Tuna cakes are perfectly seasoned pan-fried patties that are fried until golden brown. Learn how to make a tuna cake the quick and easy Guyanese way with canned tuna, peppers, herbs, and a few pantry staples.
Easy Tuna Cakes
If you have a can of tuna and don’t want to make a boring tuna sandwich, tuna cakes are the perfect solution! Canned tuna, fresh herbs, and vegetables come together to form delicious, hearty tuna patties. Be kind to your wallet and your taste buds with this easy meal.
Why You’ll Love This Tuna Cakes Recipe
- Affordable: Canned tuna is cheap and plentiful. Take this basic canned good and transform it into a delicious entree for any meal.
- Quick and Easy: Make fried tuna cakes with minimal ingredients and just 20 minutes.
- Versatile: There are so many ways to make and serve these delicious tuna patties
Ingredients for Tuna Cakes
When you read this list, you may be wondering, “Where’s the mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, and flour?” In Guyana, we keep it simple with seasoned tuna patties coated in egg wash.
- Canned Tuna: I used pole and line caught white albacore tuna. I buy the ones that come in the packet because there is no water to drain but really any kind of tuna or even canned salmon will work.
- Russet potato: Adding boiled and crushed potatoes to the fish gives the cakes a great texture.
- Green onion: Thinly sliced.
- Garlic cloves: Grate fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- Baby bell peppers: Use this or 1/2 a regular bell pepper, finely diced.
- Curly parsley: Finely chopped.
- Seasoning: I use salt and black pepper.
- Eggs: The eggs have two purposes. They hold together all the ingredients to form the shape of the patty. They are also used as an egg wash, to form a golden crust as they cook.
- Avocado oil: To fry the patties with.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Tuna Cake
Form Tuna Patties
Bringing the tuna cakes together is pretty simple. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix together. Then scoop equal amounts into the palm of your hands and form into a ball. Next flatten the ball and shape into a round disk, similar to a burger patty. That’s it!
Add some oil to the palm of your hands to prevent them from sticking to your hands. I like to form all of the little patties before I start cooking them. I made 6 cakes but this recipe can easily make 8.
Cook the Tuna Cakes
These tuna patties are pan-fried. When making fish cakes in Guyana we always dip them in an egg wash before frying. In America, an egg wash and flour dip is more common. Meaning you typically dip your protein in flour, then an egg wash, then a crunchy coating before frying.
However, in Guyana we only use eggs, at least that’s how my mom taught me. Simply whisk together two eggs and dip each tuna cake into the whisked eggs ensuring that all the sides are coated. Then pan fry them in a small amount of oil until each side is golden brown. Then you are done. Golden, delicious tuna cakes are ready!
What to Serve with Tuna Cakes
I serve my tuna cakes with spicy mango sour (the ultimate Guyanese condiment). Mango sour is a relish made with mangoes and spices. These cakes also go really well with ranch, especially my favorite Tessemae’s Habanero Ranch!
Storage
They are great as leftovers. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I highly recommend reheating them in a skillet over medium heat until they are warmed through. Otherwise, warm them up in the air fryer.
Recipe Variations
- Add Veggies. You can increase the amount of vegetables in this dish by adding some shredded zucchini. As a mom of three, I love dishes where I can hidxe an extra serving of veggies.
- Seasoning Substitutes. Don’t have fresh green onion, peppers, garlic, and parsley? No worries. Although I use fresh herbs and bell peppers, you can easily make these with dried herbs and pantry staples. Swap them out for granulated garlic, onion powder, paprika, and parsley flakes. You won’t have the crunch of the fresh veggies but the flavor will be almost the same.
- Spicy. Make them spicy by adding cayenne or chili peppers, even red pepper flakes give these tuna cakes a nice kick of heat.
- Sweet Potato Tuna Cakes. For this recipe, I am using russet potatoes that I boiled and crushed but you can substitute russet potatoes for sweet potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Serve tuna cakes with a dipping sauce and eat as is. Alternatively, place it between two buns and make a sandwich. You can also serve it with a salad or cooked veggies.
Prevent your tuna cakes from falling apart by ensuring the tuna isn’t too chunky. Pieces should be small. Also, remember to mix the ingredients well so that everything is coated with egg (this is the binding ingredient that keeps the patties intact).
If you want to freeze the patties, do so before cooking them. Form them, then flash freeze before transferring the frozen tuna cakes to an airtight container lined with parchment paper (to prevent the patties from sticking together).
Tuna Cakes {Whole30}
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 2 cans of tuna about 6 ounces
- 1 large russet potato boiled and crushed
- 2 green onion thinly sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic grated
- 3 baby bell peppers or 1/2 a regular bell pepper finely diced
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped curly parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup of Avocado oil
Instructions
- Combine the tuna, potato, green onion, peppers, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper and one egg in a mixing bowl.
- Mix together well.
- Then form into small tuna cakes or patties by scooping 1 to 2 tablespoons of the tuna mixture into the palm of your hand.
- Next form into a ball, then flatten into a round disk similar to a hamburger patty.
- Whisk together the two remaining eggs into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Bring the oil up to temperature in a skillet on medium heat.
- Then when your oil is hot and you are ready to cook the tuna cakes dip the tuna cakes into the whisked eggs ensuring that all sides are fully coated in the beaten eggs.
- Pan fry until golden brown, then flip and continue to pan fry. This should be about 3 minutes for each side.
- Remove from the oil and drain on a sheet of paper towel then serve warm with your favorite condiments.
Notes
Nutrition
The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.
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Linda Philson Says
Delicious! I made the recipe two days in a row for our family..
Althea Brown Says
Glad that it is now in your family’s rotation!
Terrence Says
Love that you give alternative ingredients…it’s greatly appreciated!
Althea Brown Says
Thank you so much. Hope you enjoyed this dish!
cathy Says
These look delicious….why do you have to dip into the egg though? Is that to form a crust? I understand if you’re doing flour and egg dip, but just egg?
Althea Brown Says
I dip them in eggs to form a crust and keep the tuna cakes from falling apart.