfect for parties).

A photo showing raw diced white potatoes in a pan of water, prepared for boiling.

Step 1: Peel your potatoes, dice them and add them to a pot with a teaspoon of salt, cover them with water and boil them until soft.

Diced white potatoes in a bowl, accompanied by a raw egg for mashing.

Step 2: Drain the potatoes and add them to a bowl with the egg and some salt.

Step 3: For rustic texture, mash by hand with a potato masher. For creamy potatoes, use a hand blender until silky smooth.

Mashed potatoes, canned tuna, chopped parsley, grated parmesan in a bowl ready to be mixed.

Step 4: Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix until all is well incorporated.

Tuna-potato fritters shaped into round patties, arranged on a rustic wooden board.

Step 5: Powder your hands with some flour, then take a small amount of this mixture, shape it into small balls and add them to a plate for later use.

Golden-browned Fried Tuna Potato Cakes - crispy and delicious!

Step 6: Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Fry patties until golden, flipping gently (they're delicate!).

Creamy homemade tzatziki sauce in a white bowl.

Step 7: Make tzatziki: Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Squeeze grated cucumber dry first for perfect thickness.

Golden-browned potato cakes layered onto a plate.

Step 8: Serve warm with tzatziki - perfect as lunch, snack, or party appetiser! Kid-approved and endlessly versatile.

If you like fish and love a crunch, I suggest making my cornmeal-crusted fish with creamy polenta, is the weeknight hero you need! It can be a handy addition to your favourite 30-minute recipes.

❓ Potato Tuna Cakes FAQs

What type of potatoes are best for making potato and tuna cakes?

All varieties of potatoes are suitable for this dish, although when cooked, the white ones have a smoother texture and a deliciously buttery flavour. So I would recommend Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, they are an excellent choice due to their high starch content.

Why do my potato and tuna patties fall apart?

If your potato patties tend to break when shaping them, they need a bit more flour, so the ingredients can form a thicker mixture. Let it rest for a few minutes after adding the flour; this way, the moisture will be absorbed and ready to be shaped into patties.

Can I bake or air fry the potato and tuna patties instead of frying?

For baking, use 200°C (400°F) for 15-20 minutes. For air frying, 180°C (350°F) for 12-15 mins – both methods give crispy results with less oil!
Tip: Lightly spray with oil for extra crunch in either method.

What type of tuna should I use for making tuna potato cakes?

Any type of canned tuna is suitable for this recipe, as long as you drain the excess liquid before adding it to the potatoes.

How should I store and reheat leftover potato patties?

Store cooled patties in an airtight container (or tightly wrapped) for up to 2 days. Reheat them either:
🍳 On a non-stick pan (medium heat)
♨️ In a preheated oven (10 mins at 180°C/350°F)
🥪 As a sandwich filler with tzatziki & veggies
Pro Tip: Avoid repeated reheating for best texture!