These tuna patties are a simple, satisfying way to turn pantry staples into a flavorful meal. Made with flaky tuna, mashed sweet potato, fresh vegetables, and herbs, they're lightly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Tuna Patties
🕒 Ready In: ~35 minutes
👪 Serves: 4 servings
🍽 Calories: ~280 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Canned tuna, sweet potato, bell pepper, onion, chives
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free; dairy-free
👌 Difficulty: Easy - simple prep with stovetop cooking
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Perfect for easy weeknight dinners or make-ahead lunches, this recipe uses sweet potato as a natural binder instead of breadcrumbs. The result is a balanced, protein-forward patty that's easy to cook in a skillet and pairs well with salads, sauces, or simple sides.
If you enjoy simple seafood recipes like this, you may also like our Smoked Salmon Salad, Shrimp Foil Packets, or Cod Fish Tacos that use everyday ingredients and come together with minimal effort.
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Why You'll Love these Tuna Patties:
Pantry-friendly: Made with canned tuna and simple vegetables you likely already have on hand.
Naturally gluten-free: Mashed sweet potato acts as a binder instead of breadcrumbs.
Crispy outside, tender inside: Lightly pan-fried for a golden crust with a soft, flavorful center.
Balanced and filling: A mix of protein, vegetables, and healthy carbs makes these patties satisfying.
Versatile: Enjoy them for lunch or dinner with salads, sauces, or tucked into wraps.
Key Ingredients:
- canned tuna. A convenient, protein-rich base that keeps the patties hearty and filling.
- sweet potato. Mashed sweet potato binds the patties naturally while adding a subtle sweetness and soft texture.
- red bell pepper. Minced finely for mild sweetness, color, and a bit of crunch.
- fresh chives. Brings a mild oniony flavor and brightness, can sub with green onions if needed.
- lemon juice. Adds acidity to balance the richness of the tuna and sweet potato.
- egg. Binds the ingredients together and helps the cakes hold their shape.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Different fish: Swap canned tuna for canned salmon or mackerel using the same method.
- No sweet potato: Use mashed white potatoes or canned pumpkin for a similar binding effect.
- Herb swaps: Replace chives with parsley, dill, or green onions.
- Spice it up: Add cayenne pepper, Old Bay seasoning, or smoked paprika for extra flavor.
- Baked option: Bake the tuna patties at 400°F for 18-22 minutes, flipping halfway, instead of pan-frying.
How to Make Tuna Patties:
- Place cubed sweet potatoes in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and mash until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine mashed sweet potato, tuna, bell pepper, onion, garlic, egg, chives, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly combined.
- Scoop the mixture and shape into small cakes, about ½ inch thick.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the cakes in batches for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and heated through. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Drain the tuna well: Excess liquid can make the mixture too soft and difficult to shape.
- Cool the sweet potato: Letting it cool slightly before mixing prevents the egg from scrambling.
- Keep patties small: Smaller patties hold together better and cook evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: Cooking in batches helps the patties brown instead of steaming.
- Flip carefully: Use a thin spatula and flip once the bottom is fully set and golden.
- Serving Suggestions: We love having these with Sautéed Broccolini and Sweet Potato Chips.
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How to Store:
Refrigerator: Store cooked tuna cakes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Let them cool completely before refrigerating.
Freezer: Freeze cooked and cooled cakes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Store for up to 2 months.
To reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes. They can also be microwaved, but the texture is best when reheated on the stovetop.
Tuna Patties FAQs:
Tuna patties usually fall apart if the mixture is too wet or not packed firmly enough. Make sure the tuna is well drained, the sweet potato is fully mashed, and the patties are gently but firmly shaped before cooking.
Tuna patties do not need breadcrumbs in this recipe because mashed sweet potato and egg act as natural binders. This keeps the patties cohesive while staying gluten-free.
Chunk light tuna or albacore tuna packed in water works best for tuna patties. Both provide a flaky texture that mixes well with the other ingredients.
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Tuna Patties
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place cubed sweet potatoes in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and mash until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine mashed sweet potato, tuna, bell pepper, onion, garlic, egg, chives, lemon juice and paprika. Mix well until evenly combined.
- Scoop the mixture and shape into small cakes, about ½ inch thick.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the cakes in batches for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and heated through. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
Nutrition
Notes
- Drain the tuna well: Excess liquid can make the mixture too soft and difficult to shape.
- Cool the sweet potato: Letting it cool slightly before mixing prevents the egg from scrambling.
- Keep patties small: Smaller patties hold together better and cook evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: Cooking in batches helps the patties brown instead of steaming.
- Flip carefully: Use a thin spatula and flip once the bottom is fully set and golden.
- Serving Suggestions: We love having these with Sautéed Broccolini and Sweet Potato Chips.
ChrissiMae says
These were absolutely delicious! I drizzled them with spicy mayo and served with a side of Asian-inspired sweet potato noodles. Has anyone made them without the egg though? My daughter’s allergic and I’m thinking I may try my vegan mayo as a binder. I tried an egg replacement previously and didn’t bind at all.
Stephanie West says
What other herbs could you use instead of dill?
Debbie U says
These were quick easy and turned out delicious! I used a Néw Jersey sweet potato and only one but still turned out fabulous! My second batch I cooked longer for a darker crust and it was definitely worth it
Fera says
Can this be fried in the air fryer?
Kevin says
I'm an awful cook but these came out great, they're so easy and addicting. No issues with them falling apart. Thank you!
Glenda says
This recipe was a life saver! I didn't have red peppers or chives. But I did have left over sweet potatoes which was great because they were already cold, so my patties didn't fall apart. So good, quick and easy to make. Thank you!
Roxanne says
Just made them and had no trouble with them sticking together. This is what I did:
Instead of mashing the mixture with a fork, I used a potato masher and mashed everything together like I would potatoes. I used a quarter cup measuring cup, filled it to the brim with mixture, and packed it in. Then, turned the measuring cup upside down on a plate, gave it a good tap, and out the mixture came in a solid piece. I pushed it down slightly with the palm of my hand and it worked perfectly!
Abigail says
Made it exactly as the recipe and it turned out delicious. Thank you!
Summer says
On the upside, the flavor of this mixture is excellent! I would not have thought of combining sweet potato with tuna. On the downside, there was no way this mixture could be formed into balls. They completely fell apart. We cooked it as tuna hash. I went back to look at the recipe, and nowhere does it say that I needed to mash the potato (or most of it anyway). Mashing is kind of mentioned in the blog, but not in the recipe, where it needs to be. I am making notes on my recipe so that next time I know to do that. So 3 stars for flavor; 2 stars subtracted for lack of clarity in the recipe.
Roche Woodworth says
Hi Summer, I am so sorry that the recipe card wasn’t clear enough. It is a definite problem with our older recipes and we’ve been hard at work updating our recipe cards and blog posts with very clear steps, step by step photos and FAQs. We’re working down a list of most to least popular content, and this recipe‘s revision is coming up soon. Thank you so much for your feedback.
Summer says
Thank you! Looking forward to the revised recipe.
Tyrone says
How many patties are in a serving?
Roche Woodworth says
Hello Tyrone, I have it at 3 patties per serving.
Yvonne says
They came out a little soft, but it didn’t matter- they tasted delicious!!
David Stribling says
We made these tonight with a pint of home canned, water packed tuna drained. They were very tasty and we will make them again. The only problem we had was the were very soft and difficult to flip in the pan. Next time we will try adding a bit of panko to stiffen them up a bit. Thanks!
Roche Woodworth says
Hi David - glad you enjoyed the flavor of these tuna cakes. When we make them, they are definitely on the softer side as well, but we usually do not have issues with flipping them. If you are ok with panko in your diet, it will definitely help stiffen them up:)
Kiera Johnson says
Hi, I loved these!!! So delicious and healthy! Mine did crumble a bit so next time I'd add another egg. The mixture was also quite watery before i made the cakes - I think it was maybe my potato - i might mash it next time or use the rind of the lime instead of the juice. I didn't have paprika so I used 1/2 tsp of Cayenne Pepper. I really appreciated you sharing this recipe. It was very pantry friendly, healthy and tasty!
Roche Woodworth says
Thank you so much for the feedback, Kiera! 😀
Therese Livermore says
I followed your recipe to a tee. They fell apart. I didn't like this recipe. Ended up adding almond flour to get it to bind.
Roche Woodworth says
Hello Therese. I'm so sorry the recipe didn't work for you! Since I wasn't in the kitchen with you, it's impossible to know what went wrong. This recipe is part of our personal lunch menu rotation, and they've never failed. I will add them to our menu for this week and recheck the quantities on my recipe card to be sure. Thanks for the feedback.
Ed Perkins says
What size cans? Oil or water packed? Drained or undrained?
Roche Woodworth says
I used 6oz cans, water packed and I drained it. It's not an exact science though - I've used 5oz oil packed cans as well. Also, I've never NOT drained tuna cans, but I'll be sure to add this information to the recipe card.
Ed Perkins says
Thanks.