Easy, fast, Mexican tuna patties with potatoes are perfect for any time of the year. They are crispy outside, moist and tender inside. Get the full recipe with detailed instructions below.
Mexican families love preparing these tuna cakes for lent; however, it's a popular dish for young and old all year round.
This easy recipe reminds me of my mom. I loved seeing her preparing them for me when I was a little girl, and now my family them, too. My boys light up when they see them on the table.
The humble, simple ingredients make this a budget-friendly recipe. Once you prepare it, your family will ask you to make it again and again.
Basic Ingredients
- Canned tuna – I prefer using tuna in water.
- Potatoes – they create a moist interior.
- Eggs – for binding.
- Onion and garlic.
- Parsley – for a touch of freshness.
- Salt and black pepper.
- Bread crumbs or panko – for the crunchy exterior.
- Oil – for frying.
RELATED POST: 30 Easy Mexican Recipes for Lent
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Tips and Substitutions
- You can use fresh dill, cilantro, or basil leaves if you don't have fresh parsley.
- 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder is a good substitution for fresh garlic.
- Panko is a great option instead of breadcrumbs.
- For a quick variation, use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.
- For gluten-free or keto tuna patties, replace the bread crumbs with 1/2 cup of almond flour.
- You can use vegetable oil, olive oil, or avocado oil.
What is the Best Canned Tuna for Tuna Patties?
The best canned tuna is firm and doesn't contain a lot of excess moisture. Wild albacore tuna, or white tuna, is a great option for making tuna patties because of its firm texture and mild flavor.
Chunk light tuna is another popular choice as it is less expensive, but look for varieties packed in water rather than oil to reduce the overall fat content.
How to Serve Tuna Patties?
I usually serve them with a green salad or soup. Try our pinto bean soup, or creamy squash and carrot soup .
They are also delicious with a squeeze of lime juice or lemon juice. But my favorite way to eat them is with green salsa any other hot sauce and guacamole on the side.
Can I Make These Tuna Burgers Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can. I don't recommend preparing them more than one day in advance, though.
My preference is to make them in the morning, cover and leave them in the fridge until ready to fry or bake.
How to Keep Tuna Patties from Falling Apart?
I have two tips to keep these tuna cakes in one piece.
- Place the patties in the fridge for 30 minutes before frying. If you are in a rush, put them in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Don't move them around in the pan when frying. Place them in the hot oil and wait until they are golden brown to flip them.
How to Store and Reheat them
Allow the leftover tuna fish cakes to come to room temperature, and place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
You can reheat them in different ways, on a hot skillet, microwave, or air fryer.
Let's make them.
Easy Mexican Tuna Patties Recipe
Makes 10-12 patties
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes
- 2 cans of tuna in water
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 white onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 3-5 fresh parsley springs, finely chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 3/4 cups breadcrumbs or Panko, divided*
- 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil, divided
- Green onion for garnish
- Lemon or lime, optional
Equipment
- Potato peeler
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Medium pot
- Potato masher
- Medium Bowl
- Skillet
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Process
Cook the potatoes
Peel the potatoes cut them into chunks, and cook them in a pot of water with a sprinkle of salt. When they are cooked, a fork will easily pierce the potatoes, strain them and mash them into a puree.
It usually takes 5-8 minutes once the water starts boiling.
Make the Tuna Mixture
Add drained tuna, eggs, onion, garlic, parsley or basil, salt, pepper to taste, and 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs.
Mix well until all the ingredients are combined. The mixture will be a little wet.
Place the rest of the breadcrumbs on a plate.
Form small balls of the tuna mixture with your hands and then flatten them into circular patties. Cover both sides of each with breadcrumbs.
Alternative method: combine the bread crumbs directly into the mixture by adding a bit at a time until the mixture is consistent. Then make the small balls and flatten them into circular patties.
Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Cook the Patties
Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1/4 cup olive oil to fry the patties, but not deep fry.
Add the patties to the pan when the oil is at frying temperature. Be careful not to crowd the pan too much, which will cause the cakes to steam rather than fry.
Usually, it takes about 3-4 minutes on each side.
They will look golden brown when ready. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spatula and place them on paper towels or butcher paper to drain extra oil.
Clean the pan and change the oil when needed.
If you don't want to fry them, you can spray a baking sheet with olive oil, place the uncooked patties on top, and put them in a pre-heated oven at 350 F (180 C) for 15-20 minutes.
Flip the patties halfway through so they can brown on both sides.
Serve on a bed of greens and lemon wedges (or lime wedges) on the side. Enjoy!
More Tuna Recipes
Silvia's Mexican Tuna Salad (no mayo)
Mexican Tuna Stuffed Potato Roll
Print the Recipe
Easy Mexican Tuna Patties
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes
- 2 cans of tuna in water
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 white onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 3-5 parsley springs finely chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 3/4 cups breadcrumbs or Panko divided
- 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil divided
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes cut them into chunks, and cook them in a pot of water with a sprinkle of salt. When they are cooked, a fork will easily pierce the potatoes, strain them and mash them into a puree.It usually takes 5-8 minutes once the water starts boiling.
- Add drained tuna, eggs, onion, garlic, parsley or basil, salt, pepper to taste, and 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs.Mix well until all the ingredients are combined. The mixture will be a little wet but firm to form the patties. If your mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs.
- Place the rest of breadcrumbs on a plate.
- Form small balls with your hands and then flatten them into circular patties. Cover both sides of each with bread crumbs. (Alternative method: combine the bread crumbs directly into the mixture by adding a little bit at a time until the entire mixture is consistent. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup olive oil to the pan to fry the patties, but not deep fry.
- When the oil is at frying temperature, add the patties to the pan. Be careful not to crowd the pan too much, which will cause the cakes to steam rather than fry. Usually, it takes about 3-4 minutes on each side. They will look golden brown when ready. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spatula and place them on a paper towel to drain extra oil. Change oil when needed.
- If you don’t want to fry them, you can spray a baking sheet with olive oil, place the uncooked patties on top, and place them in a pre-heated oven at 350 F (180 C) for 15-20 minutes, flipping the patties halfway through so they can brown on both sides.
- Serve on a bed of greens and lemon wedges (or lime wedges) on the side. Enjoy!
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